Mooncakes

Posted on 06. Jan, 2010 by grace in Mid-Autumn Festival

The Mid-Autumn Festival (or Moon Festival) is an important Chinese holiday that celebrates the end of the summer harvest under the light of the fullest, brightest moon of the year. Not surprisingly, the staple food of this festival is the aptly named Mooncake, a hearty pastry that itself glows with an egg-washed moonbeam sheen. The crust is thin and tender, imprinted with Chinese characters and lunar decor, and envelops a dense filling, usually made from red bean or lotus paste. These cakes are incredibly rich and salty-sweet, often yielding a surprise egg yolk center.  Modern variations on the Mooncake maintain traditional sentiment while experimenting with confectionary treats. Haagen-Daz recently introduced a limited line of ice cream Mooncakes to some Asian markets, while many bakeries in China have introduced chocolate and coffee flavors to their line-up. There are even Mooncakes for the health conscious; low fat and low sugar versions are available as alternatives to the high-calorie norm.