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To some, taro and purple rice may seem like unorthodox ingredients to add to desserts, but for me, they are a few of my all-time favourite dessert elements. Sadly, I find them to be uncommon and quite difficult to come by in Singapore. Hence, when I walked past Xiao Gege Snowball Mochi one day, I was instantly drawn in by its menu.
Located near Chinatown, just in front of Maxwell MRT exit 3, Xiao Gege Snowball Mochi is what I would consider to be a hidden gem. You’ll spot it when you look out for its vibrant, hot pink store exterior, which sticks out among the more neutral-coloured shops surrounding it.
On the inside, the shop has a much simpler storefront, with calm, pale pink walls and minimalistic white counters and shelves.
The owner, who is from China, told me that she had learnt to make desserts on the internet and would make them for her children. After a while, she decided to start selling them online, and in early 2022, she opened Xiao Gege Snowball Mochi’s physical store.
With over 30 desserts on the menu, including mochi, cake boxes, cake rolls and yoghurt drinks, I was spoilt for choice.
What I tried at Xiao Gege Snowball Mochi
I tried the Taro Tiramisu Box Cake (S$13.80), which was layered with coffee-soaked chiffon cake, heavy cream and taro paste. The combination of coffee and taro initially seemed very strange to me, but as I took my first bite, I was blown away.
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I must compliment Xiao Gege Snowball Mochi’s taro paste, as it was strong and natural in taste with an adequate amount of sweetness. It was thick and creamy, which complemented the slightly runnier texture of the heavy cream.
The chiffon cake layers were generously soaked in coffee, giving them a strong, bitter taste. The bitterness of the coffee was well balanced out by the moderately sweet taro and cream.
While I would never have previously imagined combining yams with coffee, I must say that Xiao Gege Snowball Mochi has sold me on this pairing.
The last dessert I had from Xiao Gege Snowball Mochi was the Small White Rabbit Swiss Roll (S$10.80), which also happened to be the last one available for the day. Lucky me!
This Swiss roll was wrapped in a wrapper bearing the same design as the White Rabbit candy, making it look like a gigantic version of the popular sweet.
Unwrapping the paper revealed a snow white Swiss roll containing white cream, pudding and bits of crushed Oreo.
The White Rabbit candy was one of my favourites growing up, and Xiao Gege Snowball Mochi managed to perfectly replicate that nostalgic taste into its White Rabbit Swiss Roll. The soft cream had a lovely milky aroma, and the block of pudding within was smooth and silky. Both tasted identical to White Rabbit candy, much to my delight.
The extra addition of crushed Oreo was perfect, as it added a bit of cocoa flavour to the milky Swiss roll, making it taste a little more exciting without distracting it from the White Rabbit elements. Despite being inspired by candy, I was most impressed with how the White Rabbit Swiss Roll was not too sweet, contrary to its appearance.
I found the S$10.80 price point to be pretty reasonable, and was once again impressed by Xiao Gege Snowball Mochi.
Final thoughts
I walked into Xiao Gege Snowball Mochi slightly sceptical because of the price of its desserts. However, I can safely say that I have been thoroughly impressed by this humble little store. I was amazed at the high quality of the products and the incredibly inventive flavour combinations.
Now, whenever I go to Chinatown, I will be sure to pop by Xiao Gege Snowball Mochi again for a quick dessert fix.
Expected damage: S$4 – S$20 per pax
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