Thousand Layer Mooncake with Ube Halaya

Flaky. Vibrant. Celebratory.

These Thousand Layer Mooncakes are a mesmerizing take on the traditional Teochew-style spiral mooncakes, filled with creamy ube halaya and wrapped in delicate layers of purple and white pastry. Each bite is flaky, just lightly sweet, and rich with coconut and ube flavor. Absolutely perfect for gifting, celebrating, or simply marveling at the beauty of your own baking.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Celebration-worthy: A showstopping pastry for Mid-Autumn Festival or any special occasion.
Ube-packed: Made with homemade ube halaya for richness and depth.
Flaky & layered: The traditional water-oil dough technique gives these mooncakes their signature thousand-layer swirl.
Naturally purple: No artificial food coloring, just ube extract for hue and flavor.
Freezer-friendly: These mooncakes store beautifully, making them ideal for make-ahead baking.
A unique addition: Unlike dense Hong Kong-style mooncakes, these offer a delicate, pastry-like texture which is perfect for adding variety to your Mid-Autumn Festival dessert table.

Ingredients

For the Water Dough

(Adapted from What To Cook Today)

160g water
1 tsp ube extract
120g vegetable shortening (such as Crisco)
4 tbsp sugar
360g all-purpose flour

For the Oil Dough

360g all-purpose flour
200g vegetable shortening

For the Ube Halaya Filling

Yield: about 2½ cups

½ cup canned coconut milk
½ cup canned coconut cream (solids only)
1 cup coconut sugar
1 lb ube (purple yam), steamed and peeled
1 tsp ube extract, optional

Instructions

Make the Ube Halaya Filling

In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine steamed ube, coconut milk, coconut cream solids, and sugar. Mash lightly to combine.
Use an immersion blender to purée until smooth. Add ube extract, if using.
Cook over low heat, stirring continuously, until thick and glossy, about 40-45 minutes.
Cool completely before using. Can be made up to three days in advance and refrigerated in an airtight container.

1. Make the Water Dough

In a large bowl, combine sugar, water, and ube extract, mixing until incorporated.
Rub shortening into the flour until it forms a shaggy dough.
Gradually add the water and knead until a soft, pliable dough forms. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
Divide into 12 pieces and roll into a ball.

2. Make the Oil Dough

Combine flour and shortening until you form a soft dough. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
Divide into 12 pieces and roll into a ball.

3. Assemble the Mooncakes

Flatten a piece of water dough and wrap around one piece of oil dough. Seal well and roll into a ball.
Using a rolling pin, flatten into an oval, then roll it up like a jelly roll. Turn vertically and roll into an oval. Try to roll as thin as possible without creating tears. The thinner the dough, the more layers you create.
Slice each roll in half to expose the spiral.
Gently roll each half into a disc.
Add 1 to 1½ tbsp ube halaya filling, then pinch to seal. Place sealed side down on a lined baking tray.

4. Bake

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Bake mooncakes for 25-30 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly golden.
Cool completely before storing or serving.

Tips & Tricks

Rest your doughs: Don’t skip the 30-minute resting period. It relaxes the gluten and makes the dough easier to shape.
Chill your filling: Ube halaya is easier to work with when cold.
Uniform sizes: Use a kitchen scale to portion each dough and filling ball evenly.
To get the cleanest spiral: Make sure the water dough fully encloses the oil dough with no gaps before rolling.
Don’t overbake: You want these to stay tender and lightly crisp, not browned like a pie crust.

Storage & Make Ahead

At room temperature: Store cooled mooncakes in an airtight container for up to 1 day.
In the fridge: Keeps for up to 1 week. Reheat briefly in a toaster oven for the best texture.
In the freezer: Freeze fully baked and cooled mooncakes for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge and warm before serving.
Make ahead: Ube halaya can be made three days ahead; doughs can be portioned and chilled overnight for easier assembly the next day.

Behind the Recipe

This recipe draws inspiration from traditional Teochew-style spiral mooncakes, known for their delicate swirl and tender, flaky texture. I swapped traditional fillings for homemade ube halaya, a creamy, coconut-laced purple yam jam, as a nod to beloved Filipino flavors.
Creating these was sparked by a love for nostalgic desserts and a desire to bring something deeply personal to our Mid-Autumn feast. The process is a little time-intensive, but the results are dazzling. Trust me—once you cut into that perfect spiral, you’ll want to do it again and again.