Transmigrated into the fat wife of the future prime minister

Chapter 83 Pumpkin Flower Cake
After a busy midday, Xu Qingmeng prepared to go to the market to buy some vegetables she would need for the afternoon.

Not long after we walked, we saw an old man carrying a basket, which looked like it contained pumpkins.

Xu Qingmeng took a look and saw that they were quite big, so she bought two. She could make pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin flower cakes, and so on later.

As I mentioned yesterday, I'm going to visit Mrs. Huang today. Mrs. Huang loves desserts, so I'll definitely have to make some to take with me.

Xu Qingmeng bought a lot of things before going back.

Peel and deseed the pumpkin you bought, then slice it thinly and place it on a plate.

Steam for about 15 minutes, until the pumpkin is fully cooked.

Next, start making the pumpkin puree by mashing the steamed pumpkin into a smooth puree using the back of a spoon.

Then mix the glutinous rice flour, rice flour, and wheat flour together.

Add the pumpkin puree to the mixed flour and knead into a smooth dough.

Then, the soaked red beans were made into red bean paste, which was divided into twenty portions, each weighing about fifteen grams, and rolled into small balls.

Then divide the dough into twenty portions, each weighing about thirty grams. Shape each portion into a round ball, wrap a red bean paste ball inside, and seal the opening tightly.

Since there were no molds at home, Xu Qingmeng could only shape them by hand. Now that she thinks about it, she should find a carpenter to make some molds.

Xu Qingmeng was very skillful and quickly sculpted several different shapes.

Grease the steamer basket, place the flower cake dough inside, put it in a pot of cold water, and steam for 15 minutes.

Of course, you should be careful not to let steam water flow onto the embryo.

The steamed pumpkin flower cake is golden yellow, with a chewy and bouncy outer skin. The aroma of pumpkin, glutinous rice, and the sweetness of the filling all come together on the tip of your tongue.

Xu Qingmeng also made pumpkin cakes and peach blossom pastries. After leaving a few for Yun Sheng and the others, she packed some of each to take to the Huang family.

She thought the man who had been ignoring her wouldn't follow, but to her surprise, as soon as she opened the door and walked out, Gu Yunyi followed silently with a long face.

Xu Qingmeng stopped and turned to look at him, but Gu Yunyi didn't even glance at her.

He walked straight past her, his large strides exuding a powerful aura.

She suddenly chuckled, covering her mouth.

I had just finished laughing when I felt a chill on my forehead. I looked up and realized, oh no, my face was even darker now!

The two of them arrived at the Huang residence in this awkward manner, one after the other.

In Lord Huang's household, Madam Huang was from the same county and also owned some private property, so she did not live in the inner courtyard of the county government office, but in a courtyard on West Street.

As soon as Xu Qingmeng and Gu Yunyi arrived at the door, they saw a middle-aged man walking out of the Huang residence.

The middle-aged man was not tall, had a beard, wide-open eyes, and a round belly, giving him a fierce look.

Xu Qingmeng secretly guessed the man's identity, but the man, preoccupied with his own thoughts, clearly didn't notice them.

Gu Yunyi had not expected to see County Magistrate Liu here.

Xu Qing dreamt that Gu Yunyi looked at her as if they knew each other. After thinking for a moment, she turned her head and asked, "Is that person County Commandant Liu?"

Xu Qingmeng, however, looked disgusted.

This man, with his potbelly and flabby muscles, looked more like a civil official who was exploiting the people than a military officer.

Gu Yunyi glanced at her but didn't say anything.

Xu Qingmeng: "..." Sorry, I forgot we were having a cold war.

After entering the Huang residence, Gu Yunyi went to find Huang Boyang, while she followed the maid to see Madam Huang.

Mrs. Huang still maintained her warm and gentle demeanor, and was currently having afternoon tea with her sisters.

Upon seeing Xu Qingmeng enter, he immediately stood up with a smile to greet her, took her hand and said, "Qingmeng, you've finally arrived! I've been looking forward to your visit, but you haven't come yet."

Xu Qingmeng replied with a smile, "Something came up at home and I haven't had time. That's why I brought some pastries to make amends."

As she spoke, she took out the pumpkin flower cake, pumpkin pancake, and peach blossom pastry she had brought.

Madam Huang's eyes lit up, and she immediately instructed her maid to open the two envelopes and put them in a small plate.

The ladies who had afternoon tea with Mrs. Huang also gathered around, looking at the pastries with curiosity.

Xu Qingmeng introduced with a smile: "This pumpkin flower cake is freshly made today, using fresh pumpkin, and has a soft, sweet and fragrant taste."

The pumpkin cakes also have some special seasonings added; I hope the ladies will like them. As for the peach blossom pastries, they're a seasonal treat.

Everyone nodded in agreement, and Madam Huang quickly invited everyone to taste it.

The room was soon filled with the aroma of pastries, accompanied by the cheerful laughter of the ladies.
Madam Huang took a bite of the pumpkin flower cake and praised it highly: "This flower cake is truly amazing. The outer skin is soft and chewy, and the filling is sweet but not greasy. I knew you were good at making it, and every time I eat it, I am still amazed."

Mrs. Huang invited her young ladies, "Please have a taste, everyone."

"Delicious! This cooking technique is just as good as Wufangzhai's!"

"Yeah yeah!"

Xu Qingmeng gave a slight bow: "You flatter me, ladies."

After chatting for a while, everyone except Xu Qingmeng was a shrewd person and obviously knew that the two had something to talk about, so they agreed to meet again next time.

"Did Mengniang come today to discuss the pastry shop?"

After everyone left, he got down to business.

Xu Qingmeng wanted to agree, but since the female lead in the original book had a good relationship with the Huang family, she was worried about the future.
Madam Huang understood immediately. "Mengniang, you don't need to worry about that. If you're still concerned, we can write it in the contract beforehand."

Upon hearing this, Xu Qingmeng no longer had any reservations.

Madam Huang was someone who managed several shops, and once she entered business mode, she was absolutely shrewd.

Xu Qingmeng then expressed her thoughts.

First, there's the issue of manpower. The pastry shop is very busy, and she certainly can't manage on her own, so she needs to have more staff.

She doesn't mind if her skills are learned; if someone can learn them, it would be nice to take on an apprentice.

Madam Huang was surprised to hear this, but she was very happy.

"These days, there are plenty of people who have been apprentices for over ten years and still haven't learned much real skill. If you are sincerely willing to teach, just make your voice heard, and there will be plenty of people willing to teach. At that time, it would be best to choose some who are skillful and have some basic skills."

Xu Qingmeng smiled and said, "Skill is not the most important thing. The most important thing is to have good character. Furthermore, after learning, they cannot just turn around and leave. I don't have high requirements and I am willing to teach sincerely, but they need to sign a contract that they must work in our shop for ten years after they have completed their training."

She's not running a charity, otherwise why would she go to such lengths to train apprentices?
Madam Huang smiled and said, "That's how it should be."

The two then discussed profit sharing.

Madam Huang will have someone manage the shop's daily operations. Xu Qingmeng only needs to regularly produce some new pastries, manage the kitchen, and train apprentices. If she can train her apprentices later, she can even become a hands-off manager. Everything else will be Madam Huang's responsibility.

(End of this chapter)