Fly me to the moon

Mid-Autumn season seems to be getting bigger and more elaborate year after year. There are scores of mooncake permutations in the market these days, from traditional baked lotus paste varieties to novel snowskin flavours. But your treats don't have to be relegated to just these versions.

For this year's celebration, why not try something unique, woven with a touch of luxe. Revel in Shangri-La's Signature Mini Baked Custard with Bird's Nest, made available for the first time in Singapore.

This sublime handcrafted treat is a creation of Shang Palace's Executive Chinese Chef Mok Kit Keung, who was previously at the helm of the two Michelin-starred Shang Palace at Kowloon Shangri-La, Hong Kong. The chef, who has over 35 years of culinary experience in traditional Cantonese cuisine, is known for having a penchant for nourishing, premium ingredients.

According to him, custard-filled mooncakes are very popular in Hong Kong, and he wanted to bring the authenticity of Hong Kong and Kowloon Shangri-La Hotel's Cantonese fine dining restaurant Shang Palace to Singapore. He shares: "I enhanced the recipe by adding bird's nest to suit the Singaporean's palate." Encased within the lightly golden delicate pastry is smooth custard that's luscious yet not cloying, as well as a generous filling of sweetened bird's nest, which offers a pleasant texture to the creamy gem. To elevate these moreish mini mooncakes, pair them with your favourite Chinese teas or maybe a glass of moscato.

Perfect as gifts, these mooncakes sit snugly in beautifully crafted champagne gold boxes with intricate designs reminiscent of an imperial court's treasure chest of yesteryear. The Mini Baked Custard with Bird's Nest mooncakes are available in a limited edition box of eight pieces, at $118.

Meanwhile, Shangri-La Hotel is also offering a Mini "Eight Treasures" Gift Set. At $88, it features two new flavours: Mini Baked Chocolate with Assorted Nuts - rich chocolate is melded with nuts for textural contrast, as well as a unique Mini Baked Salted Taro with Red Bean and Almond. The elegant packaging comes with four pieces of each flavour. For purists, there's also the Shang Palace Four Treasures collection ($78) - baked varieties with lotus paste and yolk or mixed nuts with chicken ham.

If you're planning to buy these delicacies for your loved ones and business associates, or simply for your own Mid-Autumn soiree, these treats are available from now till Sept 24. The mooncakes may be ordered online, at Shangri-La Hotel's lobby, Shang Palace or at pop-up shops at Takashimaya, VivoCity, Parkway Parade, Jurong Point, NEX, Suntec City and Chevron House.

Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore, Orange Grove Road, Singapore 258350 Tel: 6213 4511/4473 or email shangpalace.sls@shangrila.com.