Mission Impossible

They said it couldn't be done.

When the Beijing This Month culinary team approached the China World Hotel seeking help with our Chef Recommends idea, Hong Kong chef Stanley K. F. Yuen said, "That's too hard. It's impossible for foreigners to do."

So we approached Dim Sum Executive Chef Ieong Kin Meng of the Jinguang New World Hotel.

"No problem, that's easy," he said. "And I'll help you."

Ingredients For 30 mooncakes Lotus seed paste, 1 can (lian rong, sold in tin cans at most supermarkets) Salty pickled duck egg yolk 15 (xian ya dan huang, available on market) 0.5 kg flour 50g peanut oil 125g syrup 250g water 2 chicken eggs

Utensils 1 rolling pin 1 mooncake mold (available at store: 112 Dongdan Beidajie, Dongcheng tel: 6525-7596) 1 basin 1 bowl (for steps 1 and 10) 1 brush 1 roll of cling film 1 pair of sunglasses 1 chef's hat 1 apron

BTM culinary team in action: Li Mingxia, Wurunmei, Andrew McEwen, Li Wei xia and Chef Leong Kin Meng Iearn to bake cakes in the Jing Guang NewWorld Hotel kitchen.

Steps:

1. Mix flour with syrup, add one chicken egg and peanut oil, 250g water. Stir into a dough. Cover bowl with cling film.	2. Squash lotus seed paste balls into flat discs about the size of a small saucer.	3. Place half duck egg yolk in the center.
4. Slowly fold lotus wrapper around yolk until it is completely surrounded.	5. Remove cling film. Take a piece of dough about the size of a large cigarette stub. Roll into thin round wrapper.

6. Place brown lotus paste egg ball into wrapper carefully. Wrap around all of ball if possible.

7. Stuff ball into mould. Squish it in hard and flatten top with palm.

8. Break out mould with short slap.

9. Place on baking tray and then in oven at 150º Celsius.

10. Whisk chicken egg yolk. After 5 minutes, remove cakes from oven. Glaze with yolk. 11. After further 5 minutes, remove from oven. Brush with syrup. Replace in oven.

12. After 5 further minute, remove from oven. 13. Eat this.