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Moon Cakes

Gary Soup

By Gary Soup
in China: Cooking & Baking

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Transparent

Transparent

Posted
Posted
Sue-On, ask your kids. Their vocab. :rolleyes:

TP, does it mean "Da truth" :blink::unsure:

"Word!"per Urbandictionary ="I agree." can be used to express agreement and approval in several ways.

1. a: "Man, that song rocks."

b: "word!"

2. a: "I'm not gonna take crap from him anymore."

b: "Word!"

:raz::laugh:

Can you believe it took me two years in High School to figure out that out? :)

I might nuke a chunk for part of breakfast tomorrow. I'll see if I explode.

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hzrt8w

hzrt8w

Posted
Posted
I might nuke a chunk for part of breakfast tomorrow. I'll see if I explode.

Shouldn't it be the Moon Cake that would explode? I hope you are not holding the Moon Cake while the microwave is on! :laugh::laugh: Or else we will really have a Chernobyl effect... :raz:

W.K. Leung ("Ah Leung") aka "hzrt8w"
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Tepee

Tepee

Posted
Posted (edited)

Made 3 dozens each of these mini Ping Pei's today.

Green Tea skin with Red Bean Paste filling.

Orange-flavored skin with White Lotus Paste filling.

gallery_12248_1592_2731.jpg

Edited by Tepee (log)

TPcal!

Food Pix (plus others)

Please take pictures of all the food you get to try (and if you can, the food at the next tables)............................Dejah

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hzrt8w

hzrt8w

Posted
Posted (edited)
I'll PM you my mailing address... :wink:

Sure. That would be RM 50.0 (a piece), plus shipping and handling. I am Tepee Bakery's sole import agent in the USA. :biggrin::biggrin:

What is the real meaning of "Bing Pei" (iced skin)? Is it that they are extra thin? Or just anti-traditional in color and flavor?

Edited by hzrt8w (log)
W.K. Leung ("Ah Leung") aka "hzrt8w"
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Transparent

Posted
Posted
I'll PM you my mailing address... :wink:

Sure. That would be RM 50.0 (a piece), plus shipping and handling. I am Tepee Bakery's sole import agent in the USA. :biggrin::biggrin:

What is the real meaning of "Bing Pei" (iced skin)? Is it that they are extra thin? Or just anti-traditional in color and flavor?

I'm not too sure on the naming myself. I think the first Bing Pei mooncakes I've seen were white - could that be it?

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Dejah

Dejah

Posted
Posted

I am assuming that Bing Pei indicates that these mooncakes are not baked, but rather, chilled? Have never had one, but Tepee...they look lovely! :biggrin:

Have you devoured them all...or will they be kept for Moon Festival?

Dejah

www.hillmanweb.com

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Tepee

Tepee

Posted
Posted (edited)

Thanks, mooncake appreciators! :raz:

Apicio: My recipe for the skin ---> 225g koh fun (cooked glutinous rice flour), 200g confectioner's sugar, 60g shortening, 200 ml cold water. For the green tea one, I made a paste out of 3 tablespoons of green tea powder with 3 tblsp of water. For the orange one, I added a few drops of orange oil and 1/4 lemon juice (no oranges in the house) :rolleyes: .

Suzysushi: Am afraid these mooncakes, which have to be kept refrigerated, will morph into something else by the time they reach you.

Hz: My, my, your agent fees have certainly shot up.

Sue-On: Last night, I brought 20 of the ping-pei's to a niece-in-law's birthday dinner. It was polished off in no time. My SIL's mom said it tastes better than a well-known restaurant's. Shucks. Just brought over another 20 to my mom's to be distributed to my siblings. The rest will definitely not see the new moon (Mooncake Festival will be on Sept 18 this year).

Yes, the original ping pei is white - to reflect the 'snow' appearance as well as the taste, since eaten chilled, it leaves a refreshing cold feeling.

Today, I passed by a bakery with a banner which offered NEW mooncakes (what? more NEW flavors?). I didn't even look closely to see what flavors they were...shudder, shudder.

If I can get some yam/taro this week, the Teochew Spiral Mooncake will be next.

Edited by Tepee (log)

TPcal!

Food Pix (plus others)

Please take pictures of all the food you get to try (and if you can, the food at the next tables)............................Dejah

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Apicio

Apicio

Posted
Posted

Thanks a lot Tepee. Did the orange flavour complement the white lotus paste? The tea and red bean ones look like Frango mints. I think that's the flavour I shall aim for in my trial.

Gato ming gato miao busca la vida para comer

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Tepee

Tepee

Posted
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You're welcome, Apicio. White lotus paste, being very mild in flavor, easily complements a myriad of skins. Its neutral taste explains why there are so many spin-offs using the lotus paste as a base...like pandan, honeydew, and etc...

Transparent: I've set up a page on Mooncake Moulds.

If anyone is really keen on making mooncakes and can't get ahold of the moulds, I could get them for you. No problemo. The smallest wooden biscuit mould weighs around 120 gm and the biggest 600 gms.

Edited by Tepee (log)

TPcal!

Food Pix (plus others)

Please take pictures of all the food you get to try (and if you can, the food at the next tables)............................Dejah

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hzrt8w

hzrt8w

Posted
Posted
Transparent: I've set up a page on Mooncake Moulds.

Interesting... there are moulds that shape like Fish, Bird, Longevity-Elder, and... (what is the fourth one, Flower?).

You said Teochew spiral mooncake and Shanghai mooncake do not require moulds. Do you know of any webpage that shows pictures of these mooncakes?

W.K. Leung ("Ah Leung") aka "hzrt8w"
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Tepee

Tepee

Posted
Posted (edited)

Shanghai Mooncakes...mmm...buttery crust, nice. Methinks I oversteamed the yolk, though. Added melon seeds for the non-yolk ones.

gallery_12248_1592_566.jpg

Teochew Spiral Mooncakes will be on the agenda next week. :smile:

Edited by Tepee (log)

TPcal!

Food Pix (plus others)

Please take pictures of all the food you get to try (and if you can, the food at the next tables)............................Dejah

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Tepee

Tepee

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Posted (edited)
MMMmmm...Like I said (or did I?) TP, I'd wash dishes just for the crumbs off those mooncakes. :laugh:

Ben-sook-sook...you've said many things....your well-oiled tongue must be the result of a lot of lard consumption...but keep it coming. :raz: You know, I'd just love to sit at your feet to learn/listen from your rich experiences.

Ninjai Fan: Just to clarify what you mean by vegetarian mooncakes. Well, mooncakes are basically vegetarian (barring the nut type called ng yan which has ham in it) unless egg yolks are not counted as vegetarian? Otherwise, the mooncake is totally vegetarian. I've seen a lot of mooncake recipes and they don't even have lard in the skin. Just curious...and sympathetic.

Edited by Tepee (log)

TPcal!

Food Pix (plus others)

Please take pictures of all the food you get to try (and if you can, the food at the next tables)............................Dejah

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Jaymes

Jaymes

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Posted
Eastern Bakery's mixed-nut mooncake had the best flavor among the mixed-nut mooncakes I tried in S.F. Chinatown, including the ones at Golden Gate Bakery, which I made a point to try because of the line of people coming out of its front door (it must be good, right?). I decided that Golden Gate's forte must be something other than mooncakes. Personally, I didn't "get" why the place was so popular. Their bo lo mien bao (crusty-topped baked bun) wasn't anything special. Gary, I think you're right that all those people are lined up for egg tarts, which I noticed they do run out of early in the day.

That line is always there, and it's quite unruly. You can tell the first-timers because they're standing patiently and politely, waiting for their turn, which never comes.

You're right that the reason for that raucous line is the egg custard tarts. They are heavenly.

I don't understand why rappers have to hunch over while they stomp around the stage hollering.  It hurts my back to watch them. On the other hand, I've been thinking that perhaps I should start a rap group here at the Old Folks' Home.  Most of us already walk like that.

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hzrt8w

hzrt8w

Posted
Posted (edited)
Eastern Bakery's mixed-nut mooncake had the best flavor among the mixed-nut mooncakes I tried in S.F. Chinatown, including the ones at Golden Gate Bakery, which I made a point to try because of the line of people coming out of its front door (it must be good, right?). .....

That line is always there, and it's quite unruly. You can tell the first-timers because they're standing patiently and politely, waiting for their turn, which never comes.

.....

Personally, I think the Eastern Bakery is over the hill and has strategized to attract San Franchisco China Town tourists. I haven't been to Golden Gate Bakery (or just perhaps didn't know their English business title). My favorite is AA Bakery on Stockton Street (posted my evaluation a while back along this thread).

The moon is round and round last Friday! Just one more month! :rolleyes:

Yesterday I passed by AA Bakery. I bought two of their "double yoke" lotus paste moon cakes. US $5.00 each. The outside looks beautiful. They wrap each in a plastic bag but did not give a tin. (You can buy this as singles, though. That's what I like. Sometimes, buying a tin of four may be risky - in case that you don't like it. ) I am waiting for the Mid-Autumn Festival to share them with families.

At the 99Ranch Market, I saw many different brands of Moon Cakes. Many of them use very modern, stylish boxes (than tins). I opened a few of them to take a look. Many of them are the "modern" mini Moon Cakes, some conventional, some "bing pei". There is only one old brand new that I know: Wing Wah from Hong Kong. Selling at US $25.00 a tin of 4, single yoke, lotus paste. This would be my choice over the others. (Add US $1.00 for white lotus paste.)

Edited by hzrt8w (log)
W.K. Leung ("Ah Leung") aka "hzrt8w"
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sheetz

sheetz

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Posted
Selling at US $25.00 a tin of 4, single yoke, lotus paste.  This would be my choice over the others.  (Add US $1.00 for white lotus paste.)

Holy cow, I need to learn how to make these myself! I never buy mooncakes since my folks usually give them to me, (Kee Wah Bakery, I think.) but there's no way it would cost that much if I made them myself.

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hzrt8w

hzrt8w

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Holy cow, I need to learn how to make these myself!  I never buy mooncakes since my folks usually give them to me, (Kee Wah Bakery, I think.) .....

Kee Wah is another excellent bakery. Old brand name from Hong Kong. I wish they would set up shop near San Francisco. :smile:

http://www.helpcity.com/webad/defaultad.as...ey=12402&page=1

http://www.kee-wah.com.hk/public/index.html

W.K. Leung ("Ah Leung") aka "hzrt8w"
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Dejah

Dejah

Posted
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The cost for homemade may be a little less than store bought, after you have made your initial purchase of moulds, etc. You would certainly use only the best ingredients, a plus!

When I was in Chicago, I saw the moulds and wanted to buy some, but I was too lazy to carry them around all day as we were sightseeing. Don't think I would make them myself, but they would make great decorations and conversation piece. :wink:

I will be spoiled this year as I won't have to buy any..."Di Gaw" wesza is sending me special treats from Seattle! :raz: Of course, I am to give full report on their quality.

Dejah

www.hillmanweb.com

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hzrt8w

hzrt8w

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I will be spoiled this year as I won't have to buy any..."Di Gaw" wesza is sending me special treats from Seattle!  :raz:  Of course, I am to give full report on their quality.

Sure it is nice to have friends in high places! :raz:

W.K. Leung ("Ah Leung") aka "hzrt8w"
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