The plant ash is no longer used for scooping water now, but an alkaline mixture made of potassium carbonate and sodium carbonate as the main ingredients, supplemented by carbonate or polyphosphate, according to the composition and principle of plant ash, which is the same as plant ash scooping water in function, so it is still called scooping water. If only potassium carbonate and sodium carbonate are used to make water, its properties are very unstable and it is easy to fail and deteriorate when stored for a long time. Generally, 10% phosphate or polyphosphate is added to improve water retention, viscoelasticity, acid-base buffering and metal blocking power.
There are three purposes to add water: one is to neutralize the acid in the converted syrup to prevent the sour taste of moon cakes from affecting the taste and taste; The second is to increase the alkalinity of the mooncake crust, which is beneficial to the coloring of mooncakes. The higher the alkalinity, the easier it is to color the mooncake crust. Thirdly, the neutralization reaction between scooping water and acid produces a certain smell of carbon dioxide, which promotes the moderate expansion of moon cakes and makes the crust of moon cakes more loose and not deformed.
The moon cakes made of water containing potassium carbonate have a deep red crust, bright and bright, which is unique and appetizing. This is the main difference between using scooped water and using sodium carbonate alone.
The concentration of scooping water is also very important. If the concentration of scooping water is too low, the amount of scooping water will be large, which will reduce the amount of syrup used in the dough, and the moon cake dough will be "stiff", and the product is not easy to return oil, soften and deform. If the concentration of scooped water is too high, the surface of moon cakes will be heavily colored, the alkalinity will increase, and the taste will become worse.