"Originating from Sapa, a small town located in northern Vietnam, Sapa Chestnut Cake is one of its specialties, which is made from chestnut."
Sapa Chestnut Cake
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Prep time: 40mins
Cook time: 50mins
Serves or Makes: 8
Recipe Card
ingredients
- 150 gram all-purpose flour
- 60 gram coconut oil/vegetable oil
- 40 gram butter
- 260 gram all-purpose flour
- 100 gram butter
- 50 gram salt
Method
Step 1
Preparing the Oil Dough: In a mixing bowl, combine 75g of all-purpose flour, 30g of coconut oil, and 20g of butter. Mix the ingredients until they come together to form a dough. Shape the oil dough into a square or rectangle, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes to firm up. You must do this step, or else it’s very difficult folding with water dough in order to make puff pastry.
Step 2
Preparing the Water Dough: In a separate mixing bowl, combine 130g of all-purpose flour, 50g of butter, 25g of sugar, 0.5g of salt, and 25g of egg. Mix the ingredients until they form a crumbly mixture. Gradually add 30g of cold water to the mixture, a little at a time, and continue mixing until a smooth and slightly sticky dough forms. You may not need to use all the cold water, so add it gradually.
Step 3
Making Chestnut Paste Filling: To make Chestnut Paste Filling, mix 300g chestnut powder, 70g honey, 20g oil and 90ml milk together on a pan. Stir the mixture on low heat until it forms a unique paste. Then, divide it into 8 portions and roll into balls Beside using Chestnut Powder, you can make the paste from whole peeled chestnut, milk and sugar. Please refer to the post “Chestnut Paste Recipes” to check another recipe for Chestnut Paste and opt for the one with the most convenience for you.
Step 4
Lamination Process: Rolling Out the Water Dough: Begin by rolling out the water dough into two large, thin rectangles, each the same size as the flattened oil dough, on a lightly floured surface. Encasing the Oil Dough: Place the oil dough between the two flattened water dough rectangles. First Fold (Letter Fold): Roll out this combined dough into a long, narrow rectangle. Perform a letter fold by folding the bottom third of the dough up towards the center, then fold the top third down over it, like folding a letter. This creates three layers of dough. Cover and let the dough rest for 10 minutes in the fridge. Second Fold (Book Fold): Roll out the dough similarly to the previous step (along the long edge). Fold the shorter side of the rectangular dough towards its center, ensuring that the edges align perfectly. Gently press down to secure the dough in place. Next, repeat this folding process with the opposite side, leaving a small gap in the middle. Now, fold the entire sheet of dough in half along the central gap. Third Fold (Book Fold): Repeat the process of the second fold. Chilling the Dough: After third fold, roll the dough out thinly and then roll it up like a log. Cover the dough and let it chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Cutting into portions: Cut the dough into small and equal portions. Then, roll the dough thinly to make the wrapper from puff pastry.
Step 5
Wrapping the Chestnut Paste Filling Forming Sapa Chestnut cake: Place a Chestnut Paste Filling Ball in the center of a wrapper. Place the prepared filling in the center and wrap it up. Lay the cake on baking tray with the smooth surface up. Repeat until you finish all the dough and filling
Step 6
Baking Sapa Chestnut Cake: First baking: Bake for 10 minutes. While the first round is baking, prepare the egg wash by mixing 1 egg yolk with a teaspoon of water. Second baking: After the first 10 minutes, take the cakes out of the oven and brush a thin layer of egg wash. It’s optional to sprinkle a pinch of black sesame on top of the cakes. Then, spray the cake with water and put it in the oven a second time at 200°C (400°F) for 15 minutes. Pay attention and turn off when the cake reaches the desired golden-brown color. Otherwise, you can bake it in just one time. Prepare the egg wash, brush one thin layer on the cakes and spinkle black sesame on while waiting for the oven to heat up to 200°C (400°F). Spay water on them and bake continuously in 20 minutes or until they achieve an even golden-brown look.