Mooncakes are a traditional Chinese dessert that is typically eaten in celebration of the mid-autumn festival, which is held in many East Asian countries, including the Philippines, Vietnam, and China. The festival was initially held during the full moon in autumn, as it was believed that the moon controlled the quality of the annual harvest. However, in modern times it is usually held as a form of family gatherings. During the festival, participants often enjoy mooncake as part of the celebrations, as the dessert represents family reunion.
Mooncakes are sold by numerous bakeries as the time for the festival draws close each year. They come in a variety of flavors, both savory and sweet. These include five kernel and roast pork, red bean, green tea, and lotus seed. You can purchase mooncakes online or in Asian grocery stores. They are usually sold in decorative boxes with individually packaged cakes inside of each. My family’s staple bakery choice for mooncakes are usually those made by Kee Wah Bakery, which specializes in Asian desserts. However, this time we ordered a box of lotus paste mooncakes from Joy Luck Palace.
The metal tin contained 4 large cakes. The cakes are very thick and dense, much heavier for its size than, say, a regular cupcake. Each one is made up of three main components: the first is a soft and crumbly layer of golden pastry covering shaped into ornate design. The second component is also the main part of the mooncake: lotus seed paste filling. It is very smooth, has the consistency of Play-Doh, and has a muted sweetness. In the center of each cake are two egg yolks. These are slightly tough but have a good bite to them. In contrast with the sweetness of the lotus seed paste, the yolks are slightly savory and have a nice umami flavor. The combination of the three different elements of flavor and texture make for a delicious dessert!
I was curious to see how the mooncakes made by Joy Luck Palace differed from Kee Wah, but I personally thought they tasted relatively similar. If I tasted mooncakes from Kee Wah and Joy Luck Palace in a blind taste test, I probably wouldn’t be able to tell them apart. If you like sweet treats, definitely try mooncakes if you haven’t already! They are beautifully made and appeal to both taste and sight!
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thetravellinggashapon 
[…] The Mid-Autumn Festival was on October 1 this year, and my family and I decided to eat some mooncakes to celebrate! You can learn more about the tradition and another brand of mooncakes we tried in my post here. […]
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