Lotus Flower Pastry: A Stunning and Delicious Delight
Lotus Flower Pastry, or “Hua Sheng Su,” is a breathtaking and delicately flavored dessert from Chinese cuisine. Shaped like a lotus flower, this pastry features flaky layers that bloom during frying, evoking the beauty of a lotus in full bloom. This pastry has a rich cultural history and is often associated with purity and beauty in Chinese tradition. Usually filled with sweet lotus seed paste or other delightful fillings, these pastries are a treat for the eyes and the palate.
Despite its elegant appearance, this recipe is surprisingly easy to make at home. Perfect for special occasions, tea parties, or as a unique indulgence, it invites you to experiment with different fillings and shapes, sparking your creativity and adding a unique touch to your celebrations.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Beautiful Presentation: Each pastry blooms like a lotus flower, creating a show-stopping dessert.
- Delicate Flavor: A lightly sweet, nutty filling pairs beautifully with the buttery, flaky pastry.
- Cultural Significance: These pastries, rooted in tradition, represent purity and beauty.
Serving Suggestions
Lotus Flower Pastries are perfect for:
- Tea Time: Pair with green, jasmine, or oolong tea for a traditional experience.
- Celebrations: Serve at Lunar New Year, weddings, or family gatherings.
- Dessert Platters: Include these pastries as part of an elegant dessert spread.
Storing and Reheating
Storage:
- Store leftover pastries in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Why This Recipe Works
If the pastry needs to be more flaky, try increasing the number of layers during the folding process. If the pastry is too dry, brush it with more oil or butter before frying. These tips will help you troubleshoot common issues and ensure a successful outcome. The flaky pastry and sweet, nutty coconut filling perfectly balance textures and flavors. The artistic flower shape makes these pastries as delightful to look at as they are to eat. This recipe simplifies the traditional method, making it approachable for home cooks while preserving its beauty and taste.
Conclusion
Lotus Flower Pastry is a stunning dessert steeped in tradition and bursting with flavor. Its delicate appearance and melt-in-your-mouth texture make it perfect for any occasion. Whether you’re hosting a tea party or looking to try something new, these pastries are guaranteed to impress. Give them a try and enjoy the artistry and taste of this classic treat!
Lotus Flower Pastry
Ingredients
Coconut Filling
- 1 egg yolk
- 3/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut
- 4 tsp unsalted butter
Dough # One
- Few drops pink food coloring
- 2 tbsp water
- 3/4 cup cake flour
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp lard
Dough #Two
- 1/2 cup cake flour
- 3 tbsp lard
Vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
Coconut Filling
- Combine sweetened shredded coconut, egg yolk, and butter in a bowl.
- Divide the filling into ten equal portions, and roll it into balls.
- Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate until the other two pastry dough's are ready.
Dough # One
- Color the water with a few drops of food coloring.
- Combine flour, sugar, lard, and colored water and knead until the dough is soft.
- Roll them into ten equal-sized balls.
- Rest for 20 minutes, covered to avoid drying.
Dough # Two
- Combine flour and lard in a bowl.
- Knead until the dough is soft.
- Roll the dough into 10 equal-sized balls.
Flower Petals
- Roll pastry dough # 1 with a rolling pin or flat with your hands.
- Take pastry dough# one cover with it pastry dough #two completely, and roll it into a smooth ball.
- Take one ball out and press it down with the palm of your hand to squeeze it, then roll the dough out into an oval shape and do a three-fold.
- Repeat the same with all the dough balls.
- Rest for 15 minutes.
- Repeat the same process again with all the dough balls roll and a three-sided folding again.
- Rest the dough for another 15 minutes, covered.
Flowers
- Roll the folded dough into a round shape.
- Take the coconut filling and wrap it with the rolled dough.
- Take a sharp knife and make petals by making equal incisions, making the center deep and leaving 1cm at the bottom sides.
- Lightly press the top portion to give a complete flower shape.
- Heat the vegetable oil over low to medium heat. ( 120°-140°C )
- Check the temperature of the oil with the thermometer or dip a wooden chopstick and see the bubbles coming when the oil is ready with the right temperature.
- Use a chopstick to wave slightly so the petals can slowly unfold during the frying process.
- When the pastries are cooked they will start to float to the surface.
- Use a colander to take the fried pastries out.
- After pastries cool down, the petals will become very crisp.