As a yearly affair, the Mid-Autumn Festival is preceded by multitude of mooncake offering by many of Singapore’s prestigious restaurants and hotels. Shopping for the best tasting mooncakes, at the right price has never been the easiest task.
For 2015, Peony Jade offers their Heavenly Kings – Baked, flaky Teochew, Durian Snowskin and Limited Edition Snowskin with 5 new fruity flavours.
The traditional offerings of the baked and flaky Teochew mooncakes have been Peony Jade’s cornerstone annual offerings. You cannot go wrong with these selection and they are made low sugar – the everyone from all ages can enjoy these timeless classics. My personal favourite are the Flaky Orh Ni Mooncakes – of course, you can choose among a variation of them: Premium Golden Pumpkin & Single Yolk ($38.50 nett for 2, $67 nett for 4), Double Egg Yolks ($40.50 nett for 2, $70 nett for 4) and the plain ones ($36.50 nett for 2, $64 nett for 4).
I have managed to get my hands on the Premium Golden Pumpkin Single Yolk Flaky Teochew Mooncake – the pastry skin has been consistently fragrant and light-as-air. The pumpkin filling is dense and heating up the mooncake in the oven would further bring out its aroma.
There is also a premium, Flaky Teochew mooncake with a rather exotic filling of century egg with pickled ginger in white lotus paste. This version of the mooncake comes in a mini-sized preparation. I am a big fan of century egg, but when packed into a mooncake with lotus paste, I have found that the century eggs gave off a different taste. This mooncake, priced at $62 nett for 8 mini pieces, is not for everyone and I urge you to try it out at the counter before buying it.
There is one mooncake that is from this premium range of mooncakes that I would highly recommend – the Mini Baked Egg Custard Mooncake ($62 nett for 8 mini pieces). In its mini form, it is good for snacking. The egg custard may not be as fragrant as its standalone, but I have enjoyed its contrasting sweetness that also had a tinge of savoury salted egg yolk, wrapped with butter, eggs and evaporated milk.
The Premium POST (farmed pesticide-free) A-grade Pure Mao Shan Wang Durian Mooncake in Organic Pandan Snowskin ($60 nett for 2, $102 nett for 4) is expected to be yet another best seller for Peony Jade. I am a huge fan of the Mao Shan Wang durians, and it is good to know that Peony Jade has taken so much trouble to source them from Pahang! The durian fillings are unusually bitter, with a creamy texture. When coupled with the organic pandan snow skin, it is just mooncake-made-in-heaven!
This year, the 4 Little Heavenly Kings Premium Fruitti Mini Snowskin ($76 nett for 8) caught my attention the most – 3 of them are new flavours: Japan Kyoho Grapes, Peach-Passionfruit-chocolate with Champagne Mousse Centre, and the Chestnut-Salted Caramel; and the fourth one is the 100% Pure Premium Durian Snowskin Combo.
My favourites were the Japan Kyoho Grapes and the Durian snowskins. Firstly, the Kyoho grapes are rare seasonal items as they are harvested twice a year in August and September. This mooncake has just the right sweetness, and the grapes tantalised my palate!
My next favourite was the 100% Pure Premium Durian Snowskin Combo ($85 nett per box). It is a set of premium durians comprising the D100 hybrid, Black Gold hybrid, Jin Feng (Golden Phoenix) and the Grade A Sultan D24 durians. Each type of durians has their individual creaminess and taste. Definitely the one for the durian aficionados.
There are so many choices with so little stomach space to put them into. I am sure you would know what to pick by now. So, head on over to Peony Jade’s counters in their very own restaurants or in major malls in Singapore. All their mooncakes are available from 3rd August to 27th September at Peony Jade restaurants and from 27th August to 27th September at their mall outlets.
Expected damage: $38.50 to $102
