Chinese New Year Cookies: Salted Egg Yolk Cookies

Huh! Salted egg yolk cookies??? Yup you read that right. I was hesitating a little when I choose to make this cookie. Would it be yummy? Would it come out well? The answer is yes and yes. I’m so glad I tried this cookie. This is one of my new favorite cookies (together with Star Anise Cookies). The important key here is to use fresh salted egg. If you use non-fresh salted egg, the cookies will come out ‘foul’. LOL

Really-really delicious!


Left: Dry ingredients (flour, cornflour, baking powder, bicarbonate soda & milk powder)
Right: Butter, shortening, salt and sugar

The shortening that I used; transfat-free.
Note: I highly suggest using butter instead of shortening.

Notice the kinda less bright red-orange yolk at the bottom? This one is turning no good. I used it anyway since it doesn’t smell rotten.

Add mashed salted egg yolk and sifted dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Notice how chunky it becomes? Just use your hand to bring the dough together. Don’t mash the salted egg yolk too fine or you won’t be able to taste the salted egg yolk (still the flavour is there).

I thought this looks like kids toys. Haha Background is the egg wash and sesame seeds (black and white)

Rolling out the dough is really easy. When cutting the cookie, I use the cut-and-scoop method so that the cookie will cling inside the cutter. This way I can easily transfer to the baking pan without deforming its shape because it’s too soft to cut and then pick up from the table.

They’re ready for the oven!

Note: Cookies are fragile when fresh hot out of the oven. Handle them with care and with love because they are gems!

What it taste like? Savory-a lil’ salty-crunchy-with aromatic salted egg yolk flavor. It’s very addicting. We ate and ate and ate… until there were none left. Sad. 🙁

My only wish is that I didn’t mash the salted egg yolk that fine. Maybe I’ll add an extra egg next round.

Do try this super unique cookie. I’m sure you would love it as much as I do.

Salted Egg Yolk Cookies
Adapted from Debbie Teoh (Flavours magazine Jan-Feb 2009)
Yields 190 pieces

250g plain flour
20g cornflour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon milk powder

3 salted egg yolks
150g butter, at room temperature
20g transfat-free shortening (or replace with butter)
1/2 teaspoon salt
80g caster sugar

1 egg mixed with 1 egg yolk, beaten lightly, for egg wash
5g each of black and white sesame seeds for topping

Method:
1. Sift flour, cornflour, baking powder, baking soda and milk powder. Set it aside.

2. Steam salted egg yolks for around 8 minutes in a steamer. Mash with fork and set it aside.

3. In the mixer bowl, add butter, shortening, salt and sugar. Mix until sugar is dissolved.

4. Add mashed salted egg yolks and sifted flours. Mix until you get a soft and flexible dough. Chill dough for around 30 minutes to 1 hour in the fridge if dough is too soft. (I didn’t need to chill the dough, it was just nice to roll out after mixing)

5. Preheat oven to 175^oC. Line the baking pans.

6. Roll dough to about 5mm thickness and shape with cookie cutters. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

7. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and cool on cooling rack. Store in airtight containers. (perfect baking time for my oven is 18 minutes).

Happy Baking!