Celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival with these mooncakes

Mid-Autumn festival is fast approaching. With so many choices of mooncakes to choose from, finding one that suits your preferences can be a bit daunting. AsiaOne tries out this season's mooncake offerings and shortlists the better-tasting ones.

HEALTHIER

Silver Lotus Paste with Honey and Pine Nuts, $66 for box of 4 (Four Seasons Hotel)

The premium lotus paste used here is naturally sweeter and finer in texture, hence less oil and sugar are used in the baking process. This flavour comes without egg yolk, so there's naturally less cholesterol as well.

Baked Mooncake with Macadamia Nuts and Low Sugar White Lotus Paste, $60 for box of 4 (Mandarin Orchard)

With 40 per cent less sugar than regular baked mooncakes, this is a healthier choice for those trying to watch their waistlines. Comes without egg yolk.

Mini Momo Collection, $56 for box of 8 (Bakerzin)

These unique mini mooncakes boast a baked skin made of butter bean flour, which is high in protein and low in sugar and fat. There are four flavours in each box. We love the osmanthus one the most for its delicate flavour, although the egg custard variation is delightfully addictive as well.

TRADITIONAL TWIST

Charcoal Roasted Oolong Tea, $66 for box of 4 (Four Seasons Hotel)

The taste and aroma of Oolong tea come through strongly, giving the otherwise traditional mooncake an added dimension. Perfect if you want to try something new but are a traditionalist at heart.

Sweet Tau Sar, $28.80 for box of 4 (Thye Moh Chan)

These are handcrafted traditional Teochew mooncakes that feature a light flaky pastry skin. Each mooncake boasts a wonderfully fine and smooth tau sar filling.

ALCOHOLIC

Bliss collection, $60 for box of 8 (Bakerzin)

This is a must-have for lovers of alcoholic mooncakes. We particularly enjoyed the Dry Gin Yuzu Snowskin and Kirsch and Brandied Cherry Snowskin flavours. The former combines a fragrant Yuzu-infused white lotus paste with a gin-infused truffle, while the latter boasts a rich and heady chocolate filling.

SG50 Singapore Sangria (Limited Edition), $63 for box of 8 (Four Seasons Hotel)

This yummy creation had just the slightest tinge of alcohol from its truffle filling, which is filled with a creamy ganache incorporating Four Seasons Hotel's signature Singapore Sangria cocktail. Warning: highly addictive.

FRUITY

Durian, $38.80 for box of 4 (Thye Moh Chan)

This potent durian mooncake comes in a flaky pastry and boasts Mao Shan Wang durian-infused bean paste. The full flavour and aroma of the durian paste is impressive.

Tropical Royals, $45 for box of 2 (Goodwood Park Hotel)

This duo comprises of a durian mooncake and a jackfruit mooncake. A blend of D24 durian pulp and white lotus seed paste gives the baked mooncake a robust flavour and aroma, while the jackfruit mooncake incoporates jackfruit bits into the lotus seed paste for a slightly chewy texture.

Mao Shan Wang Durian, $86.80 for box of 8 (BreadTalk)

One of the most full-flavoured durian mooncakes we tried this year, this is bound to delight durian aficionados. The filling comprises creamy Mao Shan Wang durian flesh, wrapped up in a chewy snowskin dough. 

Mango with Nata de Coco, $62 for box of 8 (Conrad Centennial Singapore)

A refreshing snowskin creation that is best eaten in 1-2 mouthfuls so that the mango flavour comes through.

SAVOURY

Baked Mooncake with Mixed Nuts and Jamon iberico, $67 for box of 4 (Mandarin Orchard)

World-renowned Spanish cured ham gives this mooncake a savoury flavour. We like the texture of the mixed nuts that gave the mooncake a bit of bite without being dry or brittle.

Yuan Yang, $28.80 for box of 4 (Thye Moh Chan)

This full-flavoured creation boasts a unique combination of savoury mung bean paste, sesame, spicy pork floss and salted egg yolk in a flaky pastry. We have one word for it: Yum.

DESSERT

Sweet Potato Mooncake in Crispy Filo Pastry, $62 for box of 8 (Conrad Centennial Singapore)

Sweet potato is whipped into a fluffy, light filling that is complemented by the crispy pastry.

Celebration Collection, $68 for box of 8 (Bakerzin)

Inspired by local desserts such as Ondeh Ondeh, Pulut Hitam Orr Nee and Ang Ku Kueh, these snowskin mooncakes boast flavourful, aromatic fillings and are great as desserts.

Assorted Selection of Miniature Snowskin Mooncakes, $69 for box of 8 (Grand Hyatt)

Presented in a bright green box, these assorted snowskin flavours range from the delicate (Thousand Flower Blossom Honey Truffle) to the potent (Champagne Truffle, Lychee Martini Truffle and Strawberry & Lime Margarita Truffle). In between there are unexpected surprises, such as the Peanut Butter with Sea Salt truffle. These flavours are also available on their own.