{"id":559,"date":"2026-02-21T06:51:28","date_gmt":"2026-02-21T06:51:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sefovirtuve.lt\/?p=559"},"modified":"2026-02-21T06:51:28","modified_gmt":"2026-02-21T06:51:28","slug":"chinese-peony-pastry-%e7%89%a1%e4%b8%b9%e5%bd%a2%e9%85%a5%e9%a4%85-chinese-recipes-at-thehongkongcookery-com","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sefovirtuve.lt\/?p=559","title":{"rendered":"Chinese Peony Pastry \u7261\u4e39\u5f62\u9165\u9905 | Chinese Recipes at TheHongKongCookery.com"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Dear readers, I have recently discovered a most fabulous book of dim sum!\u00a0 Dim sum \u9ede\u5fc3 is a traditional Cantonese style of dining on small bite sized tidbits, both sweet and savory, all exquisitely presented, while drinking fragrant Chinese tea.\u00a0 Ooooo..we love us some dim sum, how about y’all?<\/p>\n

The dim sum book of which I speak is\u00a0\u6b63\u7d71\u4e2d\u5f0f\u9ede\u5fc3\u5168\u66f8: \u5e2b\u627f\u9999\u6e2f\u50b3\u5947\u6599\u7406\u5927\u5e2b by\u00a0\u5409\u5ca1\u52dd\u7f8e which translates into The Complete Book of Authentic Chinese Dim Sum by Katsumi Yoshioka.\u00a0 The Japanese author of this book apprenticed with the legendary culinary master Chef Liang Jing \u6881\u656c, at the\u00a0\u656c\u8cd3\u9152\u5bb6, a famous Cantonese restaurant in the 80’s.<\/p>\n

This is our first try at a recipe from this book and boy-o-boy are we pleased!\u00a0 Around a delicious heart of creamy lotus seed paste, this Chinese Peony Pastry\u00a0\u7261\u4e39\u5f62\u9165\u9905 opens out in the most delicate flaky pastry petal layers, looking just like real peony blossoms.\u00a0 Super duper uber gorgeous amirite?!\u00a0 And the perfect special treat to celebrate the Chinese New Year!<\/p>\n

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Here is a photo of the real peony flower \u7261\u4e39\u82b1.\u00a0 This ethereal flower is considered the ‘king of flowers \u82b1\u738b’ in Chinese culture and symbolizes honor, wealth and prosperity.\u00a0 Sigh…isn’t it just so beautiful!\u00a0 It is my most favorite flower so I was so excited to try to make a peony pastry!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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For this Chinese flaky pastry we will need to make two types of dough, ‘water dough’ and ‘oil dough’.\u00a0 The first type we make is the ‘water dough’.\u00a0 Read the photos above from left to right:<\/p>\n

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  • 1) Low and high gluten flour is mixed with sugar.<\/span><\/li>\n
  • 2) Enough water is mixed in to form a dough ball.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  • 3) Lard is added bit by bit and kneaded in.\u00a0 At first it will seem impossibly slippery to combine but just keep\u00a0<\/span>going and the lard will all be absorbed in.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  • \u00a04) A smooth shiny dough is the result.\u00a0 Check doneness by the windowpane test: stretch dough out to\u00a0<\/span>form a thin translucent sheet without tearing.\u00a0 If it tears it needs more kneading.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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    Next step is to take the ‘water dough’, weigh* it out and divide in half.\u00a0 Color is added using food colouring gel and kneaded in.\u00a0 It takes quite of bit of kneading to get the color in!<\/p>\n

    Tip:\u00a0<\/b> In order to make the final pastries of the same size (looks really professional) use a food weight and properly weigh out everything!\u00a0\u00a0<\/i><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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    The now colored ‘water dough’ is weighed out and rolled it into balls in preparation for the layering.\u00a0 All that kneading has warmed up the dough so it’s covered and chilled again so as to stiffen up a bit while the ‘oil dough’ is being made.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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    The second dough to make is the ‘oil dough’.\u00a0 This dough is made with just flour and lard, mixed until a dough ball is formed. The ‘oil dough’ is then weighed out and rolled into balls in preparation for layering.<\/p>\n

    This oil dough does not need to be refrigerated.\u00a0 I think that the general idea behind chilling and not chilling is that the hardness of the two types of dough should be as similar as possible so as to be easier to layer together and roll out evenly.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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    Now we can finally start on the layering to create our flaky pastry!\u00a0 First we will need to combine the ‘water dough’ and the ‘oil dough’.\u00a0 Read the photos above from left to right: One ‘water dough’ round is flattened out slightly and an oil dough round placed on top of it and then enclosed completely inside it.\u00a0 The final photo bottom left shows the resulting combined dough ball shaped into an oval.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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    The following steps create the wonderful flaky pastry layers.\u00a0 The oval of combined dough is rolled out flat.\u00a0 Then the flattened dough is rolled down (or up) into a roll.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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    The rolled up dough looks rather like a cigar, no?\u00a0 \u00a0The next step is to flatten two thirds of that dough cigar with the palm of your hand.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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    The unpressed 1\/3 of the dough is folded over.\u00a0 Then the other side is also folded over, so basically the dough cigar is folded into thirds.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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    Once all the dough is rolled and folded, it’s time to move onto the final wrapping.\u00a0 The folded dough, one of each color, are placed with the joined ends facing upwards and rolled out in squares.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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    The yellow dough (inner petals of the peony<\/i>) is placed over the pink dough (outer petals<\/i>) and a ball of lotus seed paste is placed on top.\u00a0 Make your own lotus seed paste easily with our fab and guaranteed delicious and creamy Homemade Lotus Seed Paste recipe!<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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    Wrap up your peony pastry!\u00a0 Read the photos above from left to right:\u00a0 The pink and yellow doughs are wrapped up and around the lotus seed paste ball.\u00a0 Lay the pasty in one hand and use the other hand’s fingers to turn the pastry while pulling the dough evenly up and around the filling.\u00a0 Keep going until the dough meets at a point.\u00a0 The last photo on the bottom left shows the point pinched together and then fold\/flatten down to one side.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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    The wrapped pastries are placed on a tray with the joining on the bottom.\u00a0 \u00a0Cover and let the wrapped pastry chill again before proceeding to the next stage of slicing the petal pattern.\u00a0 Chilling hardens the pastry enough that it doesn’t lose its shape as you form the petals.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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    Use a one sided sharp razor blade or knife to form the petal patterns.\u00a0 First indent the top of the ball into six equal sections.\u00a0 Then use a gentle sawing motion to slice the pastry almost halfway through.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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    Peony ‘buds’ awaiting their blossom!\u00a0 Once the peonies are sliced they are left out to reach room temperature before the deep fry.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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    It is the kiss of oil that blossoms the peony petals.\u00a0 We start with a lower heat.\u00a0 The peony ‘bud’ is carefully slipped into the hot oil.\u00a0 After a bit the top of the pastry will start to bubble and you will see the ‘petals’ start to unfurl at the tips.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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    To help the unfurling, ladle some of the hot oil up and drizzle right into the center of the peony.\u00a0 The peony will blossom more and more as you do this.\u00a0 So cool, amirite?!\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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    This is how the peony should look at full blossom in the oil.\u00a0 Once you are happy with the ‘blossom’ it’s time to increase the heat.\u00a0 Making the oil hotter will harden the unfurled petal layers, allowing the flower to stay ‘blossomed’ when lifted out of the oil.\u00a0 Check the stiffness of the petals by using a flat strainer scoop to lift the pastry out of oil to check.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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    Here is the cooked pastry lifted up, its petals stiffened and holding its blossomed shape.\u00a0 The strainer helps to drain the oil away.\u00a0 Ain’t our peony blossom pretty?!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

    The deep frying was a wee bit tricky for me, especially for keeping the temperature of the oil at the proper level.\u00a0 This is where the food thermometer really comes in handy dandy.\u00a0 You can check accurately for the cooler temps that allows the peony petals to blossom and the higher temps that will stiffen them.\u00a0 Note that as you are increasing the temperature of the oil to finish the blossoms you will need to cool the oil down each time before starting a new batch.<\/p>\n

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    A new technique!\u00a0 After the deep fry the pastries are immediately placed on a paper towel lined tray in a very low heat oven.\u00a0 The paper towels must be changed 3-4 times as they soak up with the oil draining from the pastry.\u00a0 I think keeping the pastry warm allows the oil more time to drain.\u00a0 Actually, this technique drains the oil so thoroughly that you can’t hardly tell that the finished pastry was deep fried!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

    Tip:<\/b> Do be sure to set the lowest oven temperature!\u00a0 I set my oven a bit too high and ended up accidentally slightly browning my first finished peony pastry…oops!\u00a0\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n

    And that’s how to make your own most beauteous peony shaped flaky pastry!\u00a0 I realize that it does seem like a lot of of steps at first but that’s because I wanted to clearly illustrate everything so that the layering can be achieved.\u00a0 Trust me, once you understand the steps it gets waaay<\/i> easier.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

    Anyhoo, darlings, it’s totally worth it all cuz these pastries are just fabulously gorgeous<\/i>, no?!\u00a0 And so yummilicious to boot!\u00a0 Delicate many layered ethereal petals crunch and flake when you bite through into the creamy lotus seed heart of our beautiful Chinese Peony Pastry \u7261\u4e39\u5f62\u9165\u9905.\u00a0 Happy Chinese New Year to all!\u00a0 Gong Hei Fat Choi \u606d\u559c\u767c\u8ca1!<\/p>\n

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    Chinese Peony Pastries Recipe<\/span><\/u><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

    \u7261\u4e39\u5f62\u9165\u9905<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

    (makes 10)\u00a0 Prep time: 45mins\u00a0 Chill time: 1 hr\u00a0 Cook time: 15 mins<\/i><\/p>\n

    (adapted from recipe in\u00a0\u6b63\u7d71\u4e2d\u5f0f\u9ede\u5fc3\u5168\u66f8: \u5e2b\u627f\u9999\u6e2f\u50b3\u5947\u6599\u7406\u5927\u5e2b by\u00a0\u5409\u5ca1\u52dd\u7f8e)<\/i><\/p>\n

    Ingredients:<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

    Water Dough 7oz\/200g<\/b><\/i><\/u><\/p>\n

    Oil Dough 3.5oz\/100g<\/b><\/i><\/u><\/p>\n

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