I have been reading why lye is needed for making Chinese mooncakes since the crust is not crunchy. A Chinese chef Cheung Long-yin explained “it is not feasible to do traditional moon cake crust without lye water. First the moon cake crust will age easily, and the crust will crack. Secondly, the lye crust helps to maintain an oily appearance with the absorbed water and fat and without oil/fat leaking out. Finally it helps to obtain the right colour.”
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