Wife’s Cake 老婆饼

there are many legends that attempt to explain the origins of this ‘Bing’. The flaky pastry with a sweet filling is popular in Singapore, Hong Kong and Mainland China. Many professional chefs also bake modern variants. Now you can make your version at home.

Makes 10 pieces  

Filling

• 25g            unsalted butter
• 50g            caster sugar 白砂糖
• 85g            water (room temperature)
• 2g               salt (细盐)
• 45g             glutinous rice flour 糯米粉
• 8g              white sesame seeds 白芝麻
• 5g            desiccated coconut 椰丝

Water Dough/Low-Fat dough水油皮  (for wrappers)

• 100g            cake flour 低筋面粉
• 10g              caster sugar 白砂糖
• 30g              unsalted butter (softened)
• 45g              water (room temperature)
• 1 egg yolk to make the egg wash

Oil Dough/High-Fat Dough 油酥 (for wrappers)

• 70g                 cake flour 低筋面粉
• 40g                 unsalted butter

Method

Step 1   make the sticky rice filling

1. Place unsalted butter, salt, water and sugar in a sauce pan and cook over medium heat for a few minutes until sugar disolved. Add the rest of the ingredients, turn to low medium heat and cook for about 5 minutes. Use a wooden spoon to mix the ingredients together and keep it from burning on the bottom of the pan. Remove the pan from the stove. Let the mixture cool off then wrap it in clingy film. Set aside in the fridge for about 30 minutes. 

Step 2   make the wrappers

2. For the water dough 水油皮 – sift the flour. 面粉过筛. Combine the flour, water, butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and knead it for 3-4 minutes into s soft dough. Wrap it in clingy film then set aside.
3. For the oil dough油酥 – sift the flour into a separate bowl. 面粉过筛. Add into the butter and mix it well with the flour. Knead it for 2-3 minutes into s ball. Wrap it in clingy film then set aside.
4. Divide the water dough and oil dough into 10 portions respectively. To do this, just weigh the total dough and divide it into 10 so you will know each portion has how much weight (grams) in it.
5. Take a portion of the water dough and use your rolling pin to flatten it then put a portion of the oil dough. Make sure your water dough covers the whole oil dough. Then use your rolling pin to roll it into a long thin strip vertically. From the shorter end at the top, slowly roll the dough downwards tightly to make a mini swiss roll.
6. Turn the rolled dough 90 degrees. Roll out the dough again. Roll up Swiss-roll style again.
7. Once you are done with all 10 portions, cover the rolls in clingy film and let the dough rest for about 15 to 20 minutes.
8. Meanwhile, divide the filling into 10 equal portions.

Step 3   Assemble

9. Preheat your oven to 200℃.
10. Roll 1 portion of the combined pastry wrapper (made from step 5-7) into circular shape with rolling pin. Put the filling in the middle and pinch the edges together and seal the pastry. Place the pastry with the sealed edges face down. Use your hands to press the pastry gently to flatten it and if you feel it’s not flattened enough, you may use your rolling pin to flatten it more to a disc shape of 9cm in diameter. Do the same for all 9 other portions.
11. Place the pastry in a baking tray. Brush the pastry with beaten egg yolk. Sprinkle with the white sesame seeds (optional). Use a sharp knife to cut three parallel lines on the cake.
12. Move the baking tray into the middle rack of the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
13. Remove the tray from the oven. Let it cool off for 10 minutes then enjoy!