This Singapore cafe serves 24k gold-layered durian desserts with whole Mao Shan Wang

The second wave of durian season came in time for our nation's birthday weekend in August but sadly, it's long gone by now.

If there are good Mao Shan Wang leftovers from the season, it's probably because your mum ordered in bulk and kept them hidden in a corner of the fridge where you're only allowed to eat one seed at any given time, nothing more.

If you still have lingering durian cravings that are not satisfied, you'd be pleased to know Wang Yuan Cafe is challenging the seasons by sourcing for the best Mao Shan Wang for its new 'Mao Shan Treasures' dessert series, even after durian season is over.

And no, I'm not just talking about durian-infused desserts, but ones that are paired with the real fruit itself — the seed still intact, and decorated with edible 24k gold leaf, no less. 

The cafe took months to source for the best durian suppliers in Johor and experimented with various durian desserts before launching these limited-time-only treats. 

There are also plans to make these desserts permanent offerings on its menu throughout the entire year. 

Even during the research and development period, curious passers-by were already popping their heads into the cafe, asking if they had durian desserts because of the smell wafting along the street. "They even volunteered to be our guinea pigs," quipped Krystal Chia, operations manager and partner of the cafe. 

AVAILABLE ONLY FOR PREORDER

Because these desserts are handmade and guaranteed of its freshness, you have to call the cafe beforehand to pre-order and reserve them.

Being a big Mao Shan Wang lover, I couldn't say no to trying all three desserts featured in the series.

I started with the Mao Shan Golden Pagoda ($38.80). Essentially, it's a stack of buttermilk pancakes whipped up ala minute, served fresh from the griddle. 

These pancakes are infused with Mao Shan Wang puree, which is also done in-house, and very fragrant. 

Two pieces of Mao Shan Wang were served on the side, which can be spread like butter on the pancakes, or eaten on its own. 

We heard that the cafe had customers who aren't fans of durian ordering the Mao Shan Golden Pagoda and saying that the durian-infused pancakes weren't too overwhelming for them. 

Mao Shan Golden Lava ($28.80) was next, and it's inspired by molten lava cakes.

The lava cake is served with a generous dollop of durian pengat (a Nonya dessert made of sweet broth and coconut cream). The recipe is shared by the founder's grandmother, so you can be assured of its authenticity and quality. 

As with the previous dessert, the Mao Shan Golden Lava came with a 24k gold-layered Mao Shan Wang. 

My only gripe was that the dessert became too cloying after a few mouthfuls and I couldn't finish it on my own.

Krystal explained that the cake had to have enough sugar to keep it in shape and durian itself is already sweet.

My colleague, on the other hand, felt that it was just nice and wasn't too sweet for him. 

Need something to cool off the heat? The Mao Shan Golden Snow Peak ($22.80) will do the job. It is an addition to the cafe's extensive snow peak menu boasting 15 customisable flavours. 

Every snow block is handmade, infused with Mao Shan Wang and milk. It is then topped with durian pengat and a piece of 24k gold-layered Mao Shan Wang. 

The resulting snow ice is extremely delicate and milky, which goes well with the durian pengat. It was also very satisfying to have real Mao Shan Wang flesh in every scoop.

Come for the durian desserts and stay for Wang Yuan's Nanyang Coffee that's brewed with a coffee machine instead of the traditional coffee sock. But don't be too quick to diss this brewing method, the coffee was very gao (thick) and naturally sweet.  

Now that I've tried Wang Yuan's Mao Shan Treasures, I'm utterly spoilt and will not be able to look at other durian desserts the same way again — no amount of durian-infused desserts will please me unless it comes with real durian served on the side.

The prices may be steep, but each dessert is handmade and served with premium quality Mao Shan Wang. Bring a friend or two along with you to split the cost, and while you're at it, the cafe also sells Peranakan dishes and local delights, such as laksa and curry chicken. 

Where: 33 Keong Saik Rd., Singapore 089140
Opening hours: Monday to Thursday 10.30am to 10pm; Friday to Saturday 10.30am to 12am; Sunday closed

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melissagoh@asiaone.com