10 places with creative spins on mooncakes
From caviar mooncakes to a beef wellington version, here are all the alternative flavours for Mid-Autumn this yearMooncakes are a key part of Mid-Autumn festival. These traditional golden pastry parcels, revealing a moon-like egg yolk at their centre, will always be a staple. Sometimes, however, it’s fun to try a fusion of flavours, playing on different combinations that make for creative spins on a classic. Here are some innovative takes on mooncakes for this Mid-Autumn Festival.
Read more: Hong Kong’s hottest summer specials
Phoebe’s Kitchen
Blogger, Phoebe’s Kitchen, has pushed the boundaries of traditional mooncakes with her meaty approach. She has created a mooncake beef wellington. Wrapping a beef tenderloin in parma ham and mushroom paste, this parcel takes the shape of a regular mooncake but with a savoury surprise.
Phoebe’s Kitchen, available online
Royal Caviar Club
Potentially the most luxurious of all the offers are the caviar mooncakes from Royal Caviar Club. A snow skin covers two different fillings along with premium Imperial Ossetra caviar. With either a cream cheese or fresh Madagascan vanilla filling, these are unique takes on the original.
Royal Caviar Club, available online
Ralph’s
Celebrating the Polo Bear’s 30th anniversary, Ralph’s has curated its Bear-ista mooncakes in its classic style. Lava mooncakes get a new filling with its coffee lava filling that uses premium grown coffee beans for a rich flavour. Pair the pastry with its coffees for a caffeinated treat this Mid-Autumn Festival.
Ralph’s, multiple locations and available online
Paul Lafayet
The French patisserie known for its macaroons has branched out to showcase its eye for detail with its artistic mooncake set. Stepping away from the traditional flavours, it uses Hojicha, earl grey, rose and jasmine tea to flavour the custard fillings. To complete its experience, the set includes premium loose leaf tea that matches the custard mooncakes.
Paul Lafayet, available online
Read more: Hong Kong’s best new cafés 2021: August
Date by Tate
Date by Tate has curated a box filled with Michelin-starred seasonal goods for your festivities. Its pastry box is filled with various cookies and spreads to offer something new this year. Its show-stopper? A mooncake shaped chocolate mendiant with a hidden lychee marshmallow centre, broken into with the included wooden hammer from the set.
Date by Tate, available online
Grand Hyatt
Grand Hyatt has released its One Harbour Road collection box with reimagined flavours along with its traditional egg custard and white lotus seed mooncakes. Pineapple is added to egg custard for a zesty punch and purple sweet potato is balanced with almond and young ginger.
Grand Hyatt, available online
Ali Oli Bakery
Ali Oli Bakery is looking out for your furry friends with its people and pets gift box. The set has three chicken-based mooncakes for your pet and three for you. A classic yolk is joined with two exciting flavours for you to enjoy. Espresso and walnut make for a nutty blend whilst adzuki bean and tangerine make a flavourful combination.
Ali Oli Bakery, available online
Read more: Hong Kong’s best new restaurants 2021: August
Green Common
Traditional mooncakes offer an indulgent taste that often has a bad reputation, but these vegan mooncakes from Green Common won’t leave you feeling guilty. Its plant-based rendition uses a variety of nuts to create an interesting texture to contrast the traditional creamy filling. Dried figs sweeten pistachio and oats, whilst blueberry and purple sweet potato wrap a blend of nuts and seeds for an antioxidant-packed parcel.
Green Common, available online
Häagen Dazs
Häagen Dazs is one of the pioneers for ice cream mooncakes, wrapping its luscious ice cream with a chocolate shell for that perfect bite. In various sets inspired by the moon, try frozen delights of strawberry with white peach puree, summer berries or vanilla with a peanut chocolate shell.
Häagen Dazs, available online
The Cakery
The Cakery is the go-to for vegan and gluten-free goods and has transformed mooncakes with its four flavours for this season. The set includes a jasmine raspberry, mango bean paste lava, black sesame lava and taro bean paste. Don’t be fooled by these colourful cakes as they have been made without artificial food colourings.
The Cakery, available online