The kids treated us another amazing restaurant-style dinner under the candle light. This distant learning is great!

Sugar syrup for mooncakes

(From Savoury Days)

To make about 50 mooncakes (125-g each)

500 g sugar
500 g dark-brown sugar
600 ml boiling water
Juice of 1/2 lemon (discard seeds but keep the rest)
1 airtight jar (about 1 quart)

1. In a large stockpot, combine sugar + dark brown sugar + boiling water. Stir to combine.
2. Weight the stockpot and note down the exact weight.
3. Place the stockpot over high heat.
4. Once the water is boiling, lower the heat to simmer.
5. Skim and discard any bubbles.
6. Add lemon juice and lemon skin.
7. Simmer for about an hour.
   • Note: After an hour, weight the stockpot again. The syrup is ready if the current weight is about 400 g less than the initial weight in step 2. If not, continue to simmer.
8. Discard the lemon.
9. Use a big spoon to ladle the syrup from the stockpot into a jar.
   • Note: Avoid scraping the crystalized sugar on the side of the stockpot into the jar.
10. When the syrup is completely cool, close the lit and store in a dark cool place.
11. The syrup is ready to use in 7-10 days and can be stored in several years.