7 Mooncake Facts that You Should Know

Mid-Autumn Festival is just around the corner, and everyone is on a mooncake shopping spree. But what exactly do we know about mooncakes? What kinds of mooncakes are there, and which ones should we get?

Our food experts at Gift Hampers Hong Kong, your number one online gift hampers store, has a few pointers to make about these delicious festive treats.

7 things you didn’t know about mooncakes

1. What are mooncakes, exactly? Mooncakes are rich pastries consumed during Mid-Autumn Festival. They are round or square and usually have a sweet bean or lotus seed paste. In ancient times, they were made as an offering to the moon and the lunar deity, Chang E, for a year of good harvest.
2. How are mooncakes eaten? Because the filling of mooncakes is very dense and rich, they are usually not eaten whole. A mooncake is cut into smaller wedges and shared among the family. They are usually served with Chinese tea, which complements the sweetness and strong flavour well. Fruit is also consumed at this time to balance out the heaviness of the pastry.
3. What do mooncakes symbolise and why are they made in this way? According to the Chinese culture, circles and roundness connotate completeness and togetherness. Mooncakes mimic the fullness and roundness of the full moon, which in turn brings about prosperity, good harvest and reunion for the whole family. Sharing and eating mooncakes together with loved ones is a special occasion to be treasured.
4. Are there any varieties / favours of mooncakes? Yes, plenty! Nowadays, there are many different kinds of mooncakes on the market. Apart from the traditional red bean paste and lotus paste mooncakes, with or without the duck egg yolk, there are also the five kernel and roast pork mooncake, snow-skin mooncake, fruit and vegetable mooncake, chocolate mooncake, green tea mooncake, ice-cream mooncake, cream cheese mooncake and even seafood mooncake!
5. Why are there so many different kinds of mooncakes? Mooncakes vary depending on whichever region in China you are based. The styles, flavours and fillings can be drastically different, as the local eating culture and taste differs. For example, Cantonese-style mooncakes are sweet with various fillings, Beijing-style mooncakes generally have a red circle on the crust, Suzhou-style mooncakes are composed of crispy layers of flaky dough and Yunnan-style mooncakes have either a ham or flower filling.
6. How are mooncakes priced? One mooncake doesn’t usually cost a lot, but when packaged in gorgeous, luxury packs, they are sold for a higher price. Seeing as mooncakes are offered as gifts, different companies beautify the boxes and packaging as their unique selling point. Each mooncake is kept in a transparent air-tight wrapper and is kept fresh with an anti-oxidation sachet.
7. How much should I spend on mooncakes? The price range for mooncakes are very wide and highly depends on the flavour, packaging and quality. A box of mooncakes can be anything between $200 to $1000.

Gift Hampers HK Mooncake Hampers

For spending some true quality time with family this Mid-Autumn Festival, you wouldn’t want to miss out bagging yourself one of these delightful hampers.

1. PREMIUM FRUIT HAMPER WITH PENINSULA MOONCAKE (Price: HK$759.00) is perfect for small family gatherings; a delicious mooncake to share along with everyone’s favourite fruits!

2. MOONLIGHT FRUIT HAMPER WITH LANDMARK MANDARIN ORIENTAL HONG KONG MOONCAKE (Price: HK$1,109.00). Here you will find 6 pieces of The Landmark Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong Mini Egg Custard Mooncakes and a wide selection of fruits to balance it out.

3. GOLD BLOSSOM VEGETABLE HAMPER WITH THE PENINSULA SPRING MOON MOONCAKE & JUICE (Price: HK$1,729.00 – 1,879.00). There’s no better combination than veg and mooncake for a fantastic evening dinner to remember. Prices differ depending on your choice of beverage.