# What are Mooncakes?



## Constance (Feb 18, 2007)

I've been reading about Chinese New Year, and mooncakes are mentioned as a typical treat...but I can't find anything that describes them. 
What are they, exactly?


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## lulu (Feb 18, 2007)

DH says he is a Moon cake expert Contstance, having eaten them in UK, China and Canada (not sure why UK and Canada make him an expert but anyway...he'll dictate I'll type!!)

The are little dense pastry cakes, of varying sizes full of things like lotus paste, coconut, redbean etc.  The main thing to empahasise is the heavy dense nature of them.  They are sweet, but DH equates the texture of them with a Britsh pork pie. But he really likes them and would recommend them.  Even for this gluton though, one at a time is enough!


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## lulu (Feb 18, 2007)

DH is showing me pictures courtesy of google, simply google image moon cake!


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## Constance (Feb 18, 2007)

Thanks, Lulu...I'll do that!


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## Michael in FtW (Feb 18, 2007)

Wikipedia has a rather good article on Mooncakes (with photos) - and a quick Google search turned up a bunch of Mooncake Recipes.


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## boufa06 (Feb 19, 2007)

As Lulu said, mooncakes are sweet, rich, heavy and dense pastries sometimes filled with salted duck egg yolk.  They come with assorted fillings such as the traditional lotus seed paste, red bean, black bean, and green bean paste and in recent years, yam and durian paste.  Another version is snowskin using fried glutinous rice flour for the skin. They are shaped either round or square and are usually eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival which this year falls on 25 September.  On this day, the moon shines brightest and fullest, the 15th of the eighth moon in the lunar calendar.

In celebrating this festival, families gather under the silvery moonbeams to enjoy mooncakes washed down with fragrant Chinese tea while kids and the young-at-heart enjoy walks with lanterns all aglow.  Legend has it that mooncakes helped bring about a revolution during the Yuan Dynasty (AD 1280-1368) which was established by invading Mongols from the north.  Secret messages detailing that the rebellion was to take place on the 15th night of the eighth moon were placed inside mooncakes instigating people to revolt against the Mongols.  After the rebellion, the Ming Dynasty was born.

Every year I make it a point to bake such goodies for DH's family, relatives and friends.  Needless to say, it takes a lot of work and skill to master the art.  Mooncakes are usually sold in Chinese restaurants and hotels and fetch a high price during the festival.

To share with fellow DC members, below is a picture of mooncakes I made last year.


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## lulu (Feb 19, 2007)

Wow Boufa, they are beautiful!


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## boufa06 (Feb 19, 2007)

Thanks Lulu!  Wish I could share them with you!!


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## Chopstix (Feb 20, 2007)

Boufa, I've never heard of anyone who _made _mooncakes.  _No one_ makes mooncakes!  Mooncakes are _bought_.  And they always come in a box.  Mooncakes _don't_ come from the kitchen!  

Amazing. My hat's off to you!  Your mooncakes look delicious too!  You must have a special mold for these, don't you?  I'm speechless.  Is it simple or complicated to do?

Btw, I gagged the first time I sampled a piece of mooncake here in Bangkok.  It was durian flavor! They also have pandan flavor which is quite good.


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## boufa06 (Feb 21, 2007)

Chopstix, I appreciate your kind comments!  Mooncakes do begin life in someone's kitchen before they are put in a box.  It could even be your kitchen with a bit of training and perseverance.  I do use special moulds but a good recipe for both crusts as well as fillings is also necessary.  They are not too complicated to make but I wouldn't call it simple either.  I am sure if you set your heart out to do them, you will succeed eventually.

Anyway, "Gong Xi Fa Cai" to you!


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## Constance (Feb 21, 2007)

Chopstix, I saw something about Durian fruit on the travel channel. They say it tastes and smells really nasty.


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## Chopstix (Feb 22, 2007)

Constance, people either love or hate durian.  For those who passionately love it, it smells like heaven.  For those who can't stand it, it stinks like the worst sewer.  Strange huh?  I'm no fan myself.  It stinks up the entire house.  And airliners do not allow durian on board as it stinks up the whole airplane.


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## StirBlue (Feb 22, 2007)

Here in the USA, we have mooncakes, moonpies, & moonpastries.  
   They are a delicate thin cake filled with marshmallow filling and folded over to create a half circle and covered with thin yellow frosting.  
    You can make them or buy them.  We eat them year round.  

 What third world puts meat & veggies in a cake?  

 Although, we have been known to bake some "things" in our cakes....engagement rings, breaking out of jail "file" tools, and car keys.


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