SPECIAL FEATURE

A Mid~Autumn Night's Dream

Shopping for mooncakes? Buy your favourites online in BTWeekend's exclusive e-shop featuring the latest creations.

SHANGRI-LA HOTEL SINGAPORE

Like the culinary gems that they are, Shang Palace has created a selection of limited edition mooncakes presented in exquisite gift boxes you’ll want to keep for a long time. Handcrafted in silk in different hues, they are styled to resemble imperial jewellery boxes and are adorned with pearl buttons. In this case, they house Shang Palace’s special mooncake collections: Mini Snow Skin Eight Treasures; Mini Eight Treasures; and the classic Four Treasures.

The Mini Snow Skin Eight Treasures Gift Set (S$88) features two new flavours: Yuzu Bird’s Nest and Chocolate Salted Toffee. The luxurious Yuzu Bird’s Nest mooncake has a tangy sweet and sour yuzu filling with premium bird’s nest at its core, wrapped in delicate snowskin. Area executive pastry chef Herve Potus specially created the Chocolate Salted Toffee snowskin mooncake with an exclusive French chocolate blend made of 40 per cent milk chocolate and 66 per cent dark chocolate at the core, mixed with sea salt toffee, and encased in a layer of crisp milk chocolate.

The Mini Eight Treasures Gift Set (S$88) comprises eight mini baked mooncakes – Low Sugar Plain White Lotus Seed Paste with Quarter Yolk and Red Bean with Almond. The classic favourite flavour, Low Sugar Plain White Lotus Seed Paste with Quarter Yolk, has been re-introduced this year in a mini version with a quarter yolk. The Red Bean with Almond offers an added crunch to the classic baked mooncake.

Meanwhile, the Four Treasures Gift Set (S$78) comprises four traditional hand-baked mooncakes: Low Sugar White Lotus Seed Paste with Double Yolks, Low Sugar Plain White Lotus Seed Paste with Single Yolk, Low Sugar White Lotus Seed Paste and Mixed Nuts with Chicken Sausage Ham.

To order, visit slsfestive.oddle.me or call (65) 6213 4398/4473 or email shangpalace.sls@shangrila.com. Online orders enjoy a 15 per cent discount.

FAIRMONT SINGAPORE

Fairmont's velvety snowskin mooncakes welcome a new flavour this year – the Golden Caramel Crunch which is a mini snowskin filled with crispy feuilletine chocolate flakes and creamy milk couverture. The collection of pastel-hued snowskins are packed in a newly-designed peach-shaped box that reflects the shape of the mooncakes themselves.

A premium two-tiered red leather box with drawers is also available to hold signature favourites like the Double Yolk in White Lotus Paste, and Five Grains in White Lotus Paste.

To purchase, visit celebrationscentral.com.sg, call (65) 6338 8785 or email fairmontsingapore.mooncakes@fairmont.com. Online orders enjoy an early bird discount of 20 per cent until Sept 17, with a minimum purchase of two boxes of mooncakes.

PAN PACIFIC SINGAPORE

While everyone else is exploring newfangled flavours of snowskin mooncakes, Pan Pacific focuses on just a modest range of seven baked mooncakes this Mid-Autumn Festival.

New flavours include the Pandan Paste with Single Yolk, as well as the sweet and salty Caramel with White Lotus Paste Single Yolk. A healthier option comes in the form of the Low Sugar Purple Sweet Potato with White Lotus Paste Single Yolk, while the Mixed Nuts with Chicken Ham offers a slightly bolder choice. These are available as an assortment in an elegantly-designed box of Traditional Four Treasures Mooncakes.

To order, visit pacificmarketplace.sg, call (65) 6826 8240 or email celebrate.sin@panpacific.com. Orders are accepted until Oct 4.

TUNGLOK GROUP

If you'd like to switch it up a bit from the usual baked or snowskin mooncakes this year, check out the TungLok Group's latest offerings – Mochi Snowskin Mooncakes. One of the new collections they are launching this Mid-Autumn Festival is the Petals Mochi Snowskin Mooncake featuring two flavours – a brown sugar mochi with red bean and yam, and a brown sugar mochi with peanut and black sesame – both in the shape of a seven-petal flower.

Another new chewy collection is the Sweet Hearts Mochi Snowskin Mooncake of fruit-flavoured, heart-shaped mooncakes filled with mung bean paste and either lychee, cranberry, grape, or mango.

Lava Custard and Matcha Oolong make up the final new collection this year, with golden yellow and olive green-coloured mini mooncakes. The golden yellow one is filled with a soft, buttery salted egg yolk custard, while the olive green has an aromatic matcha and oolong tea paste.

To purchase, visit tunglok.com for outlet locations and its online store, or call (65) 9088 8008. Orders are accepted until Oct 4.

MARINA MANDARIN SINGAPORE

Packed in elegant gift boxes, Peach Blossoms offers mooncakes in mini, standard and generous 6.5 inch sizes.

Unique flavours include its signature Charcoal Black Sesame Paste with Melon Seeds and Gold Dust Mooncake. Wu Ren (Mixed Nuts) is a refreshing vegetarian version comprising five types of nuts and orange peel. For a less-sweet option, the Single Yolk with White Lotus Paste Mooncake is a perennial favourite.

To order, visit marinamandarin.com.sg/dining, call (65) 6845 1118 or email peachblossoms.marina@meritushotels.com. Selected credit cards enjoy an early bird discount of 25 per cent until Sept 10, and a regular discount of 15 per cent between Sept 11 and Oct 4.

MANDARIN ORCHARD SINGAPORE

Japanese ingredients star in Mandarin Orchard Singapore's Mid-Autumn Collection this year, with their new Limited Edition Mini Baked Mooncakes. Flavours include Purple Potato, Chestnut, Matcha Red Bean, and White Kidney Bean.

The Signature Baked Mooncake with Mixed Nuts and Jamon Iberico is also back by popular demand, and each selection is elegantly presented in a custom-designed red gift box featuring an intricate lattice pattern.

To order, visit meritushotels.com/en/ mandarin-orchard-singapore/offers/mid-autumn-collection.html, call (65) 6831 6320/6262, or email festivedesk.orchard@meritushotels.com. Selected credit cards enjoy an early bird discount of up to 25 per cent off until Sept 10, and a regular discount of up to 20 per cent between Sept 11 and Oct 4.

TWG

The Lotus Jade Tea – a green tea with lotus blooms - is a perfect pairing with TWG Tea's tea-infused mooncakes this Mid-Autumn season.

One new creation is the decadent Daydream mooncake – blueberries, white lotus paste and a unique almond and blueberry puree heart infused with Red Balloon Tea encased in a bold red crust. Also available is the Cerise mooncake with a luxurious white chocolate and crunchy coconut heart with Amarena cherry and brown lotus paste infused with Pu-Erh 2000.

The Moonlight mooncake is a luscious jade-green snowskin with a Lotus Jade Tea-infused mousseline and white chocolate heart filled with a sweet Nashi pear marmalade, while the Blossom mooncake is a brilliant orange with Geisha Blossom Tea-infused mousseline and a tangy apricot marmalade encased in a white chocolate heart.

A set of two mooncakes paired with Lotus Jade Tea in the Haute Couture Tea Collection retails at S$70, while a set of four Mooncakes retails at S$60. Both come in the elegant Lotus Jade Tea Mooncake gift box.

To purchase, visit twgtea.com for outlet locations and its online store. Orders are accepted until Oct 4.

BAKERZIN

Bakerzin's Creme De La Creme 2017 Mooncake Collections feature eight distinct collections, all baked with low-sugar lotus paste for the health- conscious and housed in stylish floral tin boxes.

For the adventurous, there's the Bold Collection (limited to only 500 boxes) which features four exotic flavours – Ginger, Tom Yum, American Ginseng and Sakura Ebi mooncakes. For more classic tastes, there is the Supreme Collection which features their best traditional baked mooncakes, such as the Chicken Bak Kwa Wu Ren, Tangerine Wu Ren, and Classic Melon Seed.

Snowskin lovers will enjoy either the Pure Divine Collection of Cempedak, Honeydew with Apricot, Taiwan Green Mango, and Yuzu, or the Prestige Collection of liqueur-infused white chocolate truffle ganache in flavours like Apple Vodka, Butterscotch Baileys, Coconut Liqueur, and Latte Kahlua.

Also available are the Heavenly Collection of roasted black sesame snowskin mooncakes, the Majestic Collection of durian snowskin mooncakes, plus the Signature and Premium Collections that feature a more classic combination of Premium Egg Yolk Blend Mooncakes and Classic Melon Seed Mooncakes.

To purchase, visit bakerzin.com/mooncake or visit any Bakerzin or Nom La La by Bakerzin outlets in Singapore. Selected cardholders enjoy early bird discounts until Sept 10. Orders are accepted until Oct 4.

SINGAPORE MARRIOTT TANG PLAZA HOTEL

Wan Hao at the Marriott Tang Plaza debuts a limited edition Premium Mid- Autumn Gift Set containing four Salted White Lotus Seed Paste with Parma Ham, Pistachios and Single Yolk Baked Mooncakes, as well as a 375ml bottle of Perrier Jouet Champagne, all encased in a gold satin chest.

Other unique new offerings include the Premium Coconut Paste with Hazelnuts Baked Mooncakes, White Chocolate with Apricot Snowskin Mooncakes, and Honey Lemon Lotus Paste with Lychee Martini Truffle Snowskin Mooncakes. Returning popular favourites include the White Lotus Seed Paste with Chicken Bak-Kwah and Assorted Nuts Baked Mooncakes, and the Pure “Mao Shan Wang” Premium Grade Durian Snowskin Mooncakes.

To order, visit singaporemarriott.com/mooncakes or call (65) 6831 4708. Orders are accepted until Oct 4.

PEONY JADE

When it comes to the Mid-Autumn season, Peony Jade's speciality lies in the Flaky Teochew “Orh Ni” Mooncakes which they bake fresh daily. They come with either Premium Golden Pumpkin, Double Egg Yolks, or Premium Golden Pumpkin and Single Yolk. The newest flavour is a limited edition Molten Lava Salted Egg Yolk with a light pastel pink crust.

Other new additions are the Mini Snowskin Mooncakes with Mango Mousse, Passionfruit and Coconut, Mini Snowskin Mooncakes with Creme Brulee and Blueberry Cheese, and the limited edition Mini Baked “Milo Dinosaur” Mooncakes.

To order, visit pjmooncakes.com.sg, call (65) 6276 8327 or email festive@peonyjade. com. Selected credit cards enjoy early bird discounts of up to 25 per cent until Sept 10, and up to 20 per cent discount from Sept 11 to Oct 4.

THE ST. REGIS SINGAPORE

Instead of containing just mooncakes alone, Yan Ting at the St Regis is taking mooncake gift sets to the next level by offering an accompanying elegant teapot set with premium-grade Pu-Erh tea, or a 375ml bottle of Perrier-Jouet Grand Brut champagne with two limited-edition flutes.

As for the mooncakes inside the boxes, pick from their new range of four new snowskin flavours – Champagne Truffle with Chocolate Paste, Green Tea Paste with Almond Flakes, Six Coarse Grains Paste, or Reduced Sugar Green Apple Pasted with Macadamia Nut – or existing signatures such as the popular White Lotus Paste with Assorted Nuts and Yunnan Ham Baked Mooncake.

To order, visit yantingrestaurant.com/midautumn2017, call (65) 6506 6852 or email yanting@stregis.com. Orders are accepted until Oct 4.

THE RITZ-CARLTON MILLENIA SINGAPORE

Mini Snowskin Martini mooncakes are back with two new flavours - mangotini and orangetini - as the Ritz-Carlton kicks off the season with a range of new and old favourites. Packaged in brightly coloured boxes, pick from the new White Lotus Seed Paste with Five Grains, Mini Custard Lava with salted egg yolk and vanilla, or chilled Mini Snowskin “Mao Shan Wang” durian mooncakes.

To order, visit rcmooncake.com.sg or call (65) 6434 5190. From Sept 2 to 17, BT readers enjoy 25 per cent off online purchases of baked mooncakes (excludes Mini Custard Lava with Vanilla) with the code "BT2017".

CRYSTAL JADE

Expect a fight over who gets to keep the box if you’re lucky enough to receive Crystal Jade’s newly launched Mickey and Minnie snowskin mooncake collection (S$78). The sturdy lacquer box in the cartoon couple’s signature red, white and black hues features an elegant gold-embossed Mickey on its front. It opens to reveal a shimmering backdrop of the lovebirds against a full moon that has been intricately laser-cut on gold card. Even the drawer handles are designed to replicate the signature white buttons on Mickey’s shorts. But don’t forget the mooncakes themselves – a set of eight petite gems in four flavours ranging from Pandan Lotus with Gula Melaka to Molten Centre Raspberry Truffle with White Lotus, which boasts an oozing raspberry liquid centre.

Traditional tastes are also well taken care of with Crystal Jade’s repertoire of baked mooncakes that include its signature Mixed Nuts and Chicken Ham (S$35/S$62 for box of two and four), and the Less Sugar White Lotus Paste with Single and Double Yolk ($$32/S$56 and S$35/S$62 for a box of two and four respectively). Instead of egg yolks, there is also the Less Sugar White Lotus paste with Melon Seed version (S$31/S$54 for a box of two and four).

To purchase, visit crystaljade.com for outlet locations, or its online shop at crystaljade.com/e-store-list/?c=mooncake

ORCHARD HOTEL SINGAPORE

Hua Ting Restaurant at Orchard Hotel offers a new Mini Cempedak with Mung Beans Snowskin Mooncake this year, designed by the restaurant's masterchef Lap Fai.

This new flavour joins their range of returning signature snowskins like the Green Tea Twist with Yolks made with Japanese matcha, White Lotus Paste with Champagne Ganache for lovers of the bubbly, and a low-sugar option in the form of a Blueberry with Vintage Hua Diao Wine that incorporates 30-year vintage rice wine.

Classic baked mooncakes are also available, with options such as the White Lotus Paste with Single Yolk and Macadamia Nuts, White Lotus Paste with Double Yolks and Macadamia Nuts, Seeds of Harmony (Assorted Nuts), and the Red Bean Paste with Melon Seeds.

Each premium mooncake gift set, comes in a specially-designed leatherette gift box that doubles as a document bag, dressed in red Oriental illustrations on the outside, and containing a brown soft felt fabric interior.

To order, visit orchardhotel.com.sg/mooncakes2017, call (65) 6739 6577 or email mooncake.ohs@millenniumhotels.com. Orders are accepted until Oct 4.

VLV

Modern Chinese restaurant VLV at Clarke Quay is making its Mid-Autumn Festival debut this year with two “Liu Sha” offerings by executive chef Martin Foo. The first is the VLV Lotus Paste with Salted Egg Custard “Liu Sha” Mooncake which was inspired by their crowd-pleaser dim sum – the custard salted egg charcoal bun, while the second is a White Lotus Paste Black Sesame “Liu Sha” Mooncake. Both are moulded with the VLV logo, and cost S$62++ for a box of eight mini-sized mooncakes of four each.

To order, visit vlv.life/singapore/page/promotion/vlv-mooncakes, call (65) 6661 0197 or email info@vlv. life. Pre-order promotions include 10 per cent off on a minimum purchase of 10 boxes, and 15 per cent off on a minimum purchase of 50 boxes, until Sept 15. Orders are accepted until Oct 4.

TCC

The Connoisseur Concerto (TCC) introduces five new novelty snowskin mooncake flavours this year, from both the alcohol and non-alcohol collections. First up is the Zesty Yuzu Bacardi that incorporates yuzu with Bacardi rum, followed by a Mango-Coco Lychee made with mango, coconut, and lychee. Then you have a locally-inspired Hula Gula Melaka with white chocolatey coconut truffle in white lotus coffee-based paste, as well as a Grand Marnier Orange Peel, and Cherie Brandy that's made with Morello cherry white lotus filling, white chocolate, brandy, and an unsalted butter-flavoured truffle.

To purchase, visit theconnoisseurconcerto.com for outlet locations, call (65) 6804 6388 or email catering@theconnoisseurconcerto.com.
Orders are accepted until Oct 4.

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