Chapter 157: Chapter 150: Priceless Treasure

As time quietly slipped by, the calendar page unknowingly turned to September 10th.

For many people, this day might just be another ordinary day in the passage of time. However, for teachers, this day carries extraordinary significance—it is Teacher’s Day.

Therefore.

As the footsteps of the holiday approached, many parents began to plan, wanting to prepare a special gift for their children’s teachers to express their deep gratitude.

As one such parent, Huang Jun was no exception.

He, too, started pondering this issue early on: What kind of gift should he prepare for the three teachers in the class when this day arrived?

This gift couldn’t be too ordinary, nor could it be too cliché.

Flowers, thermos cups, chocolate… Though these common gifts were all good, they lacked novelty.

What he wanted was a gift that was both unique and could show sincere intentions.

Thus…

He decided to personally bake a unique dessert—Peony Pastry.

This dessert not only had a beautiful appearance, resembling blooming peony flowers, but also tasted crisp and delicious.

This gift was both enjoyable to look at and to taste, perfectly blending thoughtfulness and practicality, making it the best gift choice.

Moved, he naturally took action!

This morning, he deliberately got up more than an hour earlier than usual.

Seeing his two darling daughters still in sweet dreams, he didn’t wake them. After gently tucking them in again, he quietly left the bedroom, freshened up in the bathroom, and headed to the kitchen.

He took a clean mixing bowl and steadily placed it on the stove.

Carefully measuring the amounts of all-purpose flour, sugar, water, and lard, he slowly poured them into the mixing bowl.

The chopsticks in his hand moved swiftly in the bowl, and under his stirring, the ingredients gradually blended into fine dough bits.

Next, he started kneading the dough.

His hands gently pressed and kneaded the dough bits, and under his hands, the dough gradually took shape.

Once the dough formed, he didn’t overly seek to smooth it out but instead placed it in a plastic wrap bag to rest for 15 minutes.

When the time was up, he took the dough out of the bag and continued to knead it.

Under his hands, the dough gradually transformed from rough to smooth, from disorderly to orderly. Every movement seemed fluid and natural.

Before long.

The dough in his skillful hands became smooth and elastic.

He evenly divided the kneaded dough into two portions, wrapped them in cling film, and placed them in the fridge to continue resting in a chilled environment.

During the time waiting for the dough to rest, he kept busy, starting to make the oil pastry.

He poured low-gluten flour and lard into another bowl, quickly mixing them into an oil pastry dough.

To ensure the texture of the oil pastry was consistent, he placed the dough on a board, kneading with the palm of his hand until it felt smooth.

Similarly, he divided the kneaded oil pastry dough into two portions, adding a bit of food coloring to one, adjusting it to a delicate pink.

When the water-oil dough reached the right level of rest, he set a small part aside for later use and flattened the remaining part to wrap the previously made oil pastry.

To prevent the dough from sticking during rolling, Huang Jun sprinkled a thin layer of flour on the board.

Placing the dough wrapped with oil pastry on the board, he gently pressed it a few times with a rolling pin, gradually rolling it into a rectangle.

He folded the ends of the rolled dough over each other, then covered it with cling film, letting it rest for another 10 minutes.

He repeated the same steps, this time with the white dough.

He also rolled it into a rectangle, folded it, and let it rest for another 10 minutes.

After the oil pastry dough was well-rested, Huang Jun continued to roll it out.

This time, he gently layered the two doughs on top of each other, with the pink dough on top. Again, he picked up the rolling pin and gave it a few light rolls, making the dough more cohesive and even.

Next, he took out a peony flower mold from the nearby drawer and gently pressed it onto the dough, revealing intricately shaped petals.

After completing all the petal designs, Huang Jun took a short break then fetched the small piece of water-oil dough he had reserved earlier.

He added some food coloring to it, adjusting it to a bright yellow for the flower’s center.

After kneading the yellow dough, he divided it into the required equal portions, each precise and even.

He then rolled them into thin sheets and stuffed them with sweet red bean paste.

Under his skillful hands, small round balls quickly took shape.

Next was the much-anticipated and crucial assembly step.

He carefully assembled the peony petals onto the yellow round balls one by one.

To increase adhesion between the petals, he brushed a thin layer of egg white between each petal, making them firmer.

His technique was both skilled and gentle, arranging three smaller petals for the inner layer, followed by 5-6 larger petals for the outer layer, overlapping them to resemble a real blooming peony flower.

To ensure the peony pastry wouldn’t fall apart during frying, he paid special attention to the base, making sure it was pressed tightly and firmly.

Once all the peony flowers were carefully assembled, he proceeded to the final and most crucial process—frying.

He set the pot and poured oil.

The oil temperature in the pan gradually rises, the blue flames flickering at the bottom.

Patiently waiting for the oil to reach the right temperature at sixty percent heat, he gently places the assembled peony pastries into the pan one by one.

In an instant.

A faint “sizzling” sound emerges, marking the first encounter between the peony pastries and hot oil, causing tiny oil droplets to splash.

Under the embrace of hot oil, the petals slowly sink, gradually becoming crispy under the influence of the heat.

As time passes, the peony pastries roll effortlessly in the oil, with golden petals intertwining with pink petals, slowly unfolding in the reflection of the hot oil, the occasional “crackling” sound from the pan being the sound of the petals blooming in the oil.

A faint aroma of oil and flour fills the kitchen.

Chef Huang holds a long pair of chopsticks, gently flipping the peony pastries to ensure each petal is evenly heated and fried to a golden crisp.

When perfectly fried, he swiftly scoops out the peony pastries, draining the excess oil.

The crispy petals glint enticingly in the light, resembling a real peony blooming.

“Not bad…”

Huang Jun looks at his creation, nodding with satisfaction.

“Papa…”

Qingqing and Weiwei rub their sleepy eyes, drowsily walking in.

Perhaps drawn by the fragrance emanating from the kitchen, their small pink noses twitch slightly, both greedily sticking out their little tongues to lick the corners of their mouths.

“Qingqing, Weiwei…”

Huang Jun quickly wipes his hands and rushes over, holding them tightly in his arms, finding them more and more adorable, unable to resist planting a kiss on their little cheeks.

“It smells so good…” Qingqing’s tiny nose twitches gently as she asks curiously, “Daddy, what delicious food are you making? It smells so good…”

Huang Jun replies with a smile: “Today is Teacher’s Day, so I wanted to make some peony pastries as holiday gifts for your Miss Yang and her colleagues. I didn’t expect my two little gourmands would wake up as soon as they were done.”

“Papa, what’s a peony pastry? I want to see, I want to see…” Weiwei’s lively eyes sparkle with curiosity, expressing her eagerness.

Such a small request is met with Huang Jun’s cheerful agreement.

He proudly shows his masterpieces to his darling daughters: “Ta-da… look, this is the peony pastry, beautiful isn’t it?”

“Wow…”

Upon seeing the peony pastries, Qingqing and Weiwei can’t help but exclaim, their eyes wide open, shining with amazement.

Huang Jun, observing their reaction, is filled with a sense of accomplishment.

To him, the most melodious praise is the sound of children’s awe and delight.

Weiwei licks her lips: “Daddy, Weiwei’s tummy is really hungry…”

“Daddy, Qingqing’s tummy is hungry too…” Qingqing shyly lowers her head, saying softly:

These little ones, certainly a bit hungry, but mostly tempted!

He doesn’t point this out, but says with a smile: “Alright, Daddy will make breakfast now. Do you want to nibble on some peony pastries first?”

“Yay yay!”

Qingqing and Weiwei excitedly raise their little hands, their faces radiating pure joy.

Qingqing’s eyes show a hint of hesitation as she looks up at Huang Jun earnestly and says: “Daddy, these are gifts for the teachers on their holiday, is it okay if we eat them now?”

Seeing her concern, Huang Jun responds gently: “Of course it’s okay, Daddy made extra so you could have a taste ahead. But remember to brush your teeth and wash your face first.”

“Okay, okay…”

All their worries vanish in an instant, and they nod obediently, heading to the bathroom with their little feet for washing up.

After they brush their teeth and wash their faces, Huang Jun serves the peony pastries on a delicate plate, bringing it to Qingqing and Weiwei: “Go ahead…”

“Thank you, Daddy…”

The little ones politely express their gratitude.

They carefully cradle the peony pastries in their palms, as if holding an invaluable treasure.

Qingqing gently touches the crispy petals with her fingertips.

Weiwei, on the other hand, is enchanted by the subtle fragrance of the peony pastries.

The two exchange smiles, their eyes twinkling with love and reluctance for the peony pastries.

The hesitant expression seems to say: can such a beautiful thing really be eaten?

But in the end!

The lure of deliciousness overcomes their inner hesitation.

They simultaneously take a bite of the peony pastries, the crispy petals lightly breaking in their mouths, releasing a rich aroma.

The delicate texture intertwining with strands of sweetness makes them involuntarily close their eyes, thoroughly enjoying the moment.

“Daddy, these peony pastries are seriously so delicious!” Weiwei eagerly gives a thumbs up.

“Yes, Daddy, thank you for making us such tasty treats!” Qingqing’s eyes gleam with gratitude and happiness.

Seeing them enjoy the pastries brings warmth to Huang Jun’s heart: “You’re welcome, as long as you like them, Daddy will make them for you often…”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep