Once again, the heavenly pastries are upon us and with the economy back in full swing, restaurants will be furiously churning out mooncakes of all shapes, sizes, flavours and colours. This week, we bring you our top picks of some of the best mooncakes this season.
Bakerzin
Outlets islandwide, 6338 4656
Goodwood Park Hotel’s D24 Durian Paste in Snowskin Mooncake has strong competition this year from Bakerzin with its Divine Durian Mini Snow Skin (8 piecess per box for SG$56). Although they do not contain D24 durians like Goodwood Park Hotel, they are good and you get double the quantity for the same money.
That is always a good thing if you are keen to entertain a larger group of friends or as a gift to a larger family. Each mini mooncake is individually sealed in air-tight packs and frozen to preserve the flavours.
Other more novel flavours include Brandied Cherry Truffle Mini Snow Skin, Midnight – Sesame Truffle Mini Snow Skin and Rum & Raisin Truffle Mini Snow skin which can be purchased as a box of Assorted Truffle Mini Snow Skin (8 pcs for SG$48)
BreadTalk
BreadTalk bakeries islandwide,
The Pavilion set is undoubtedly BreadTalk’s star offering this Mid-Autumn festival with only 888 boxes available.
Inspired by the China pavilion at the World Expo (Shanghai), the Pavilion marks BreadTalk’s 10th birthday. Each set (SG48) consists of 4 pieces of mooncakes individually-packed within gold tins. There are 5 flavours to choose from; Red Bean Single Yolk and Taro Lotus with Mung Bean which are new as well as Black Sesame Single Yolk, White Lotus Single Yolk and Traditional Lotus Single Yolk.
COVA Pasticceria-Confetteria
290 Orchard Road, 6733 0777
Trust an Italian cafe to churn out mooncakes that appeal to a more “western” palate.
The COVA Pasticceria – Confetteria, unveils two new additions to its crowd-pleasing Torta Della Luna collection (literally meaning ‘cake of the moon’ in Italian) this year – the Mocha Snowskin Mooncake – made with COVA’s very own premium coffee and chocolate – and Sweet Potato and Pumpkin Snowskin Mooncake.
The Torta Della Luna collection – made up entirely of snowskin creations – returns for the second year to enchant mooncake lovers with its original offerings. Two other much-loved mooncake flavours – Rose and Vanilla Snowskin Mooncake; and Peanut and Chocolate Snowskin Mooncake – will make a popular comeback from last year.
Get a box of 4 flavours for SG$38.50.
Grand Park City Hall (Park Palace)
10 Coleman Street, 6432 5555
Four new flavours out of the kitchen of Park Palace, they include Golden Bean Mooncake (SG$46 per box of four pieces). It is the first one we have seen this year with sweet savoury paste made from Mung Beans. An interesting variation of its Park Palace Golden Yam (SG$52 for a box of 4 with single yolk).
They also join the durian foray with the ‘Mau Shan Wang’ Durian at $88 per box of four pieces. A bit pricier than the competition but it is complemented with a touch of golden flake.
Baileys Truffle & Mint, a best seller last year also returns at SG$43 per box of eight pieces.
Goodwood Park Hotel
22 Scotts Road, Singapore 228221, 67301867
Two new flavours this year from the Goodwood Park Hotel kitchen. Almond Beancurd with Longan Giant Snowskin Mooncake (SG$12 per piece) – a massive 12-cm centrepiece and the Apple Caramel Snowskin Mooncake. Both flavours are actually very light and are welcome entries in a genre that is saturated with quadruple yolks and cholesterol.
Of course, the D24 Durian Paste in Snowskin Mooncake is an evergreen favourite at Goodwood Park Hotel. They go for SG$50 for 4 pieces and are worth every cent. It is also available in cempedak paste instead of durian.
Häagen-Dazs
Outlets islandwide, 1800 732 1566
Very much like the cakes at Häagen-Dazs, where you get more ice cream than cake, the mooncakes here are all filled with lovely ice cream as well. The Precious collection (SG$62 for a box of 5) includes one Macadamia Nut Ice Cream Mooncake surrounded by five special Vanilla and Belgian Chocolate miniature Ice Cream Mooncakes.
They are literally like giant fine chocolate truffles with ice cream fillings crapped with dark chocolate and gold lacing. They are actually great as gifts to people who do not like traditional lotus filling mooncakes.
Intercontinental Singapore (Man Fu Yuan Chinese Restaurant)
80 Middle Rd, 68208519
The new Snowskin Mooncake Combination (SG$45 per box), which combines 4 unique flavours per box, will probably have something for everyone. It combines unique flavours like Green Tea Paste paired with almond flakes, red bean paste with melon seeds, pumpkin paste with chocolate pearls, and lastly black sesame paste with white sesame seeds. All unique flavours that incorporate familiar Chinese flavours that are more commonly found in other Chinese dishes.
Also look out for Man Fu Yuan’s signature Japanese Sweet Potato Flake Pastry Mooncake with single yolk which returns this year. It is priced at SG$49.90 and will be a hit especially with Teochew folk – yes we know how much you guys like starchy stuff like Sweet Potato and yam.
Orchard Hotel Singapore (Hwa Ting)
442 Orchard Road, 6739 6666
Group Masterchef Chan Kwok and his talented culinary team debut two new snow skin flavours Mini Snow Skin with Pumpkin Paste and Melon Seeds and Mini Snow Skin with Almond Paste and Melon Seeds. They are available at at SG$48.00 for a box of 8 along with the signature Beetroot with Red Wine and Cranberry Paste, Custard with Yolk, White Lotus Paste with Yolk and Green Tea Paste with Yolk.
Alongside the mouth-watering snow skin creations, Hua Ting offers traditional favourites which include White Lotus Paste with Macadamia Nuts, Seeds of Harmony, White Lotus Paste with Double Yolks, and Lotus Paste with Single Yolk at (SG$52.00 for a box of 4 pieces).
Paradise Group
Paradise restaurants islandwide, +65 6288 8961
Discerning lovers of snow skin mooncakes will be intrigued by the wide variety of flavours beneath these adorable petites in bite-sized portion.
Take pleasure and sweeten your Mid Autumn celebrations with flavours which include exotic Golden Pomelo, Fragrant Black Sesame, Sweet Custard with Cashew Nuts, and velvety smooth Pure Lotus (SG$38 for a box of 8). For an ultimate indulgence, succumb to extravagance with the Royale Bird Nest for a luxurious treat (SG$88 for a box of 8).
Peach Garden
65 Chulia Street, 65357833
If you are game for some baked mooncakes, Peach Garden has a variety, including novel ones like such as their Freshly Baked Premium Lotus Paste with Macadamia Nuts (SG$45 for a box of 4), Premium Lotus Paste with Honey Peach(SG$42 for a box of 4) and Premium Lotus Paste with Ginseng ((SG$43 for a box of 4).
If you like yours with a bit more bite, then the Peach Deluxe Assorted Nuts with Kam Hua Ham (SG50 for a box of 4) would be right up your tree.
Peony Jade
Peony Jade @ Clarke Quay, Blk 3A Clarke Quay #02-02, 6338 0305
Peony Jade has entered this years mooncake rush in a big way with not 1 but 8 new flavours! Among the new flavours are the Pure Top Grade Jin Feng Butter Cream Durian in Pearl Powder Snowskin (SG$68 for 4 pieces), a limited-edition creation that brings together aromatic durian and custard with the finest pearl powder.
Another new fruit based entry is the Snowskin Japanese Yuzu Citrus Truffle with Orange Walnut Paste (SG$60 for 4 pieces). Premium white lotus paste is complemented by orange walnut, and punctuated by a velvety Yuzu citrus-infused Orange Ganache with white chocolate.
Of course let’s not forget Peony Jade’s perennially popular Flaky Teochew Oor Nee mooncakes Expect thick velvety yam filling with golden Japanese pumpkin (SG$48 for 4 pieces).
Resorts World
Snowskin and traditional mooncake booth opposite Feng Shui Inn, 6577 8888
Using the finest Grade A whole bird’s nest encased in smooth velvety filling, the exterior comes in four different tropical flavours—green tea, lemon, lychee and strawberry. The green tea and strawberry flavoured mooncakes are filled with white lotus paste while the lychee and lemon flavoured ones are packed with creamy custard. Presented in a specially designed Resorts World carry box, each box contains eight mini snowskin mooncakes priced at S$98*.
Sheraton Towers (Li Bai)
Thirty-Nine Scotts Road, 6839 5623
Only one new flavour out the the Li Bai kitchen this year - White Lotus Seed Paste with Wolfberries and Dried Apricot. This Mooncake boasts the rich yet subtly sweet taste of Lotus Seed Paste, dotted with the fine textures of the fruits within.
But what we really want to mention is Sheraton Towers’ box. The Imperial Lacquer Box (SG$108 for 4 pieces of White Lotus Seed Paste with Double Egg Yolks) is by far the most impressive and gift box this year and as Ris Low would put it, “boomz”. It consists of 4 glossy individual Mooncake boxes set on top of a solid black lacquered wooden tray, with the Li Bai logo stamped in gold. If you have a client who has been good to you this year, you cannot go wrong with this gift set.
The 2 limited edition premium boxes – Empress Treasure Box (2009) and Premier Jade Box (2008) are also available again this year and they look equally nice - SG$68.00 and SG$78.00 respectively with 4 pieces of White Lotus Seed Paste with Double Egg Yolks.
Swissotel (SzeChuan Court)
80 Bras Basah Road, 6338 8785
Szechuan Court blew us away last year with a flawless repertoire of snowskin mooncakes that shout finesse and this year is no different. Back is their Mini Snow-Skin Rum & Raisin Chocolate Truffle Mooncake, Mini Snow-Skin Champagne Truffle & Chocolate Ganache Mooncake and Mini Snow-Skin Baileys Chocolate Mooncake. Joining the snow skin variation is the new Mini-Snow Skin Organic Muesli Chocolate Mooncake.
Within this gem lies a sensational Swiss chocolate swirl, luxuriously sprinkled with muesli, wrapped within a core of creamy chocolate shell. Get a set of mixed snow skin mookcakes for SG$50 for a box of 8.
