Photo credit: Kee Yah Bakery Golden Lotus Seed Paste Mooncake
Mooncake is in a class of its own and you either like it or loath it. The controversial pastry may be a traditional lotus seed paste or a new age custard in unlimited flavours; it's served warm or frozen (i.e. mochi-wrapped); it comes simple but also decadent, laced with gold flecks. Perhaps the most controversial of all are individual beef wellingtons that look like mooncake, are being called mooncake, are promoted as mooncake but taste nothing like mooncake. Can they really belong to this category? We leave it to you to taste and debate.
The decision of whose mooncake to invest in is as individual as the type of mooncakes being baked these days. As we eat with our eyes, we are often drawn to the packages as much as the pastry itself. This year's round up is not exhaustive by any measure and we bound to miss out a few. Regardless, we look forward to get our hands on these love-it-or-leave-it delicacies, an annual tradition that celebrates gatherings of family and friends that are only available this time of the year.
**Read all the way through to find out where you can donate mooncakes, and check back often for updates**
China Tang
This year China Tang mooncakes came in two gorgeous, classic Chinoiserie motif boxes, which holds six mooncakes. Whether you choose the classic white lotus seed paste with double egg yolk, or the mini crafted egg custard, both priced at HK$438 per box.
What we love: Just look at the cake-filling egg yolks in the traditional lotus seed paste mooncakes! Of course, we are eyeing the keep-sake boxes too.
Creo by Brentwood
With a mission to support local businesses and inspire connections with Hong Kong’s artists and artisans, Creo by Brentwood is offering mooncake sets in three unique flavours: Manuka honey egg custard, Earl Grey tea custard and coffee lava custard. Each box of 6 is priced at $238.
Creo is donating 100 of these mooncake gift sets to The Charians (a grassroots charity that serves the elderly), The Rolypoly Inclusion Sports Association, and some proceeds will also go to support ChiWing Dog Base in their mission to care for the stray animals of Hong Kong. Orders can be placed via Instagram DM, email or 9744 3224 (WhatsApp or call).
What we love: Their mission and charitable givings. And the mooncakes are yummy too!
Date by TATE
This Mid-Autumn Pastry Box from Date by TATE includes an assortment of baked treats. Inside the re-usable wooden gift box is a mooncake-shaped dark chocolate with Marie biscuit, nine Osmanthus sablés, twelve pecan cookies, twelve pistachio marshmallow biscuits, plus a jar each of chrysanthemum caramel milk jam and orange and aged mandarin peel marmalade. The box is priced at HK$1,130/box set, and also comes with a personalised message and a furoshiki-style wrapping scarf in place of a plastic bag.
What we love: This is not your traditional mooncake offering - it's a delicious a new twist.
當文歷餅店 by Dominique Ansel
After many months of marketing, they are finally here. The mooncake package from 當文歷餅店 by Dominique Ansel comes as a set of six mooncakes in two flavours: chocolate custard mooncakes filled with rich chocolate custard; and classic custard mooncakes. The pomelo lantern mooncake gift set is a Hong Kong exclusive, and is $498/box.
What we love: The package pays homage to a childhood favourite, when re-using, re-purposing and no-waste was the name of the game. Who knew we were so sustainable back then?
GAIA Group
The GAIA Group blissful harmony mooncake gift set has a wide-range of flavours that will satisfy pretty much anyone. Find traditional flavours such as lotus seed paste (with and without egg yolk), assorted nuts and premium Chinese ham mooncake, and on the creative side there is salted egg yolk with meat floss (an exclusive new flavour curated by Mr Lokyi Lai), roasted coffee, and lemon cheese to round out this diverse offering. The box of 6 mooncakes costs $338 each, but if spending over HK$500/$1000 at any Gaia Group restaurant you receive 25%/30% off on any mooncake order. Order online.
What we love: A box of assorted flavours that guarantees to please every taste, including the adventurous.
Lady M
The highly anticipated (and often sold-out) mooncake set from Lady M this year is a luminous, spinning lantern filled with miniature mooncake in three flavours – Earl Grey, caramel coffee and purple yam custard. Each gift set includes six pieces each, two of each flavour, and is priced at HK$538.
What we love: It's eat and play in one package, something Lady M has perfected over the years.
KiKi Noodle Bar (KiKi Tea)
We love their noodles but what about their mooncakes? Dubbed low sugar, low fat and with no artificial additives or preservatives, KIKI Noodle Bar has come up with KIKI Moon in three flavours - pineapple custard, peach oolong custard and jasmine green tea custard mooncakes. They are priced at HK$298 per box with an ‘early-bird’ saving of HK$90 on pre-orders from 1 July to 31 August 2022. Available at their IFC store or online.
What we love: Besides the cute doggie bag? The pineapple custard flavour that reflects its Taiwanese heritage.
The Peninsula Hong Kong
In addition to the crowd favourites' egg custard mooncakes The Peninsula introduced in 1986, this year The Peninsula Hong Kong's Spring Moon team introduces a new sesame paste mochi mooncake. A box of six is priced at HK$688, while a box of eight mini egg custard mooncakes is HK$628.
What we love: Who can ever say no to a box of mooncake from The Peninsula? And now a new flavour in gooey mochi too?
Rosewood PlaceMaker May Chow Collaboration
This is the second Rosewood PlaceMaker, which celebrates Hong Kong's local culture through bespoke experiences. This year, May Chow presents limited edition “A Sense of Place” tea-flavoured mini mooncakes, to pay homage to the Hong Kong local-favourite lemon tea so beloved by different generations. The special edition gift box comes as a set of six mini mooncakes for HK$628. Order online here.
What we love: May Chow. Also anything that celebrates the love of Hong Kong and the eco-friendly packaging made of FSC recycled paper.
** Donating Mooncake**
- The Community Chest website has forms and links to purchase mooncake vouchers for charity.
- Feeding Hong Kong's Mooncake Madness 2022has started. They accept mooncake or voucher donations by drop off at their Yau Tong Foodbank location, or community collection points throughout Hong Kong. If you are donating mooncakes, make sure they are:
- 1) Suitable to be stored at room temperature;
- 2) Packaged, unopened and not expired;
- 3) With clearly stated expiry date and manufacturer
- Foodwise Hong Kong has put together a comprehensive list of organisations that accept mooncake donations. Check out the list here, which also has contact information.
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