Interesting Green: Mooncake Special - these pastries will send you over the moon

SOURCE: weekend today, September 11 - 12, 2010, MOONCAKE SPECIAL, PAGE T21
From: http://imcms2.mediacorp.sg/CMSFileserver/documents/006/PDF/20100911/1109SUT021.pdf
By PETER YEO

PHOTO: Chocolate Praline Mooncakes styled to look like Chinese Chess pieces

Sweet indulgence
Snowskin, flaky skin or traditionally baked, these pastries will send you over the moon

CAN only imagine the original mooncakes to taste papery. After all, legend has it the Chinese hid coded notes that called for an uprising against Mongol rulers on the 15th day of the eighth moon, or the Mid-Autumn Festival in mooncakes.

Thanks to this unique method of passing on a message, the war was won. And recipes of mooncakes have evolved to omit coded notes.

When we were growing up, the adults would sit at the playground sipping Chinese tea and nibbling on baked mooncakes as we paraded with paper lanterns. Some variants had melon seeds that provided a crunchy balance to the soft and sweet lotus filling while others would sneak in bits of candied winter melon. The golden brown crust would be just thick enough to have bite yet crumbled under pressure.

But it is the fragrance of the lotus seed filling that is released in mid-chew which makes us crave the once-a-year treat.

These days, while traditional mooncakes are still very much in flavour, they are jostling for shelf space with new-fangled creations such as Mocha Snowskin Mooncake and Sweet Potato and Pumpkin Snowskin Mooncake from premium Italian café, COVA or Swensen’s Disney Mickey Mouse Ice Cream Mooncakes, with Mickey’s face embossed where the logo of the bakery traditionally sits.

Polar Puffs and Cakes have introduced a halal Supreme Dried Scallop Baked Mooncake so muslims can offer them during Hari Raya open house, and signature versions such as Peony Jade’s Original Ex-Crown Prince Flaky Teochew Oor Nee Mooncake with Single Egg Yolk and Golden Japanese Pumpkin traditionally sell out days before Mid-Autumn Festival starts.

Some innovative designs even include liquor such as Grand Hyatt Singapore’s specialty Snowskin Lychee Martini Truffle Mooncakes. Traditionalists partial to the Chinese culture can have their cake and eat it too, with the hotel’s traditional baked and Chocolate Praline Mooncakes styled to look like Chinese Chess pieces (pictured).

Whatever your preference, these treats are a sweet way to complement your Chinese tea this Mid-Autumn Festival.

By PETER YEO

SOURCE: weekend today, September 11 - 12, 2010, MOONCAKE SPECIAL, PAGE T22
From http://imcms2.mediacorp.sg/CMSFileserver/documents/006/PDF/20100911/1109SUT022.pdf

PHOTO: Marina Mandarin, Mandarin Orchard. Award-winning chefs have come up with several light and low-sugar options this season.
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Marina Mandarin

Watching your weight? Marina Mandarin’s award-winning chefs have come up with several light and low-sugar options this season. Try the refreshing Mini Snowskin Mooncake with Green Apple Paste and Macadamia Nuts, or perennial bestsellers such as the Baked Mooncake with Cashew Nuts in White Lotus Paste or Baked Mooncake with Double Yolk in White Lotus Paste.

PHOTO: Marina Mandarin 4款新冰皮口味 kuǎn xīn bīng pí kǒu wèi (4 stylish new flavors of Snow Skin Mooncake)
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Other tasty options include the Mini Snowskin Mooncake with Green Tea Paste with Chestnuts and the Mini Snowskin Mooncake with “Han Tian” Rose Paste and Champagne Chocolate.

Price: Traditional mooncakes start at $44.80 per box. Snowskin mooncakes start at $48.80. Taxes not included.

Location: Peach Blossoms, Marina Mandarin, 6 Raffles Boulevard, Marina Square
Enquiries: Call 6845 1118 or
email peachblossoms@meritus-hotels.com

PHOTO: The chefs at Mandarin Orchard have created the Mandarin Fortune Phoenix box set.
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Mandarin Orchard

This year, the chefs at Mandarin Orchard have created the Mandarin Fortune Phoenix box set, designed to accompany their Mandarin Fortune Dragon set. Both sets feature intricate box designs and a tempting assortment of mooncake flavours.

Other flavours introduced this year include the Mini Snowskin Lychee Martini Mooncake, featuring white lotus paste and a chocolate ganache with a hint of vodka, as well as the refreshing Mini Snowskin Mango Mooncake and the bittersweet Mini Snowskin Tiramisu Mooncake.

PHOTO: Mandarin Orchard 龙凤呈祥 (龍鳳呈祥) lóng fèng chéng xiáng ( dragon and phoenix bringing prosperity—excellent good fortune)

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Price: The combined Premium Gift Set with both Mandarin Fortune Phoenix and Dragon is $198.
Other flavours start at $46.80 per box. Taxes not included.

Location: Mandarin Orchard Singapore, 333 Orchard Road
Enquiries: Call 6831 6320/6285/6262 or
email pinecourt.orchard@meritus-hotels.com

PHOTO: Packed with pure D24 durian flesh and covered in a delicate vanilla-flavoured snowskin, this tasty treat is Bakerzin’s latest mooncake offering.
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Bakerzin

This year, Bakerzin has brought back its popular durian mooncakes. Packed with pure D24 durian flesh and covered in a delicate vanilla-flavoured snowskin, this tasty treat is Bakerzin’s latest mooncake offering.

“We decided it is time to bring back this hot favourite as there are many durian lovers out there who cannot resist the King of Fruits in any manner,” said Bakerzin CEO Daniel Tay.

To ensure these delicacies stay fresh and to keep the durian flavour locked in, Bakerzin has sealed each snowskin mooncake into individual air-tight packages. They’re sold frozen, and it’s best to store them in the freezer until you’re ready to eat them, said Bakerzin.

PHOTO: Other snowskin flavours and Mooncake Traditional
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Other snowskin flavours on offer this year include Brandied Cherry, Midnight Sesame, Rum and Raisin, Pink Champagne and Single Malt Whisky. For those traditionalists, Bakerzin also has a baked mooncake range: Mooncake Magic, filled with two blended salted egg yolks, and Mooncake Traditional, with a simple but delicious lotus seed filling.

Not only are these mooncakes delicious, they’re also good for the community. This year, Bakerzin will donate $1 for every box of mooncakes sold to the Make A Wish Singapore charity, which helps children with life-threatening illnesses.

Price: Divine Durian Mini Snow Skin is $7 each or $56 for a box of eight; other snowskin mooncakes are $6 each. Mooncake Magic is $13 each, and Mooncake Traditional is $11. Taxes not included.

Location: Look out for Bakerzin booths at Bugis Junction, Century Square, Compass Point, Heartland Mall, IMM, ION Orchard, Junction 8, Jurong Point, North Point, Novena Square, Parkway Parade, Raffles Exchange, Takashimaya and VivoCity

Enquiries: Log on to www.bakerzin.com for more online promotions

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PHOTO: Szechuan Court’s Mini Snowskin Organic Muesli Chocolate Mooncake.

Fairmont Singapore

Making its debut this year at the Fairmont Singapore is Szechuan Court’s Mini Snowskin Organic Muesli Chocolate Mooncake. Health-conscious mooncake lovers shouldn’t miss this creation, which features a creamy chocolate filling paired with high-fibre muesli.

If you’d prefer something with an Eastern twist, try the Baked Mooncake with Chuan Xiong, Wolfberry and Fig in White Lotus Paste. The Chuan Xiong herb is also known as “Chinese Lovage Root” and is thought to regulate the flow of blood and qi through the body.

Another nutritious option this year is the Mooncake with Roasted Pine Nuts in White Lotus Paste. Pine nuts are rich in anti-oxidants and vitamins, and provide a good source of dietary fibre.

Other flavours offered this year include the Champagne Truffle and Chocolate Ganache, Baileys Chocolate, and Rum and Raisin Chocolate Truffle; baked varieties included the Double Yolk in White Lotus Paste, Peach-shaped Single Yolk and Macadamia Nuts in White Lotus Paste.

All these tasty treats come packaged in the Fairmont Singapore’s signature cheongsaminspired mooncake boxes.

What’s more, as part of the hotel’s commitment to the environment, get $10 off your next mooncake purchase at Fairmont Singapore if you bring in your old mooncake box for recycling. Old boxes are not exchangeable for cash; terms and conditions apply.

Price: Mooncake box sets start at $48. Limited Edition Singapore Youth Olympic Games Mooncakes are $68. Taxes not included.

Location: Szechuan Court, Fairmont Singapore, 80 Bras Basah Road or at Fairmont booths at major shopping centres
Enquiries: Call Fairmont Singapore’s mooncake hotline at 6338 8785 or
order online at www.fsfestiveorders.com

PHOTO: Baked Mooncake
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PHOTO: Swissotel Merchant Court’s four new snowskin flavours.
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Swissotel Merchant Court

Set the mood for a sumptuous mid-autumn night’s dream this year with Swissotel Merchant Court’s range of mooncakes, which includes four new snowskin flavours.

Try the Milk Rocher Snowskin Mooncake, filled with a chocolate praline and coated with roasted almonds in a white lotus paste. Or savour their signature Durian Truffle Snowskin Mooncake, which has been paired with a white chocolate truffle filling this year.

If you like your mooncakes with a hint of liquor, you can try the decadent Mocha Snowskin Mooncake, which pair coffee with liquor-infused chocolate.

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Another unique creation is the Vodka Orange Snowskin Mooncake, featuring a orange liquor centre, encased in a white chocolate praline core.

Traditionalists may be tempted by the hotel’s Baked Skin Red Lotus Mooncakes, which are stuffed with a single yolk and melon seeds.

Their White Lotus selection, on the other hand, includes double yolks, or a single yolk with acadamia nuts.

For the health-conscious, there’s a less sweet option. The Traditional Low Sugar White Lotus Mooncake with Pine Nuts can be a nutritious, yet tasty alternative.

Price: Traditional mooncakes start at $50 per box of four. Snowskin mooncakes start at $52 per box of eight.

Location: Ellenborough Market Cafe, Swissotel Merchant Court, 20 Merchant Road or booths at Takashimaya and Jurong Point

Enquiries: Call 6239 1848 or
email emc.reservations@swissotel.com

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Tung Lok

In addition to their renowned restaurants, Tung Lok is also one of the largest mooncake Manufacturers in the region. Their innovative flavours coupled with chic and fashion-forward packaging will make gift-giving that much easier — if you can bear to part with it.

The Tung Lok Perfect Duo consists of a pair of mooncakes — a double yolk white lotus and a double yolk red lotus encased in a sophisticated box adorned with flower motifs and wrapped with exquisite satin to give it an air of luxury.

The Tung Lok Four Seasons is a selection of four mooncakes with Mixed Nuts; Egg Yolk Pandan Lotus with Pistachios; Egg Yolk White Lotus; and Egg Yolk Red Lotus flavours and comes in an elongated box designed as a handbag, complete with two silk handles.

Back by popular demand, the Tung Lok Royale series boasts a scrumptious crust made with a secret recipe. A box of eight mooncakes holds two flavours exclusive to Tung Lok, namely the Chocolate Skin with Hokkaido Milk with Mocha and the Green Tea Skin with Green Tea with Chestnut Lotus.

Borne of an interesting marriage is the Tung Lok MediaCorp mooncakes. These ‘CD’ mooncakes are baked in four delectable tastes and packaged in individual CD boxes each fronted by a popular MediaCorp Radio personality.

PHOTO: Cheongsaminspired mooncake, popular MediaCorp Radio personality.
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The mooncakes come in Pineapple with Walnuts, Red Bean with Almonds, Mixed Nuts and Egg Yolk White Lotus flavours.

Price: Tung Lok Perfect Duo is $58; Tung Lok Four Seasons is $52; Tung Lok Royale series is $42; and the Tung Lok MediaCorp is $42.

Location: Mooncakes are available at all Tung Lok restaurants except Garuda Padang Cuisine and Ruyi – Chinese Fast Food.
Enquiries: Visit www.tunglok.com or call 9088 8008

PHOTO: Fiona Xie (centre) poses with Kym Ng (left) and Ivy Lee at the Omega Seamaster Diver Bond event at the Pan-Pacific Hotel in 2006.
Photo: TNP
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PHOTO: Ivy with fellow actresses Kym Ng and Felicia Chinn.
Photo: Internet
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SOURCE: Singapore Marriott have introduced four new flavours for this Mid-Autumn Festival.
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Singapore Marriott

Always looking to top their game, the Singapore Marriott have introduced four new flavours for this Mid-Autumn Festival. First is the Lotus Seed Paste with Chicken Bak-Kwah and Assorted Nuts, which is inspired by their popular bak-kwah cookies.

Other innovations include the healthy White Lotus Seed Paste with Dried Figs, which is rich in minerals and fibre; the Calamansi Cheese Snowskin Mooncake, which has refreshing calamansi with cream cheese wrapped in baby-soft snowskin; and in tribute to Marriott’s rich American tradition, with their popular peanut butter jelly combination, is the Peanut Butter Jelly Snowskin Mooncake.

Home-made creamy peanut butter and sweet jelly is wrapped with the right proportion of lotus paste for a blend of flavours that will explode in your mouth.

PHOTO: Lotus Seed Paste with Chicken Bak-Kwah and Assorted Nuts, Lotus Seed Paste with Dried Figs, and the Calamansi Cheese Snowskin Mooncake.
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Price: The new baked mooncakes, White Lotus Seed Paste with Dried Figs and White Lotus Seed Paste with Chicken Bak-Kwah and Assorted Nuts are $12.50 per piece, or $48 for a box of four and $14 per piece, or $51 for a box of four respectively.

All other baked mooncakes start from $13 per piece or $49 for boxes of four.

The new snowskin selections, Peanut Butter Jelly and Calamansi Cheese are $7.20 each, or $46 per box of eight.

All other snowskin mooncakes start from $7.20 per piece, or $46 per box of eight.

Taxes not included.

Location: Forecourt Stall, Singapore Marriott, 320 Orchard Road, Bugis Junction, Change Alley, IMM, Junction 8, Jurong Point, Lot One, Raffles City, Tampines Mall and Vivo City.

Enquiries: Visit www.singaporemarriott.com or call 6831 4708.

SOURCE: Sweet Potato in Crispy Filo Pastry
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Conrad Centennial Singapore

Besides their traditional mooncake flavours, the hotel’s award-winning Chinese restaurant Golden Peony will introduce a plethora (extreme excess) of new creations by Hong Kong chef, Yiu Kit Lam.

The new mini snowskin delights include Snowskin with Mandarin Orange Peel in White Lotus Paste, Sakura Petals with Sweet Corn and Tau Sar, Fine Egg Yolk in Egg Custard, and Almond and Pistachio in White Lotus Paste.

Fans of the restaurant will be glad to know its Signature Sweet Potato in Crispy Filo Pastry as well as traditional mooncakes with single or double yolk will also be available.

All the mooncakes are packaged in new elegantly-designed gift boxes which makes them ideal for corporate gifts.

Price: Snowskin with Mandarin orange peel in white lotus paste is $49.50, Sakura Petals with Sweet Corn and Tau Sar is $49, Fine Egg Yolk in Egg Custard is $52.50, Almond and Pistachio in White Lotus Paste is $49, and the Golden Peony Snowskin Collection is $49. All selections include eight mooncakes to a box.

Traditional Baked in White Lotus Paste is $50, Traditional Baked with Single Yolk in White Lotus Paste is $53, Traditional Baked with Double Yolk in White Lotus Paste is $56. All selections include four mooncakes to a box.

Mini Traditional Baked with Yolk in White Lotus Paste is $49.50 for a box of eight. Golden Peony Signature Sweet Potato in Crispy Filo Pastry is $46, for a box of eight.

Location: Pastry Palette (Gift Shop), Conrad Centennial Singapore, Two Temasek Boulevard, Millenia Walk and Takashimaya event hall.

Enquiries: 6432 7309

PHOTO: A team of chefs from Hong Kong to create new mooncake treats.
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Goodwood Park Hotel

As with past years, the pastry talents at the hotel have collaborated with a team of chefs from Hong Kong to create new mooncake treats. This year’s crop yielded 12 kinds, including two new creations among its signature flavours.

The bigger deal of the two new flavours, literally, is the Almond Beancurd with Longan Giant Snowskin Mooncake. This 12-cm diameter snowy white treat is created as a tribute to the much-loved Chinese dessert and in commemoration of the hotel’s 110th anniversary.

Also new is the Apple Caramel Snowskin Mooncake, which has chunks of fresh and caramelised green apple sitting amid green apple puree. This light creation is a zesty treat for our tropical weather.

Other flavours include Handcrafted Traditional Baked Mooncakes such as Lotus Seed Paste with Melon Seeds, Lotus Seed Paste with Double as well as Four Yolks and Assorted Nuts with Ham.

Snowskin fans should not miss the hotel’s fruity varieties such as Mango with Pomelo, D24 Durian Paste and Cempedak Paste Mooncakes.

Price: The Almond Beancurd with Longan in Snowskin (special 110th anniversary commemorative creation) is $11 per piece, Apple Caramel in Snowskin is $24 for a pair and $42 for a box of four.

Other baked flavours start from $25 for a pair and $45 for boxes of four.

Snowskin treats start from $24 for two mooncakes, or $42 for boxes of four.

Assorted baked combo is $48 and assorted snowskin combo is $46.

Location: Deli, Goodwood Park Hotel, 22 Scotts Road

Enquiries: Call 6730 1867 or 6730 1868