LAI YUT (Beautiful Moon Tarts)

Ingredients

• 2 cups Rice flour (Measured level; sometimes labelled 'glutinous rice flour' or 'rice flour' — use plain white rice flour for this recipe)
• 1 tablespoon (heaped) Clarified goose fat (Clarified means the fat has been gently melted and strained to remove any solids; use a heaped tablespoonful as stated in the original)
• 2 whole eggs Eggs (Only the whites are used for the pastry; separate carefully so no yolk gets in, as yolk will prevent the whites from whipping)
• 0 as needed Ice-cold water (Add a little at a time — you need just enough to bring the dough together into a stiff, non-sticky paste. Keep a jug of water with ice cubes in it nearby)
• 2 cups Lychee nuts, stoned and mashed to a pulp (Filling 1. Fresh or canned lychees both work; if using canned, drain them well before mashing. 'Stoned' means the stone/pit has been removed)
• 1.5 cups Sugar (Filling 1. Plain white granulated sugar)
• 0.25 cup Crystallized limes (Filling 1. These are limes that have been preserved in sugar; you may find them in specialty Asian grocery stores or online. Chop finely before using)
• 1 teaspoon Mixed spices (Filling 1. A pre-blended mixed spice from the spice aisle works well here — it typically contains cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice)
• 0.25 pound Beef fat, cut in small pieces (Filling 2 (alternative). Ask your butcher for beef fat (suet); cut into small, roughly pea-sized pieces)
• 1 cup Chopped dates (Filling 2 (alternative). Use any variety of dried dates; remove the stones and chop into small pieces before measuring)
• 1 cup Preserved pineapple (Filling 2 (alternative). This refers to pineapple that has been preserved in sugar syrup, similar to glacé fruit; chop into small pieces if in large chunks)
• 0.25 cup Blanched chopped almonds (Filling 2 (alternative). 'Blanched' means the brown skins have been removed — you can buy them pre-blanched. Chop roughly)
• 1.5 cups Sugar (Filling 2 (alternative). Plain white granulated sugar)
• 1 teaspoon Mixed spices (Filling 2 (alternative). A pre-blended mixed spice from the spice aisle works well here)
• 0 as needed for decoration Candied orange peel or fruit coloring (For decoration only. If using candied orange peel, cut small crescent or circle shapes to represent a moon. If using fruit coloring, use yellow to paint a moon shape in the centre of each tart)

Instructions

1. 1Before you begin, place a jug of water in the fridge with a handful of ice cubes so it is truly ice-cold by the time you need it. Crack both eggs and carefully separate the whites from the yolks — place the whites in a clean, grease-free bowl and set aside. You will not use the yolks in this recipe. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F / Gas Mark 4), which is a moderate oven temperature.
2. 2Measure 2 cups of rice flour into a large mixing bowl. Add the heaped tablespoon of clarified goose fat. Using your fingertips, rub the fat into the flour by pressing small amounts of the mixture between your thumbs and fingers and rubbing them together. Continue until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs with no visible lumps of fat remaining. This technique is similar to making shortcrust pastry.
3. 3Retrieve your jug of ice-cold water from the fridge. Add the water to the flour-fat mixture one tablespoon at a time, mixing with a fork or your hands after each addition. You are aiming for a stiff paste — it should hold together when pressed but not be sticky or wet. Rice flour absorbs water differently from wheat flour, so add water very slowly and stop as soon as the dough comes together. It may take anywhere from 3 to 6 tablespoons depending on conditions.
4. 4Using a hand whisk or electric hand mixer, whip the egg whites in your clean bowl until they form soft peaks — this means when you lift the whisk out, the whites hold a peak that gently flops over at the tip. Do not over-whip to stiff peaks; you just want them light and foamy enough to brush onto the dough. Set aside.
5. 5Lightly dust your work surface with a little rice flour. Place the dough on the surface and roll it out to a thin sheet using a rolling pin. Using a pastry brush, brush the surface of the dough with the whipped egg white. Fold the dough over itself (like folding a letter), then roll it out again. Brush with egg white again and fold once more. Repeat this rolling, brushing, and folding process several times — at least 3 to 4 times total. This layering process creates the flaky outer texture that separates when baked, leaving the tart snow-white.
6. 6After your final fold, roll the dough out to approximately a quarter of an inch thick (about 6mm). Using a round cutter or the rim of a small saucer (roughly 12–15cm / 5–6 inches in diameter), cut out as many rounds as you can. You will need an even number of rounds — one for the base and one for the top of each tart. Re-roll any offcuts and cut more rounds until the dough is used up.
7. 7NOTE: This recipe offers two filling options. Prepare one or both, or use one for the full batch. For Filling 1: Stone the lychees if using fresh (remove the pip inside), or drain canned lychees thoroughly. Mash the lychee flesh to a pulp using a fork or potato masher. Finely chop the crystallized limes. Combine the mashed lychee, 1½ cups of sugar, the chopped crystallized limes, and 1 teaspoon of mixed spices in a bowl. Mix everything together well until evenly combined. The filling should be thick and jammy in consistency.
8. 8NOTE: This is the second filling option — use this instead of or in addition to Filling 1. Cut the beef fat into small, roughly pea-sized pieces. Stone and chop the dates into small pieces if not already done. Chop the preserved pineapple into small pieces. Combine the beef fat, chopped dates, preserved pineapple, blanched chopped almonds, 1½ cups of sugar, and 1 teaspoon of mixed spices in a bowl. Mix thoroughly until everything is evenly distributed. The filling will be chunky and rich.
9. 9Place half of your dough rounds on a lightly greased baking tray or a tray lined with baking paper — these are your bases. Spoon a generous amount of your chosen filling into the centre of each base round, leaving a border of about 1.5cm (half an inch) clear around the edge — do not overfill or the tart will be difficult to seal. Place a second round of dough on top of each filled base. Press the edges together firmly with your fingers, then crimp or pinch them to form a neat rounded edge and create a good seal so the filling does not leak out during baking.
10. 10Using your pastry brush, brush the top and edges of each assembled tart generously with the remaining whipped egg white. This final egg white coating is what creates the beautiful, snow-white appearance after baking when the outer flake is removed. Place the tray in the preheated oven at 180°C (350°F / Gas Mark 4) and bake for 50 minutes. The tarts should feel set and firm to a light touch when done.
11. 11Once the tarts come out of the oven, allow them to cool for 5 minutes on the tray so they are easier to handle. The multiple egg-white layers create an outer flaky shell during baking. Carefully peel away this outer flaky layer from the top and sides of each tart — it should come away relatively easily, revealing the snow-white surface beneath. Work gently so the tart holds its shape underneath.
12. 12To finish each tart, place a yellow moon shape in the centre. You have two options as given in the original recipe: either cut a small crescent or circular moon shape from candied orange peel and press it gently onto the centre of the tart, or use yellow fruit coloring to paint a moon shape directly onto the white surface of the tart using a small brush. Serve the tarts at room temperature. They make a striking and elegant centrepiece.