http://sparklette.net/food/coffee-stars-by-dao/ http://sparklette.net/food/coffee-stars-by-dao/#comments Fri, 01 Jul 2011 03:00:10 +0000 Jasper Aston Lim http://sparklette.net/?p=1181 With coffee outlets located all over the world, including major cities like New York, Beijing and Tokyo, the Coffee Stars by Dao chain from Thailand has opened its first branch in Singapore. Known as Coffee Beans by Dao in Thailand, the café-restaurant at Wisma Atria is its first outlet in South-East Asia outside of its home country.

The café sports an open concept with a casual, yet elegant design and a chandelier as its centrepiece. It is not uncommon to see a long line of people waiting for a table, hoping to enjoy the authentic Thai cuisine and spread of international desserts.

If you are here for the desserts, the cakes would satiate your sweet tooth.

Banoffi pie
S$6.50++

The Banoffi pie, a sweet mix of fresh banana and caramel atop a pie crusting, would have you going bananas for more! Who knew a banana-based pastry could be so good?

Chocolate mousse cake
S$6.80++

The delicious, smooth chocolate mousse cake has hints of hazelnut, which reminds me of the Ferrero Rocher chocolates.

New York cheesecake with red cherries
S$6.90++

With a thick layer of cherries sitting prettily on top, the classic New York cheesecake has been transformed into a sweet fruity treat.

Blueberry cream cheese pie
S$6.90++

Similarly, the blueberry cream cheese pie features a layer of sweet and slightly tart berries on a bed of cream cheese and a pie base. I prefer this for its smoother texture and blueberry pairing.

Coconut pandan roll
S$5.80++

As one of the signature cakes, the coconut pandan roll does not disappoint. The fragrant scent fills your senses even before you bite down into the tiny, crunchy bits encased in the soft pandan roll. This great-tasting pastry is a must-try!

Thai iced coffee with milk
S$4.50++

Not many restaurants execute Thai iced coffee well. As it turns out, the amount of coffee, milk — added for sweetness — and even ice used is very well-balanced, and basically identical to what you would enjoy at a coffee joint in Thailand.

Beef lasagne
S$11.80++

Feeling peckish? The beef lasagne arrives just out of the oven, along with a friendly reminder from the waitress to be careful about the hot bowl. It is a decent portion of cheese-filled lasagne, but nothing to write home about.

With the reasonable prices, efficient service and accessible location, Coffee Stars by Dao has become a highly favourable dining venue for shoppers along Orchard Road. Its quality dishes and desserts, along with the cosy and trendy ambience are definitely here to stay.

Have Your Say!

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What is your favourite café in Singapore? Share with us in the comments!

Coffee Stars by Dao
Wisma Atria
435 Orchard Road #01-37 to 41
Singapore 238877
Tel: +65 6733 3881 | Website

Opening hours: 11:30am – 10pm

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http://sparklette.net/food/old-chang-kee-curry-puffs/ http://sparklette.net/food/old-chang-kee-curry-puffs/#comments Sun, 15 May 2011 03:00:55 +0000 Veron Ang http://sparklette.net/?p=1140 Old Chang Kee is probably most famous for their curry puffs. With a food kiosk at every other shopping mall, you can say that their curry snacks have dominated the local food scene. Do you think Old Chang Kee sells the best curry puffs in Singapore?

Apart from their famous curry puff, Old Chang Kee also has a wide range of finger foods such as spring rolls, breaded prawns, chicken wings and crab nuggets. I am quite a fan of the nuggets. In my teenage days, I used to buy these after school to snack on. They come in skewers, and you can help yourself to the sambal chilli which is so savoury as a dip.

The history of Old Chang Kee began with the humble curry puff in 1956. That makes the company older than Singapore herself! It started from a small stall at a coffee shop outside the former Rex cinema along McKenzie Road. People loved the puffs, and the rest is history.

Old Chang Kee curry puffs
S$1.30

Every curry puff is a pouch stuffed full with curry potatoes, chicken chunks, a slice of egg, and fried with several herbs and spices. With that very first bite, the curry aroma comes wafting out. Other than that, the curry flavour does somewhat lack punch, although it still makes a satisfying snack due to the ample filling. A couple of these pastries can be a meal by itself.

Apart from the Old Chang Kee curry puff, there is another curry puff that has stood the test of time. This one is my personal pick for the best curry puff in Singapore. The Tong Heng curry puff has a unique shape and flavour. It is a totally different rendition from your typical curry puff — much sweeter on the palate — and tastes so, so good. You’ve got to try it, too!

Are Old Chang Kee curry puffs the best curry puffs in Singapore? If not, where can you find the best curry puffs in Singapore? Share with us in the comments!

Old Chang Kee ( Halal certified)
Website

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tcc High Tea

The tcc high tea for March 2011 is a treat for both eyes and palate.

High tea set
S$12.90++

Available from 2-6pm daily until March 31, 2011

The new high tea set includes items that range from the bruschetta with chopped tomatoes, scones accompanied by jam and cream, to the mini oreo cheesecake topped with whipped cream.

Also included in the price is a drink, which you can choose between the tcc premium blend or the tea of the day.

What is your favourite tcc high tea set? Share with us in the comments!

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Just like during Christmas and Mooncake Festival, restaurants and hotels always scramble to come up with creative and enticing items for their festive menus. You have already seen some of the most colourful yusheng this year. Now let’s take a look at the Chinese New Year cookies and cakes for 2011! I swear some of these are just so good, I wanna lick them off my screen!

1. Goodwood Park Hotel

5-star hotel Goodwood Park impresses with the beautiful 8 Treasures cake. The deliciously moist cake is decorated with white icing and a pretty festive design based on Chinese-style paper cuttings.

The cake is chock full of assorted fruits and nuts such as walnuts, almonds, melon seeds, olive seeds, sesame seeds, candied winter melon, candied kumquat and banana. (S$68 for 1kg)

‘Like’ Sparklette on Facebook and browse the entire Goodwood Park Hotel Chinese New Year Goodies 2011.

2. Polar Puffs & Cakes

For the young at heart, the Polar Puffs & Cakes bakery chain never fails to give you something to look forward during major holidays. For Mid-Autumn Festival, they have the cartoon character mooncakes, featuring the adorable Hello Kitty.

Once again, Kitty fans would be delighted to see their favourite feline in the form of character pineapple cakes, filled with yummy pineapple paste! Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh also make an appearance. (S$3.80 each / 11.80 for a box of 4)

‘Like’ Sparklette on Facebook and browse the entire Polar Puffs & Cakes Chinese New Year Goodies 2011.

Polar Puffs & Cakes ( Halal certified)
All outlets
Website

3. Toast Box

No Chinese New Year celebration would be complete without a helping of pineapple tarts. Coffee and toast chain Toast Box‘s melt-in-the-mouth tarts boast a generous helping of sweet pineapple paste sitting atop a delectable, buttery pastry. (S$16.80 for a tub of 22)

‘Like’ Sparklette on Facebook and browse the entire Toast Box Chinese New Year Goodies 2011.

4. ET Artisan Sweets

Cake boutique ET Artisan Sweets brings a touch of French elegance with a series of limited edition macarons. They come in succulent flavours like Yuzu, Orangette, Raspberry Charlotte and Pumpkin Spice. (S$11 / 19 / 30 / 36 for a box of 5 / 9 / 15 / 18)

‘Like’ Sparklette on Facebook and browse the entire ET Artisan Sweets Chinese New Year Goodies 2011.

5. Jewels Artisan Chocolate

Forrest Gump said, “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.” At Jewels, well, you get rabbits!

The chocolatier hops into the Year of the Rabbit with these handcrafted chocolate sculptures. The Double Happiness chocolate treat brings you double the pleasure with a pair of rabbits in two flavours — milk chocolate and dark chocolate.

6. Peony Jade

More bunnies! The Peony Jade Restaurant at Clarke Quay and Keppel Club presents the limited edition Prosperity, Abundance, and Good Fortune gift set. This is bound to elicit squeals of oohs and ahhs from the recipient. It contains ten pan-fried radish cakes filled with salted egg custard, moulded in the shape of plump bunnies! (S$88+)

‘Like’ Sparklette on Facebook and browse the entire Peony Jade Chinese New Year Goodies 2011.

7. Metrocakes

Newcomer Metrocakes has been baking up a storm since it opened in 2010. Cupcakes, miniature cakes, 3D cakes, Christmas log cakes, you name it, they have it. And the cakes are always so gorgeous!

The Chinese New Year cupcakes are no exception. Topped with edible fondant ornaments of Mandarin oranges, firecrackers, red packets, gold coins and a cute cartoon rabbit, these look almost too good to eat! (And now that we have finished eating them, I do feel a tinge of sadness. My family had such fun eating these gems, I miss them now that they’re all gone!)

• Read the Sparklette review of the Metrocakes Chinese New Year Goodies 2011.

8. Bakerzin

Dessert specialist Bakerzin, usually more famous for its macarons, diversifies with a range of mochi this Chinese New Year. These dainty bite-sized Japanese-style mochi balls hold eight delicious fillings — Mandarin orange, yam, black sesame, peanut, red bean, green bean, sweet potato and Matcha (green tea). Which is your favourite?

Can’t make up your mind? Go for the assorted tin. All mochi balls are available at S$38 for a tin of 24 pieces.

‘Like’ Sparklette on Facebook and browse the entire Bakerzin Chinese New Year Goodies 2011.

9. KFC

I have raved about the surprisingly awesome KFC egg tarts before and I will rave about them again. The festive edition comes added with actual slices of tangerine!

Fruity tangerine egg tarts. Hmm. Are they too good or too weird? Here’s the Sparklette review of these Mandarin orange egg tarts.

KFC ( Halal certified)
Available at selected outlets
Website

10. Conrad Centennial Singapore

The takeaway festive goodies from the Conrad Centennial Singapore include the perennial favourites like baked pineapple pastries and golden-fried sesame balls. Those pineapple cookies are a must-have for everyone ushering in the New Year!

‘Like’ Sparklette on Facebook and browse the entire Conrad Centennial Singapore Chinese New Year Goodies 2011.

11. Tung Lok

If you fancy an all-in-one package with an assortment of all the festive snacks you can imagine, Tung Lok has just the right solution. The all-inclusive Noble Gift Pack contains 10 treats, namely prawn rolls, fruit jam pastries, crunchy walnut cookies, pineapple puffs, sesame cookies, lotus pastry with yolk, almond cookies, ‘Fortune Fish’, ‘Golden Coins’, and yes, honey-glazed bak kwa!

All these goodies are presented in a white box, adorned with cheery red blossoms — just perfect for gifting! (S$50)

12. The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf coffee chain celebrates Lunar New Year with three sumptuous festive-themed cakes, including a Mandarin orange cheesecake and the Festive Lapis Delight.

You can enjoy the kueh lapis (multi-layered cake) in three flavours — traditional, prune or pandan. Gotta love those decorative cake toppings! (S$42 for 1.2kg)

‘Like’ Sparklette on Facebook and browse the entire The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Chinese New Year Goodies 2011.

13. Restaurant Majestic

Restaurant Majestic at New Majestic Hotel has its signature durian nian gao (glutinous rice cake). Made with the famous Mao Shan Wang (King of the Mountain of Cats) durians, these layered pastries would do all durian aficionados proud. (S$20.80+ for 8 pieces)

‘Like’ Sparklette on Facebook and browse the entire Restaurant Majestic Chinese New Year Goodies 2011.

14. Fairmont Singapore

Love your nian gao? Check out these Koi fish-shaped nian gao from Fairmont Singapore. Besides looking oh-so-adorable, these bite-sized delights are also infused with lavender.

‘Like’ Sparklette on Facebook and browse the entire Fairmont Singapore Chinese New Year Goodies 2011.

15. Red House

For a refreshing dessert that is easy on the mouth and light on the stomach, I recommend the chrysanthemum tea jelly with diced water chestnuts from Red House Seafood Restaurant. With its tea flavour, this would put a palate-cleansing sweet ending to that hearty reunion dinner. (S$16.80++)

• Read the Sparklette review of the Red House Chinese New Year Goodies 2011.

‘Like’ Sparklette on Facebook and browse the entire Red House Chinese New Year Goodies 2011.

What delicious goodies have you enjoyed this Chinese New Year? Any recommendations? Share with us below!

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Mandarin orange! Now that’s an odd pairing. Gimmick or not, I know I have to try it. It’s not everyday you get to taste Mandarin orange egg tarts.

With a quiet determination, I scamper off to the nearest KFC outlet that I can find selling the newly fruity egg tarts. A box of half a dozen is yours at 8 bucks, slightly pricier than their regular egg tarts which cost S$7.50 for the same quantity. One box to go, please.

Mandarin orange egg tarts
S$2.80 for a box of 2 / S$8 for a box of 6
Rating:

The pastries look almost exactly like Portuguese egg tarts but with less burnt spots, and with morsels of tangerine added. Happily, these sweet treats retain the same delightfully crisp fluffy crust and creamy custardy goodness as the usual KFC egg tarts.

The addition of tangerine brings a tinge of tartness to the mix, which I reckon is about 30% tangerine, 70% egg custard. It’s a bold play with flavours that actually works. I like it. Amazingly, the sliced pieces of fruit are as soft as the custard, so the texture is consistently smooth throughout.

It may read like an odd pairing on paper, but once again, KFC has exceeded expectations with these Mandarin orange egg tarts. As Chinese New Year goodies, they sure make interesting snacks if you are having guests over at your house.

Update: Sparklette reader Avriila shares that she would really love to see egg tarts filled with nian gao (a Chinese New Year cake made with glutinous rice), describing the ones she had in Taiwan as “heavenly”. What would you like to see in your egg tarts? (Shameless plug: Don’t forget to ‘Like’ Sparklette on Facebook and join in the conversations there!)

What do you think of the KFC Mandarin orange egg tarts? Would you eat them or are they too weird? Have you had any unusual Chinese New Year food this festive season? Let us know in the comments!

KFC ( Halal certified)
Available at selected outlets
Website

Available until February 17, 2011 or while stocks last.

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]]> 10 http://sparklette.net/food/kfc-egg-tarts/ http://sparklette.net/food/kfc-egg-tarts/#comments Sat, 11 Sep 2010 08:05:28 +0000 Veron Ang http://sparklette.net/?p=1006 When I first heard about the KFC Portuguese egg tarts, I was quite skeptical. Skeptical, but curious enough to buy a half dozen of these to try out. Surprisingly, the tarts turn out much better than expected!

These creamy egg tart pastries are not to be confused with the traditional egg tarts which have a crumbly crust and an even yellow custard top. For Portuguese egg tarts, brown burn spots crater the caramelised surface (like crème brûlée). They first came about in Lisbon, Portugal, and are known there as pastéis de nata.

Portuguese egg tarts
S$1.30 each / S$7.50 for a box of 6
Rating:

The KFC egg tarts have a puffy pastry casing that is thick, but delightfully light and fluffy. Even hours later (I did have 6 of these to finish), the crust remains flakey and crispy.

While the custard is not as soft as Madeleine’s egg tarts, it is still beautifully smooth. The egg flavour is quite apparent, tinged with the more subtle sweet taste of caramel.

I heard that these egg tarts are available in three flavours in KFC Taiwan. Can anyone confirm this?

While you can purchase the egg tarts individually, a half dozen of this costs slightly less, and are packaged in a nice carrier box with a handle on top. From the Chinese characters on the box, it seems that these egg tarts are a Mid-Autumn Festival promotion. You can also have them home-delivered in boxes of 2.

I have never been a fan of KFC’s fried chicken, preferring the likes of Arnold’s and Popeyes. But their Portuguese egg tarts have certainly exceeded expectations!

The KFC egg tarts are available only at selected outlets. So before you go running off to the nearest outlet, do check to make sure that the tarts are sold there.

Update: Also check out my review of the KFC Mandarin orange egg tarts, available during Chinese New Year.

Which type of egg tart — Portuguese or the traditional — do you prefer? What is your favourite drink to go along with these tarts? Share with us in the comments!

KFC ( Halal certified)
Available at selected outlets
Website

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The Mid-Autumn Festival is less than two weeks away! Have you bought your mooncakes yet?

If you have enjoyed my compilation of the 12 most interesting mooncakes you can find in Singapore, you may find this remix selection of 12 spanking new mooncakes useful, too.

One cannot help but notice that the seasonal dessert has evolved into increasingly exotic and tantalising variations. So, here are 12 more mooncakes you don’t want to miss in 2009!

Enjoy your mooncakes, everyone!

1. Meritus Mandarin

To suit various palates, over a dozen mooncake flavours have been launched at Pine Court restaurant, Meritus Mandarin.

Of these, the oh-so-pretty osmanthus snowskin mooncake stands out effortlessly, thanks to its unusual dual-coloured osmanthus-scented skin. Osmanthus is known as “gui hua” in Chinese.

The skin is a pastel yellow with rosy hues. This delicate snack is not only attractive on the outside, it has substance, too! The filling is a mixture of black bean paste, egg yolks, pine nuts, macadamia nuts and melon seeds. If you like having something crunchy to munch on, this one’s for you. ($25+ for 2)

Speaking of multi-coloured mooncakes, have you seen these rainbow-coloured ones?

The lavish set of Fortune Dragon mooncakes is guaranteed to impress. Crafted on five separate blocks is an intricate celestial dragon that simply screams of royalty.

All five pieces boast different flavours ($118+ for the set):
- Lotus paste with double yolks
- Lotus paste with macadamia nuts
- Pandan custard
- Assorted nuts and jinhua ham
- Green tea paste

2. COVA Pasticceria

Looking to grab a slice of the lucrative mooncake market is COVA Pasticceria, an Italian café at Paragon.

What do you get when you cross Western cakes with lotus paste?

Ta-da! Sponge mooncakes! These come in four flavours:

- chocolate and lotus paste
- mango and lotus paste
- rose and vanilla
- peanut and chocolate

One highlight is the peanut and chocolate mooncake. It’s the combination of a chocolate feuilletine layer plus a peanut butter cream layer. Comes complete with bits of peanuts, too! Go nuts over this dessert. It sure gives new meaning to the phrase “delicious sin”. Yum!

Don’t forget the lovely rose and vanilla sponge cake. It is layered with chocolate and pastry cream, enfolded by a rose-infused snowskin. Check out my full review of COVA Pasticceria mooncakes with more pictures and details.

To sample all flavours happily, grab the box of four assorted flavours at $36+.

3. Hilton

While we’re on that game… What do you get when you cross cheesecakes with mooncakes?

The best of both worlds — cheese mooncakes! Imagine the yummilicious flavours like peanut caramel, strawberry with white chocolate and vanilla, cranberry and raspberry, and mango and pecan — all with cheese! Get these at the Hilton. These babies are some of the richest and most satisfying treats you would find this Mid-Autumn Festival. ($38 for four)

Have I mentioned that the elegant fabric packaging is gorgeous, too?

4. Häagen-Dazs

When we think of ice cream mooncakes, swensen’s is probably the first name that comes to mind. Do you know that they aren’t the sole player in the ice cream mooncake business?

Check out the range of Mid-Autumn delights at Häagen-Dazs!

The mooncakes are handcrafted and coated in a layer of dark chocolate. This isn’t just another all-sweet-and-nothing-else dessert. Nestled within the chocolate and vanilla ice cream is a delightful mango sorbet core. To experience a burst of fruity flavour amidst the sweet frozen bliss certainly comes as a nice surprise! ($32+ for 2, $56+ for 4)

5. Crystal Jade

When it comes to Chinese cuisine, Crystal Jade is never too far away. The chain of Chinese restaurants has put together a myriad of dazzling creations, ranging from the classic to the “nouvelle”.

A new item is the bak kwa mooncake with mixed nuts ($42 for 4). Kia Hiang Restaurant introduced a bak kwa mixed nuts mooncake this year, too. Are we looking at a new trend here?

More artful creations abound in these agar-agar/gelatin lookalikes. They come in four tempting flavours:

- Tiramisu
- Chocolate with marshmallows
- Mango with Nata de Coco
- Green tea with red bean

You can purchase these at $19.80 for 4 at the Crystal Jade My Bread outlets.

To please the coffee fanatics amongst you, there is a snowskin mooncake with coffee and black sesame paste. ($32 for 8)

Lending a little cute are these colourful cupcakes. I know they aren’t mooncakes… But look, how kawaii! They are adorned with festival icons like adorable bunnies and moons to spread some cheer. ($9.90 for 6)

Pair these with the Hello Kitty mooncakes from polar puffs and make any kid the happiest child in the world!

6. Rendezvous Hotel

A star buy at Straits Café, strong>Rendezvous Hotel, is the black forest mooncake with cherry chocolate truffle, a signature item on the menu.

Credit

This gorgeous morsel is packed with the wholesome goodness of pistachio nuts, cashew nuts and chocolate sauce. Perfect for people that prefer cakes more than mooncakes, but wanna indulge in the festivities anyway. ($45 for 8)

For better variety, the 8-piece set comprising four flavours — durian, coffee, peach and raspberry cheese — is available at the same price.

(Aside: I happen to love the buffet dinner at Rendezvous Hotel. I have dined there a few times. So far they have yet to disappoint.)

7. Starbucks

Do mooncakes complement coffee? Starbucks says aye. That is why you find the café chain baking up a storm every Mid-Autumn Festival.

You can immediately recognise a Starbucks mooncake from the famous mermaid logo that fits nicely on the round surface.

This year, however, the pastries take on a whole new swirly design.

The signature flavour here is the espresso roast almond truffle that totally ties in with the coffee theme. Made using espresso roast coffee, with a chocolate and almond truffle tucked within the white lotus paste, this is naturally a hit with coffee lovers. For completeness, order a cup of joe to go along and you have yourself a fuzzy little Mid-Autumn breakfast!

If you prefer something non-caffeinated, go for the white chocolate macadamia truffle. It comprises white lotus paste with pieces of macadamia nuts and a white chocolate truffle centre. ($5.90 apiece, $23.60 for a box of 4, $21.25 for purchases of 10 boxes or more)

8. St. Regis

Over at St. Regis, they have unveiled the ultra-posh almond snowskin with premium bird’s nest and custard. A touch of class!

While the most innovative mooncakes today tend to contain truffle fillings the likes of chocolate, caramel, and perhaps even champagne, this one trumps the rest by featuring a bird’s nest core! We’re talking oodles of the golden strands.

Obviously, this fine delicacy doesn’t come cheap; it costs a cool $246 for 8 pieces.

Fancy some posh nosh that wouldn’t blow a hole in your pocket? There’s the seven perfumes snowskin with martell cordon bleu cognac truffle. ($72 for 8)

One flavour that I must highlight is the inventive ginger-infused milk snowskin mooncake with century egg and custard. Yes, you read that right. Pieces of century egg hidden amidst the custard paste. Talk about novelties, this one takes the cake! ($46 for 8)

9. Emicakes

Durian, love it or hate it, it is here to stay. The pungent fruit has found its way into mooncakes as well as the hearts of mooncake lovers. Durian devotees would be happy to know that several mooncake merchants are selling durian flavours this year.

Local bakery Emicakes has rolled out the durian snowskin mooncake in both big and mini sizes:

- Ultimate 8 = 2 regular + 6 mini – $58
- Golden 4 = 4 regular – $59.60
- Fortune 10 = 10 mini – $47

These come with ample fillings of durian. Best eaten well-chilled!

10. Holiday Inn Atrium

Blue isn’t a colour you would normally associate with food. And that’s exactly how Holiday Inn Atrium shines with their impressive take on the durian mooncake.

The most interesting thing about this Peranakan mooncake is its stunning colour: a deep purplish blue derived from blue pea flower. The colouring also gives the skin a sweetened tang.

Enveloped within is a rich and silky smooth durian purée. Durian fans, this one may just send you to the moon! ($42 for 6)

11. Taipan

Hong Kong mooncake specialist Taipan has brought their pioneered “Snowy” mooncakes to town. Blast-frozen to minus 18 degrees Celsius, these are literally the coolest desserts around (with an equally cool name).

With over 40 flavours, some of the most skilful creations include (clockwise from top left):

- Foie gras, cheese and bean paste
- Cheese with chocolate chips
- Caramel coffee and bean paste
- Sesame and white bean paste

The fusion mini Snowy mooncakes contain buttery and moist bean paste filling and cost $42 for 8 pieces.

If you wanna indulge in bird’s nest mooncakes but find St. Regis’ rendition too pricey, Taipan offers the same item at a more affordable $52 (elite bird’s nest) or $63 (premium bird’s nest).

12. Mandarin Oriental

The good people from Mandarin Oriental have also churned out some highly appealing mooncakes. There’s even one with soy bean snowskin, egg white custard and crunchy chocolate pearls! Anything with soy bean scores brownie points with me.

The pale green snowskin mooncake with green tea and cherry blossom bears a subtle fragrance. One cannot help but wonder if this is indeed made in the namesake of cherry garden, the restaurant that created it. ($48 for 8)

Bonus: Chop Tai Chong Kok (Da Zhong Guo 大中囯)

Snowskin mooncakes have taken centre stage so far. If you’re thinking: what about the traditional baked skin mooncake? Surely it deserves a place here, too? About time you feature it! Well, here it is!

When it comes to crowning the best classic mooncake, one name that always comes up is the long established Tai Chong Kok, better known by its Chinese name 大中囯. This humble shop along sago street in Chinatown has been around since the 1930s! Clearly, the business has stood through the test of time, with a recipe that has been handed down through the generations.

Credit

I love the fact that the baked skin is not oily and of the perfect thickness. It is filled with a creamy smooth lotus paste that is fragrant and not overtly sweet — just the way I like it. As for the yolks, they are moist and non-flaky.

Credit

There is something very endearing about these humble brown paper bags. That’s what they use to hold the boxes of mooncakes here. We hardly get to see such carriers these days!

Note: there’s another Chinatown Tai Chong Kok confectionery that is more commercialised and makes mooncakes, too. The two are unrelated.

And that’s it for my mooncake countdown! What is your favourite mooncake this season?

Just in case you haven’t had enough…

Want more mooncakes?

Don’t miss my original list of 12 mooncakes that sparked off this remix!

If you have found this photographic tour of the various mooncakes on the market useful, feel free to pass it on to your friends!

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http://sparklette.net/food/mooncakes-remix-2009/ | 36 comments

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It’s mooncake season! Many families, mine included, are busy checking out catalogues and shopping for mooncakes. The mooncakes these days come in a dazzling array of colours, flavours, shapes and sizes. Finding the best one to enjoy at home or to give away to relatives is certainly no simple task!

To aid you in your mooncake selection, I have compiled a list of 12 mooncakes you don’t want to miss in 2009.

So gather your family and pets ’round the computer, and let’s count down the 12 most interesting and delicious mooncakes you can find in Singapore this year!

1. Tung Lok

These gorgeous mooncakes belong to the new Royale series from Tung Lok. When it is made by the Tung Lok Group, you know it’s got to be good!

The pastry is first baked, before being chilled, a process that gives the skin a crunchy texture. Sounds intriguing? This marks the debut of the first baked-and-chilled mooncakes in Singapore!

They come in three flavours:
- Green tea with chestnut lotus ($42.80 for 8)
- Hokkaido milk with mocha ($42.80 for 8)
- Custard ($44.94 for 8)

I must also highlight the adorable bite-size mooncakes that are even smaller than your usual mini mooncakes. They come in eight flavours such as pomelo white lotus, strawberry, purple potato and longan red date. ($47.08 for 16; two of each flavour)

Besides the convenience, I think that these dainty pastries may actually help reduce overeating! Well, unless people start popping them like popcorn, of course.

2. Peony Jade

Fruits have made a foray into our favourite pastry this time of the year. Durian, the King of fruits, is undoubtedly the most commonly used fruit. Almost every merchant has a D24 durian mooncake on its menu.

Now, it looks like the “lesser” fruits are putting up a good fight, too! Check out the range of fruity mooncakes by Peony Jade restaurant.

Fancy tucking into these strawberry ($42 for 4) and banana ($40 for 4) mooncakes? They contain smooth, rich low fat yogurt. Notice that chunks of fruits are present, too!

The alcoholic Lychee-tini and ganache flavour really takes the cake! This is a limited edition offering that features a liquorice truffle at its core, filled with the taste of what happens to be my favourite cocktail, the lychee martini! ($45 for 9)

3. InterContinental Singapore

Man Fu Yuan Chinese restaurant at the InterContinental Singapore has a range of beautiful and meticulously-created mooncakes. Back by popular demand is their mini snowskin mooncake filled with Japanese sweet potato paste and champagne chocolate. ($42.80 for 8)

What’s new this year?

Snowskin mooncakes filled with cempedak, or avocado and mango mousse. Another fruit-inspired creation! The fresh fruits are blended and made into a paste, with mini cubes and pulp of the fruits thrown in for good measure.

The whole pastry is entirely made of fruity goodness with no extra additives. Oh, except for the fact that chocolate pearls are included, too. Good stuff! ($42.80 for 8; four of each flavour)

4. The Fullerton

From the ultra posh Fullerton Hotel, we would expect nothing less. Aside from their bestselling chocolate baileys snowskin mooncake ($52 for 4), they also have the 15 Treasures premium gift set.

This lavish set contains 14 blocks of assorted baked mooncakes, all with varying fillings. What’s the 15th treasure, you ask? Well, it’s the centrepiece of a 6-inch-wide mooncake with 8 yolks. 8 yolks! Now, THAT is a full moon. ($168)

Then, they also have these milky-coloured snowskin mooncakes.

Do not mistake them for bars of soap. Available in cranberry, blueberry and green apple flavours, these mooncakes are the hotel’s new offerings for 2009. The shape looks really exquisite, too, especially with that depression in the middle. ($52 for 4)

5. Kia Hiang Restaurant

Not to be outdone by the east-meets-west creations of the big players, the more than 30 year old Kia Hiang Restaurant has whipped up several creative new flavours. Bak kwa mooncake, anyone? Yep, yep, they have it.

More tantalising flavours include durian, chocolate with rum and raisin, green tea, and the creamy blueberry and cheese. For more, check out my full review of Kia Hiang mooncakes with pictures, ratings and prices.

6. Carlton Hotel

Carlton Hotel has introduced three new snowskin mooncakes: lavender, wheatgrass & melon seed, and hazelnut & Nata de Coco ($47.08 for 8). Of these, lavender has got to stir the most curiosity!

Credit

When I think of lavender, aromatherapy and air fresheners come to mind. Having this floral scent in a mooncake is definitely unusual! In this case, the aroma is subtle, infused perfectly with the white lotus paste. Any stronger, I’m not sure if it could remain as appetising.

7. Fairmont Singapore

Year after year, Szechuan Court at Fairmont Singapore never fails to wow its fans. This year, the restaurant continues its tradition of bringing impressive flavours to the table with the new pretty in pink feuilletine-hazelnut mooncake with wafer crunch nuts.

In place of the usual lotus paste, you get a velvety smooth hazelnut filling. At its centre is a white chocolate ball filled with Swiss chocolate and bits of wafer and hazelnut nuts. Looks like this little beauty is all good on the inside, too! ($45 for 8)

Like Raffles Hotel, Szechuan Court has a champagne truffle and ganache mooncake ($48 for 8). Peony Jade also has it this year. Does anyone know who first came up with this bestselling flavour?

Other flavours featuring liquor to bring a little high are rum and raisin chocolate truffle and baileys chocolate. What takes my breath away is the latter. That truffle simply screams of seduction! ($46 for 8)

8. Concorde Hotel

For Muslim friends, check out the mooncakes of Concorde Hotel (formerly Le Meridien). They are certified halal!

Like Kia Hiang, the hotel has specially baked low sugar mooncakes that come with white lotus filling and yolk. Great for the health-conscious :) ($39/40 for 4)

If you’re not too concerned about the calories, go for the sumptuous Chocolate Omochi. With the soft and chewy mochi and all the rich chocolaty deliciousness, it’s hard to resist this one! ($38 for 4)

9. Polar Puffs & Cakes

Bet you didn’t expect to see this one here. The bakery chain of Polar Puffs & Cakes continues its unique offering of cakes made in the shapes of cartoon characters.

Say hello to Hello Kitty!

Ahhh! Aren’t these the sweetest things? Perfect for families with little girls. Even older girls. Okay, girls. Hello Kitty comes in four flavours: white lotus, pumpkin taro, yam and white chocolate cheese. Everybody say yum yum! ($30.80 for 6)

Just when you thought that things can’t get any cuter, they even give you a free Hello Kitty lantern with every purchase of a box of kitty mooncakes! I think Snowy would like that. Meow!

Oh yes, a reader highlighted that the bakery chain is also certified halal :)

10. Goodwood Park Hotel

Obviously, when we’re on the topic of the best mooncakes, the good name of Goodwood Park Hotel always comes up. The hotel is famed for its tropical fruit mooncakes like mango with pomelo, durian, and cempedak.

This year, Goodwood Park fans can welcome another new fruity flavour — soursop! We’re talking silky smooth puree and juicy pulp made from the freshest soursops. The tangy taste may not be everyone’s cup of tea, though, especially in a pastry that is traditionally sweet. But I know some adventurous people would take a liking to it.

All four flavours are available at $22 for two pieces and $40 for four pieces, except for durian that costs $26 for two pieces and $48 for four pieces.

11. Bakerzin

Have you ever seen a black mooncake? Homegrown café chain Bakerzin has created the fascinating midnight-coloured mooncake, the sesame truffle.

This quirky mooncake gets its skin colour from bamboo charcoal powder. The filling is a combination of lotus paste and black sesame paste. In the midst of the dark filling is a ball of white chocolate ganache. What does that resemble? (Hint: Look out your window at night!) ($36 for 8)

If black isn’t your colour, go for lighter pastels. They have brandied cherry truffle, rum and raisin, pink champagne truffle, and malt whiskey truffle. ($36 for 8)

As you indulge in these exotic mooncakes, you may feel good about the fact that you are doing charity at the same time. For every box of mooncakes sold, Bakerzin will donate $1 to the Singapore make-a-wish foundation.

12. Raffles Hotel

Having raved about Raffles Hotel‘s legendary snowskin mooncake with champagne truffle and ganache again and again, you know it will make it to this list somehow.

Credit

When friends seek my opinion for the best mooncakes to buy, this is the first that I would recommend. ‘Nuff said.

And oh, here’s my review on Raffles’ delectable mooncakes.

Bonus: Godiva

Look! The Godiva chocolatier has launched a Mid-Autumn collection, too!

These Belgian chocolates are packaged like mooncakes, with 4 large pieces to a box. They are filled with classic praline and crispy bits of roasted hazelnut. I can live with that :)

What a kaleidoscope of colours and flavours! These are, of course, my personal picks. I’m sure I have missed out many other excellent choices! Add your own picks in the comments and we can all share!

So, have you bought your mooncakes yet?

Want more mooncakes?

Bet you thought this was the end, didn’t you? Nope, not quite :)

There is now a “remix” of this list! Yes, after doing more mooncake scouting, I uncovered more Mid-Autumn gems! I have compiled a list of 12 more mooncakes you don’t want to miss.

Check them out!

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Kia Hiang Restaurant, in particular, have been the first to introduce several innovative and exciting mooncake flavours. Chocolate, durian purée and bak kwa (sweet barbecued pork) are just a few ingredients that have crept into the mooncakes of this traditional yet innovative Chinese restaurant.

Intrigued?

Classic lotus paste mooncakes (large)
Red lotus paste: $19 (2 pieces), $36 (4 pieces)
White lotus paste: $20 (2 pieces), $38 (4 pieces)
Double yolk, red lotus paste: $22 (2 pieces), $41 (4 pieces)
Double yolk, white lotus paste: $23 (2 pieces), $44 (4 pieces)
Rating:

The distinctiveness of Kia Hiang’s classic mooncakes is that they are low in sugar and thus not overtly sweet. They use peanut oil instead of lard, too. So, if the thought of consuming 1,000 calorie mooncakes worries you, go for the restaurant’s range of low sugar mooncakes.

Not only are the mooncakes healthier, they still remain delicious. The crust is thin and light with a nice fragrance. Even for the double-yolk mooncakes that I normally shun, I find that the salted yolks are fresh and moist with just enough flavour. I’m a convert!

Bak Kwa (barbecued pork) & selected nuts mooncake
Mini: $25 (6 pieces), $36 (9 pieces)
Large: $22 (2 pieces), $41 (4 pieces)
Rating:

The newest innovation this year is the bak kwa mooncake, the result of over 200 man-hours of brainstorming, experimenting and testing. It combines bits of bak kwa that the Chinese so love with coarsely chopped almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and winter melon.

You can clearly see that the pastry is tightly compressed with the various ingredients. So each bite is extra crunchy and packed with flavour!

Check out the colourful snowskin mooncakes. Not only are they pretty to look at, they are also extremely delectable!

The snowskin selection comes in four flavours:

• yellow – durian
• brown – chocolate with rum and raisin
• green – green tea lotus paste
• purple – blueberry and cheese

Just by looking at the list alone, I know that at least 3 of the 4 are guaranteed to be big hits.

Chocolate with rum and raisin snowskin mooncake
S$28 (6 pieces), $40 (9 pieces)
Rating:

Marry chocolate with mooncake and you get a yummy hybrid of a dessert that is similar to a chocolate fondant. That’s not all.

Sprinkled within the rich chocolate custard are californian raisins. The taste of jamaican rum is evident, too. chocolate with liquor is always a welcome combination in my books. This is the kind of food that your doctors warn you to stay away from but you know you don’t wanna. Mmm… Delicious sin.

Durian snowskin mooncake
Mini: $28 (6 pieces), $40 (9 pieces)
Large: $26 (2 pieces), $48 (4 pieces)
Rating:

If you’re a durian lover, the durian snowskin mooncake is pure heaven. This isn’t simply one of those durian-flavoured paste-filled mooncakes. It’s pure silky smooth D24 durian pulp, or in other words, the real stuff!

The restaurant is also famous for its durian mochi. That, I must and will blog about in an upcoming post. It is a dessert to die for.

Classic lotus paste mooncakes (mini)
Red lotus paste: $24 (6 pieces), $34 (9 pieces)
White lotus paste: $25 (6 pieces), $36 (9 pieces)
Rating:

When you buy a box of Kia Hiang mooncakes, you may be surprised by the heavyweight packaging. Instead of the usual tin or cardboard boxes, the mooncakes are packaged in traditional wooden boxes. While they’re not terribly environmentally-friendly, I’m sure, they do impress as gifts.

Many thanks to Kia Hiang Restaurant for sending me their mooncakes for sampling. My family are, honestly, utterly enjoying the savoury pastries. Get a piece at the locations below or via their website.

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The other is the Raffles Hotel mooncakes. More specifically, the legendary snow-skin mooncakes with champagne truffle and ganache. It’s a big hit with the fans.

The online orders for 2009 are already open. Have you ordered yours yet? Take note of the early bird, credit card and bulk order discounts!

This year, the mooncakes are packaged in a gorgeous lilac-coloured box. I love it! The box colour changes yearly and has become quite the collector’s item! However this is the first time they are reusing the same box from the previous year’s.

Snow-skin mooncake with champagne truffle & Ganache
S$52 for a box of 8
Rating:

That’s the aforementioned champagne truffle and ganache mooncake. Read my detailed review on why this delectable nosh is the best-seller year after year.

Click to enlarge

A new addition to the 2009 menu is the snow-skin apricot mooncake with popping candy. It’s an innovative creation with pieces of crackling candy tucked within the truffle.

The Mid-Autumn Festival falls on October 3 this year. Get yours fast!

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It’s the same thing for tau sar piah. Along Balestier Road, you would find a whole stretch of dated shops all specialising in this flaky pastry with bean paste filling; I count at least five of them! Reminds me of the Selegie tau huay sibling rivalry! So which is the original?

Let’s go back in history to 1948, the year when the Hainan-born Mr. Li Fanlong established Loong Fatt at the present Balestier site. His cake business thrived initially, but sales dwindled towards the early 70s. To improve sales, he tried blending butter cakes with Teochew tau sar piah. So in 1972, the tau sar piah as we know it today was invented.

Even with the fierce competition at Balestier, many people still swear by Loong Fatt for the best tau sar piah in Singapore. Well, nothing beats the original!

Tau Sar Piah (sweet or salty)
$0.70 each
Rating:

Two flavours are available — sweet or salty. The sweet tau sar piah is marked by the sprinkling of sesame seeds on its crust. You may also notice that the shape is atypical; it’s flatter than the usual ones.

When you sink your teeth into a Loong Fatt tau sar piah, you may be surprised by how soft and light the crusty skin is. Due to the use of butter, it boasts a smoother texture that is less dry than that of the competitors.

Then, there is the lovely bean paste filling. The sweetness and softness of it automatically puts you in a good mood :)

Between the two flavours, it’s a hard pick to choose between the two. Both are equally tasty! For me, I slant towards the salty version, which still maintains a touch of sweetness. The combination of both sweet and salty flavours is really enticing and keeps me craving for more! My Mom, on the other hand, prefers the sweet version as she has a sweet tooth!

I would recommend buying a big box of this tau sar piah for sharing with the whole family at breakfast or for pleasing the mother in law!

Photo by hyacinthus

The original Loong Fatt Tau Sar Piah is located at the extreme right end of Balestier Road by the junction of Thomson Road. It seems that the shops here like to use their 3-digit unit number for identification. Loong Fatt is 639, while the tau sar piah neighbours are 529, 603, 631, etc!

At the shop, you can see the bakers in action at the kitchen where new batches are freshly baked daily. Drinks are also sold here so you can sit down to enjoy your pastry with a cup of Kopi.

Oh, they have other delights like egg tarts and cream puffs, too.

Best eaten warm from the oven!

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Wash them down with a cup of kopi or teh or a mixture of the two and you’re all set for a delightful afternoon snack! (The drink pictured is from Toast Box at Mid Valley Megamall.)

Anyways, I love these bite-sized delights. If you know where to get them in Singapore, please let me know!

To round up my short stay in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, here’s a recap of the more memorable eateries that I visited:

• Nando’s – Peri Me Away
• Steven’s Tea Garden – Best Teh Tarik
• Madam Kwan’s – High-end Hawker Fare

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If macaron is the first thing that pops in your mind, my, you must have a sweet tooth!

When I first laid my eyes on the macarons at Bakerzin, I fell in love with these sweet pastries. Just toss in a cup of joe and you’re all set for a delightful teatime snack!

Macarons (not to be confused with macaroon or macaroni) are made with egg white, almond powder and icing sugar, with creamy butter cream and ganache.

Macarons (assorted flavours)
$1.60 $1 each for February ’09
Rating:

On first impression, I would have thought that the green one is matcha (green tea), but it’s actually pistachio with white chocolate! The pretty one with speckles of pink is “scarlet”, a mixture of vanilla and strawberry. It’s heavenly! But my favourites are, hands down, the chocolate ones.

The bakers here really know their chocolate. You get your chocolate macarons with a touch of lemon, brandied cherry, whiskey, coffee butter cream and even banana! The chocolate ones are really the best of the lot.

After whetting your appetite, I feel it’s only right to share with you this: Bakerzin has slashed the price of these babies from $1.60 to a dollar each. The promotion is valid only in the month of February. So hurry!

(last month, they slashed the price of their phenomenal warm chocolate cake to $4.80. I’m looking forward to another great promotion next month!)

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]]> 20 http://sparklette.net/food/hua-ji-bao-dang/ http://sparklette.net/food/hua-ji-bao-dang/#comments Tue, 30 Dec 2008 11:17:29 +0000 Veron Ang http://sparklette.net/?p=807 Have you noticed that in recent years, people have taken quite a liking to handmade pau (Chinese buns)? Very often I would see long queues forming at hawker stalls selling such handmade pau and eager customers buying them by the dozen.

There’s good reason for such brisk business. A pau that is lovingly made by hand tends to taste better than one made by a machine. Its skin may be thinner, its portion more generous, the recipe for its char siew (sweet barbecued pork) filling more perfected.

Many of these pau come in bite-sized portions no bigger than ping pong balls. So you have to eat 4 or 5 of it at a time to feel anything inside your tummy. Some people like it in such a cute size, but for me I still prefer a regular-sized pau. So I was very happy when I was introduced to Hua Ji Bao Dang （华记包档) at Bukit Merah View Market & Food Centre.

Char siew pau (Buns with sweet barbecued pork filling)
S$0.80
Rating:

The best-selling char siew pau comes in a good-sized portion (similar to the ones sold by major pau makers) and is served piping hot from the steamer. Once you sink your teeth into a soft fluffy bun, you would taste an extremely fragrant, juicy and delightfully sweet filling!

Unlike many common char siew pau out there, the meat here is minced and so very tender — you won’t feel the rough lumpy chunks. No wonder these buns sell out so quickly!

Big pau
S$1.50
Rating:

The char siew pau really is the true star here because the big pau simply pales in comparison. Its meat filling is much less fragrant and tastes more of salt than anything else.

Siew Mai (steamed prawn dumpling)
S$0.60
Rating:

For some variety, we also ordered a plate of siew mai (steamed prawn dumplings). Each one has a firm and moist texture, and contains a generous amount of ingredients.

All the pau would be sold out before noon and the sellers can just close shop for the day! Ain’t that nice?

Well, not really. pau making is hard work. At a time when most of us are still away in dreamland, the sellers already have to do their preparation work to open for business at 6am each day.

At the back of the stall, you can see the elderly uncle working diligently, his skillful hands moving rapidly to prepare the dough, put in the filling and steam the pau.

The stall is prominently located at the front row of the food centre so you won’t miss it. It’s actually two stall units combined into one. From the queue you know that the business here is good. To avoid disappointment, do go there early!

Hua Ji Bao Dang 华记包档
Bukit Merah View Market & Food Centre
Blk 115 Bukit Merah View #01-535
Singapore 151115

Bus services: 14, 33, 51, 93, 100, 195, 197
Nearest MRT: Tiong Bahru

Opening hours: 6am – 11am (Closed on Thursdays)

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]]> 2 http://sparklette.net/food/kuehs-and-snacks/ http://sparklette.net/food/kuehs-and-snacks/#comments Mon, 08 Sep 2008 12:31:21 +0000 Veron Ang http://sparklette.net/?p=767 In the mood for Teochew kueh (Chinese pastry)? Get it all at Kuehs and Snacks, a bakery shop along Bukit Merah Lane near the Alexandra Village food centre. While its English name is descriptive enough, I personally prefer the shop’s endearing Chinese name, which translates to “Aunts’ and Grannies’ Teochew Kueh”.

This air-conditioned shop is run by an elderly Madam Chia Siew Yin, who oversees that all her kueh are freshly handmade daily.

A crowd favourite is the ang ku kueh that comes in a dazzling array of more than a dozen flavours with attractive colours to match.

Ang Ku Kueh
S$0.60 per piece
Rating:

With popular flavours that include green tea, coconut, peanut and even durian, each priced at an affordable 60 cents, it’s no wonder that customers are buying these pastries by the dozen! I like that the kueh isn’t too sweet, and I can eat a few of these at one go without getting tired of the taste.

Soon Kueh
S$6.50 for a box of 5
Rating:

Soon kueh is a form of a steamed Chinese dumpling made of rice flour skin. It is eaten with sweet dark soy sauce and chilli paste. Most modern renditions of the dumpling have chopped turnip strips as filling. But at kuehs and snacks, the soon kueh is made the traditional way with soon (bamboo shoots) as filling.

At $6.50 for a box of 5, the soon kueh here tends towards the pricey side. But you do get your money’s worth. Each one is a chunky piece overloaded with delicious filling. Even with the ample ingredients, the chewy and elastic thin skin is somehow able to hold the generous filling without breaking.

Peng Kueh (Glutinous rice snack)
S$0.90 per piece
Rating:

When it comes to Teochew kueh, the pretty in pink peng kueh is a staple. Stuffed with glutinous rice, this kueh is normally eaten with the same sweet dark soy sauce and chilli paste as the soon kueh.

I find the peng kueh here to be rather dull though. While I have no complaints about the texture which is soft and just nice, the ingredients are rather bland with just a wee bit of peanuts and nothing else.

Black Kueh
S$7.80 for a box of 5

What I have yet to try is this novelty item, the black kueh. It resembles the peng kueh, except that it has an uncommon black skin like its name suggests. Made with a special Chinese herb, this is perhaps one of the most unusual kueh you would find! If you have tried this, let me know what it’s like. I’m quite curious about the taste.

Kuehs and Snacks
125 Bukit Merah Lane 1 #01-164
Singapore 150125
Tel: +65 6273 5875

Bus services: 14, 33, 51, 61, 93, 100, 195, 197
Nearest MRT: Queenstown

Opening hours: 8am – 7pm daily

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]]> 8 http://sparklette.net/food/tong-heng/ http://sparklette.net/food/tong-heng/#comments Tue, 27 May 2008 13:43:29 +0000 Veron Ang http://sparklette.net/?p=742 The Tong Heng Confectionery has a long history dating back to 1920. This humble little shop in Chinatown is best-known for churning out popular Chinese pastries such as egg custard tarts (in a distinctive diamond shape) and wife cakes.

But did you know that the curry puffs and char siew (barbecued pork) crispy cakes here are real delights too?

My mom and I have been big fans of these handmade pastries ever since my brother started buying them about five years ago. I have a personal weakness for their curry puffs in particular.

Curry Puff
S$1 each
Rating:

These curry puffs are somewhat roundish in shape with a glazed surface. The curry filling has the most unique taste I’ve ever had in any curry puff!

It is wonderfully sweet, with a tinge of spice. People that are used to the taste and spice of traditional curry would be surprised by this sweetened version. Not everyone would like it, but I totally dig it!

The crust is rather thick and flaky though, and I would have awarded it all five drumsticks had it been thinner or lighter.

Char Siew (Barbecued Pork) Crispy Cake
S$1 each
Rating:

My mom loves the char siew crispy cake, although I’m not exactly a fan since I generally do not like the taste of char siew.

In each crispy cake, there is an ample amount of the moist char siew filling. So people that love char siew would naturally be a fan of this tasty treat.

(Note: I have indicated the price of each pastry as $1. I can’t be 100 percent sure though since it’s always my brother that buys them. If this is inaccurate, please let me know!)

Like any good ol’ traditional Chinese pastries, Tong Heng serves theirs in cardboard boxes that have Chinese characters all over. After five years of eating Tong Heng pastries, the design of the box hasn’t changed once, not even when new outlets opened. I do think I have seen it in different colour variations other than red though.

Nonetheless, each time I see a box like this in our kitchen, it always means a very pleasant surprise!

Tong Heng Chinatown

285 South Bridge Road
Singapore 058833
Tel: +65 6223 3649

Tong Heng Jurong Point

Jurong Point Shopping Centre
1 Jurong West Central 2 #B1-10 JP1
Singapore 648886
Tel: +65 6794 6292

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Photo credit

Kaya Swiss Roll
S$14 for a box of 2
Rating:

Not to be missed is the kaya (creamy coconut jam) Swiss roll. It’s the best-selling flavour. The creamy kaya filling tastes rich and fragrant, without being too sweet at the same time. Ahhh… Pure joy!

You know how you sometimes get that dry mouth feel after eating cake? You wouldn’t get that from eating the Swiss rolls here. They have such ample layers of moist filling that you would just keep eating more and more!

Photo credit

Durian Swiss Roll
S$14 for a box of 2
Rating:

Durians, you either love ‘em or hate ‘em. I belong to the latter camp but the people I love love durians! I haven’t personally sampled the durian rolls but I know that durian fans would find these irresistable. Made with authentic D24 durians, you can actually see and taste the chunks of durian flesh within the rolls!

Photo by buttshaker

One interesting thing about the Swiss rolls here is that they are sold in their whole, uncut forms. So for $12 to $14, you get two foot-long rolls of the delicious goodies! They come in long boxes coloured in a gentle shade of baby pink too. Sweet!

Here’s a complete list of the available flavours and their prices:

- Durian Swiss roll (S$14)
- Kaya Swiss roll (S$14)
- Mango Swiss roll (S$14)
- Green Tea Swiss roll (S$14)
- Orange Swiss roll (S$14)
- Strawberry Swiss roll (S$13)
- Blueberry Swiss roll (S$13)
- Coffee Swiss roll (S$12)
- Chocolate Swiss roll (S$12)

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Credit

In a collaboration with Starbucks, Nokia released a set of 4 mooncakes, modelled after their l’amour series of glamourous-looking mobile phones. Ever seen mooncakes that are shaped like mobile phones? No? Read on!

Ta-da! I must say, these mooncakes don’t look very tasty or even edible, do they? I wouldn’t feel like biting into one. But they sure are among the most unusual mooncakes I have seen!

Each mooncake is shaped like an actual Nokia l’amour phone, complete with the Nokia brand name (of course) and pretty florals!

Credit

Starbucks has their own mooncake too. I love the way the logo fits perfectly onto the face of the mooncake. Come to think of it, wouldn’t coffee go well with mooncake? I’m so craving for a cup of joe right now!

For those of you who aren’t huge fans of the traditional mooncake, opt for a jelly one! It’s purple too! Pretty, pretty. It even has an egg yolk at its centre.

Credit

And for the rest of you who don’t eat mooncakes at all, maybe you might hug one instead, such as a cuddly plush toy! Meet Mr. Mooncake!

Credit

Then there are the animal-shaped ones of course. A cute bunny-shaped mooncake, perhaps to honour chang’e?

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Last but not least, my personal favourite — a Hello Kitty-shaped mooncake biscuit! Ahhh! I miss Japan all over again!

So, what’s the most unusual mooncake you have had this Mid-Autumn Festival?

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Since then, mooncakes never really did quite stay the same. Merchants strive to outdo each other in concocting the most unusual and delicious mooncake recipes. Here are some of the more unique and innovative modern mooncakes.

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Well-known for their attention to aesthetics, the Japanese have created some very beautiful mooncakes. These mooncakes from Japanese confectionery, minamoto kitchoan, are handmade with red or white bean paste. Aren’t these the sweetest?

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Not to be outdone, local baker, bossacafez, has come out with a line of very colourful mooncakes made using unique recipes. I especially like the candy-coloured ones on the left that are made with aerated mineral water. The green ones are pandan custard lotus snow-skin mooncakes.

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More sweetness! Milky white snow-skin mooncakes filled with a mixture of cherries, desiccated and moist flaky coconut. Pretty!

What’s more, she has even made colourful apple-shaped mooncakes, complete with green leaves!

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Mooncake cupcakes! East meets west! The fusion of these two types of pastries is concocted by yet another talented baker, chockylit.

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Her mooncake cupcakes have date-pineapple cream cheese frosting and a red bean paste filling.

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Okay, I know these aren’t exactly real mooncakes… But look! How cute!

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I am a total sucker for all things miniature, and these wee little mooncakes are just too darn cute!

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Even babies love ‘em!

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Remember these adorable piggy-shaped mooncake biscuits? In Chinese, they are known as “猪仔饼”. I ate a lot of this when I was young. They tend to come in little colourful cages and hence they are also called “猪笼饼”. Eating this just brings back fond memories!

More creative mooncakes to follow tomorrow! Stay tuned!

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The Raffles Hotel mooncakes are easily the most sinful and best-tasting mooncakes I’ve ever had! They sell out really quickly too!

These mooncakes come in boxes of 8. At more than $5 apiece, they certainly don’t come cheap. (but they are worth every penny because they’re so good!)

The tin box containing these cute mooncakes is decorated with a Shanghai-style artwork surrounded by swirls and florals. What is really unusual is the unconventional colour used for the box — a very beautiful baby blue! How pretty!

The white snow-skin exterior looks innocently plain, but obviously, the best part of the mooncake lies at its chocolatey centre…

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The champagne truffle! Once you bite into the white chocolate shell, the inside is the soft and delicious ganache that fills your mouth. Ahhh… Pure bliss! It’s very, very satisfying too so eating just one at a time is already enough!

If this isn’t the most delectable mooncake dessert, I don’t know what is. What makes it even more sought after is that you can only have it just once in a year!

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And that’s for this year. Every year, Raffles Hotel sells a different flavour of mooncakes, packed in a different-coloured tin box. This year, it’s the baby blue one. I’m so looking forward to next year’s! (Update: it’s light purple!)

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