These durian mooncakes are what you’ve been looking for this year

Known for its convivial Cantonese grub, Hai Tien Lo’s executive chef Ben Zeng delivers a strikingly traditional take on mooncake box design with its satin-covered crimson box with a prominent wooden lattice centrepiece. That doesn’t mean they’re afraid to try new things though: one of their bestsellers is their take on the classic mao shan wang snowskin mooncake, along with a decadent hazelnut yuzu. There’s also an option of healthier or traditional mooncakes as well, all intricately moulded with, what else, the restaurant’s name in Mandarin along with floral patterns.

Order here.

In collaboration with award winning Wan Hao Chinese Restaurant, Royal Durian has thrown its hat into the ring with its inaugural batch of mao shan wang snowskin mooncakes. The brand was started just last year by a pair of durian aficionados. The provenance, Royal Durian proudly declares, is what sets their durian mooncakes apart: they’ve sourced the fruits all the way from Raub, Pahang. The crop comes from coveted old trees growing on the slopes of the region’s highlands, which, in concert with selective breeding and fussy durian harvesting practices, the durians are brought straight to production within 24 hours. It is this dedication to good fruit that led to the brand’s success, and their subsequent expansion this year with durian mooncakes.

Available from Marriot Tang Plaza Singapore. Or purchases instore at 134 Jurong Gateway Road, #01-303A, or order via Whatsapp at 8218-3137.

Founded by Daniel Tay (who also happens to run cheesecake-focused joint Cat and the Fiddle), Old Seng Choong was created as a tribute to the renowned pastry chef’s father, who ran his own confectionery for over 30 years. For this mooncake festival, they’ve brought out the usual bevy of traditional flavours – along with snowskin mooncakes stuffed to the gills with creamy mao shan wang. We’re also fond of the fact that they come as minis – it’s far less embarrassing to reach for multiple helpings that way. The mooncakes come in a box that’s as vibrant and riotous as the mooncakes within, finished off with some ever-seasonal motifs of songbirds and peonies.

Order here.

One of four of Intercontinental Singapore’s Peranakan-themed mooncakes features durian pengat – a traditional dish that blends coconut cream with the pungent fruit, along with gula melaka and bunga telang. Also known as butterfly pea flowers, bunga telang is traditionally used to dye Nyonya kueh – in this case though, it lends the snowskin mooncake that comes formed in Man Fu Yuan’s signature rose silhouette a beautiful azure tinge. Other flavours include chendol, pulut hitam and pandan and coconut kaya, along with a selection of classics.

Order here.

Mao shan wang snowskin durian returns to Summer Palace at Regent Singapore, with rich, velvety ropes of the yellow fruit pureed into a delightfully sinful snowskin treat. We’d also encourage you to try Regent Singapore’s other restaurants’ take on the Mid-Autumn delight. For the second year running, they’ve included each of their hotel’s dining outlets in the festival: with Basilico working with an array of Italian ingredients, tea-infused mooncakes from the Tea Lounge as well as Manhattan’s mooncake variants with alcoholic cores of barrel-aged rye whiskies.

Order here.

If you want to go all-out this year, Goodwood Park’s offering a 12-yolk, 16.5 cm marvel of a baked mooncake. For the snowskin lovers, they’ve got two new flavours this year. The first is a refreshing combination of orange mousse studded with slices of fresh grapes; and the second featuring Japanese sweet potato with a pumpkin-coconut centre. Of course, it’s not Goodwood Park without at least one durian creation – last year’s mao shan wang Black Thorn, and D24 mooncakes make a comeback in all their luxurious, bittersweet glory.

Order here.

This seasonal special from Aroma Truffle combines two heady ingredients, Musang King durians and truffles, for a terribly moreish treat. The mao shan wang they use comes from Raub in Pahang, which is surprisingly enhanced by the judicious addition of, well, aromatic black winter truffles from Italy. Comes in two colour variants: one tinted with blue pea flower and the other a pitch, charcoal black. Available in a box of four mooncakes, or as a bundle alongside their famous truffle potato chips.

To order, visit their website.

This article was first published in The Peak.

Read Next

8 best teas to drink with your mooncakes this Mid-Autumn Festival

15 unique mooncake flavours to up your mid-autumn game

Where to buy traditional lanterns in Singapore this Mid-Autumn Festival