Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as Mooncake Festival, was traditionally a Chinese end-of-harvest celebration, taking place on the day when the full moon shines brightest. Baked mooncakes, crafted to represent the lunar body they allude to, were enjoyed by families as a symbol of togetherness and unity. Tea was the common accompaniment to help wash down the sweetness. In the 1960s, Hong Kong introduced the snow-skin version of these mooncakes, encasing fillings that categorised them more as desserts.
With the mid-point of autumn falling on 10 September this year, MICHELIN restaurants and hotels are preparing lavishly for one of the most loved Chinese celebrations in the lunar calendar. Every year, chefs get more and more creative with their mooncake offerings — some sticking to tradition, while others pushing their creative prowess into coming up with imaginative concoctions and combinations that not only satisfy the eye but also the palate. Here are the mooncake creations being served up this year by MICHELIN restaurants and hotels.
InterContinental Singapore
This Mid-Autumn Festival, InterContinental Singapore puts an spin on traditional flavours by unveiling four limited-edition handcrafted baked mooncakes in addition to its classic signatures, including the artisanal baked and tea-infused snow-skin mooncakes. According to the hotel, this collection was designed to capture the beauty of the season and to exude an enchanting sophistication.
Encased in an emerald box comprising motifs of flowers and butterflies, InterContinental Singapore’s Signature Tea Treasures Snow Skin Mooncakes are moulded into the hotel's MICHELIN-listed Cantonese restaurant Man Fu Yuan’s signature rose and are filled with a sweet truffle centre. Flavours include Passionfruit Earl Grey, which comprises classic earl grey tea with a passionfruit truffle centre; Lychee Oolong, whose filling is infused with TWG Maori Spring Tea and paired with a lychee truffle centre; Thai Cheese Milk Tea is a sweet and savoury combination of Thai Milk Tea with a cream cheese truffle centre; and Sea Salt Caramel Rose is a mooncake infused with a light rose flower tea with a pop of caramel sea salt encased in a truffle.
Order online here or call 6825 1131 (loc. 1132). Early bird savings of 30% if you shop today till 17 August, and 25% from 18 August to 10 September on selected mooncakes.
JW Marriott Singapore
JW Marriott Singapore celebrates the Mid-Autumn festivities with a range of handcrafted Traditional Baked Mooncakes and an all-truffle line-up of Mini Snow-Skin Mooncakes from 10 July to 10 September 2022. Encased in premium gift sets, the mooncake boxes on offer transform into a designer tea stand and a functional mooncake tray. Inspired by the hotel's motifs, the gift sets are available in two designs — Coral Blue & Ocean Blush.
Baked mooncake mainstays such as the Double Yolk White Lotus Paste and Nyonya Gula Melaka Paste, as well as the signature Traditional Baked Single Yolk Lychee Lotus Paste Mooncake, make a comeback.
Made by the hotel's MICHELIN-listed Cantonese restaurant Madame Fan, snow-skin mooncake selections include two new flavours — Lemon Truffle with Green Tea Lotus and Black Tea Truffle with Pu-Er Lotus. Not forgetting returning alcoholic creations such as the Royal Salute Caramel Sea Salt Truffle with Honey Purple Potato and the Martell VSOP Chamomile Truffle with Red Dates Lotus.
Order online here or call 6818 1908. Enjoy an early bird savings of up to 20% when you purchase mooncakes from 11 August to 10 September.
Mandarin Oriental Singapore
Mandarin Oriental Singapore celebrates this year's Mid-Autumn Festival with a repertoire of both traditional and new creations.
Featuring a debut collection of Chestnut with Taro Coconut and Taiwanese tea-inspired Black Tea Lotus with Pomelo, Citrus Peel, and Pumpkin, each traditional mooncake is housed within an individual tin, encased in a box adorned with oriental floral motifs.
The hotel also introduces an array of new snow-skin mooncakes such as Lemon Genmaicha and Tangerine Peel with Melon Seed, alongside the mainstay Lychee Martini and Chocolate Truffle.
Order online here, call 6885 3500, or email mosin-mooncakes@mohg.com for more information. A 30% Early Bird Discount is available from now until 31 July 2022. Use "EarlyBird30" discount code upon check out.
Marina Bay Sands
This mid-autumn festival, Marina Bay Sands offers a diverse array of classic and contemporary mooncake sets that are fitting for the celebrations.
The baked mooncakes in the Premium Edition (Classic) come in a set of four classic white lotus double yolk mooncakes, while the Premium Edition (Contemporary) boast flavours such as XO dried scallop Wu Liang Ye, Truffle Bak Kwa Red Lotus, Jin Hua Ham White Lotus, and Bird’s Nest with Red Date.
Inspired by the full moon, an age-old symbol of wholeness, unity and abundance, Marina Bay Sands’ mooncake boxes this year feature a paper artwork of the iconic integrated resort set against a full moon. Decked in vibrant orange for the Premium Edition (Classic Mooncakes) and classy teal for the Premium Edition (Modern Mooncakes), the boxes illuminate with a simple flip of an LED light switch and are decorated with a gold metal emblem of Marina Bay Sands’ three-tower icon. Each box opens to unveil the four individually packaged mooncakes housed in reusable tins, sporting unique modern Chinese motifs.
View the full list of mid-autumn offerings at Marina Bay Sands here. Sands Rewards LifeStyle members can enjoy a 20% discount and additional 10% earnings for all online pre-orders and direct purchases. Bulk order discounts are also available for orders of more than 20 boxes. For enquiries, email mbsmooncake@marinabaysands.com or call or WhatsApp +65 9457 2958.
Putien (Kitchener Road)
One-MICHELIN-Starred Putien (Kitchener Road), praised for its Fujian cuisine, is back this year with its selection of preservative-free mooncakes.
With the mid-Autumn festival being the season of harvest and family reunions, patrons of Putien will be delighted to know that Madam Leng’s Handmade Mooncakes are back for the ninth year running. Characterised by their homestyle taste and flaky crust, the mooncakes are available for pre-order at all Putien outlets islandwide, and they will also be available via a number of online delivery platforms.
Long-time Putien server Madam Leng Ah Eng, who is commonly referred to by her nickname Lian Jie (莲姐), would only make these mooncakes for her friends and colleagues. Having worked at Putien since the opening of its inaugural outlet 22 years ago, the Singapore-founded restaurant’s longest-serving stalwart's mooncakes soon became popular among her colleagues, until Putien founder Mr. Fong Chi Chung insisted that they go on the menu. They have remained there ever since.
“What is unique about the mooncakes is that the yam makes it very fragrant. Because of the natural taste, there is very little sugar in the recipe,” says Leng. Taro and purple sweet potatoes are first steamed and mashed, then stir-fried with oil to obtain a smooth texture. The crust is made from two dough types, one rolled with corn oil while the other is made with a vegetable shortening. The dough is then flattened and deep-fried to achieve the crispy texture for the crust.
The mooncakes are low in sugar and contain no preservatives or additives, making it ideal for those looking for a healthier alternative to the usual baked or snow-skin mooncakes. As such, they should best be eaten within three days of purchase.
Patrons can enjoy an early-bird discount of 10% for all orders placed by 14 August. Order Putien's mooncakes online here.
Raffles Hotel Singapore
From now to 10 September 2022, Raffles Hotel Singapore offers its selection of handcrafted creations and signature traditional mooncakes by the Raffles chefs. In celebration of Raffles Hotel Singapore’s 135th anniversary, this year's mooncakes are presented in an ivory box; embellished with details of the hotel's façade steeped in heritage, provenance, and stories as a special tribute to the iconic Grand Dame.
Apart from the signature Champagne Truffle Snow-Skin Mooncakes, other flavours making a comeback this year are the Earl Grey Tea and Pearl Snow-Skin Mooncakes, which are filled with an Earl Grey tea-infused milk chocolate ganache and crunchy puff cereal pearls engulfed in dark chocolate; Yuzu and Osmanthus Truffle Snow-Skin Mooncake spotlights a blend of osmanthus tea leaves and yuzu; and the Da Li Rose and Strawberry Snow-Skin Mooncake, inspired by the hotel's MICHELIN-listed Chinese restaurant, 藝 yì by Jereme Leung’s signature Da Li Rose Petal Ice Cream. In the mooncake version, Da Li Rose is completed with Strawberry Chocolate. Classic baked mooncakes are also on offer.
Raffles Hotel Singapore also introduces two new Snow-Skin delights this year: Brass Lion Butterfly Pea Gin with Pandan and Lemongrass Snow-Skin Mooncake, which is infused with Brass Lion Distillery’s Butterfly Pea Gin, fresh pandan, and lemongrass — recommended to be enjoyed with a soothing cup of Chinese tea or evening tipple; and Baileys Chocolate Truffle Snow-Skin Mooncake, which encases a blend of cocoa and Arabica coffee, intertwined with flavours of Irish cream.
Order online or purchase directly from the Raffles Hotel Singapore Mooncake Booth at the Raffles Arcade. Early bird in-store privileges include 15% off in-store purchases on mooncake selections from 13 July to 14 August 2022 and 10% off in-store purchases on mooncake selections from 15 August to 21 August 2022. Discount is not applicable to limited-edition mooncakes.
Shangri-La Singapore
Unveiling its selection of limited-edition mooncakes, Shangri-La Singapore presents a variety of treats this year that include cocktail-based snow-skin mooncakes, signature baked mooncakes, and even an exclusive kid's gift set.
Encased in a robin-egg-blue box, the snow-skin collection includes cocktail-inspired flavours from the hotel's bar. Each mooncake is filled with spiced pineapple marmalade, lime zest, white lotus paste, a white chocolate gin truffle, dry gin, and vermouth. Other flavours include one inspired by Negroni, filled with rich dark chocolate paste, spiced chocolate rum, Campari, and vermouth.
For traditional baked mooncake lovers, the Shangri-La Mooncake Selection Gift Box includes three unique flavours such as 50-year-aged Mandarin Peel with Rose and Red Bean Paste Mooncake, 50-year-aged Mandarin Peel, Chestnut, and Red Bean Paste Mooncake, and Mini White Lotus Seed Paste with Yolk Mooncake. Signature classic mooncake flavours such as the Signature Mini Baked Custard with Bird’s Nest and Premium Mao Shan Wang Durian Snow-skin Mooncakes also make a comeback.
Shangri-La Singapore has also prepared something for the little ones. The Moon Rabbit Kid’s Mooncakes are encased in a rabbit tin box that can be transformed into a lantern with the accompanying craft kit and LED tea-light provided. The mooncakes in this set are baked and flavoured with Oreo milk.
Order online here or call 6213 4511 and email festive.sls@shangri-la.com for more information. Enjoy 25% Early Bird Discount on Classic Baked Mooncakes and 15% on Shangri-La Mooncake Selection Gift Box, Signature
Mini Baked Custard with Bird’s Nest and Premium Mao Shan Wang Durian Snowskin Mooncakes
for purchases made by 31 July 2022.
Shisen Hanten
Two-MICHELIN-Starred Shisen Hanten celebrates the mid-autumn festival from 15 August to 12 September 2022. Headlining its collection of mooncakes is its signature classic mooncake filled with Assorted Nuts with Jamón Ibérico with traditional flavours such as Double Yolk and White Lotus Paste and Azuki Red Bean Paste and Pine Nuts. For ease, the Shisen Hanten Collection showcases its collection of classic baked mooncakes and comes in a set of four: Assorted Nuts and Jamón Ibérico, Double Yolk and White Lotus Paste, Macadamia Nuts and White
Lotus Paste in Low Sugar, Azuki Red Bean Paste and Pine Nuts.
The Cantonese restaurant also introduces a new snow-skin mooncake: Premium Oolong Tea Chocolate with Orange Paste in Snow-skin. It is joined by other snow-skin mooncake specialties such as the Lychee Martini and Chocolate in Snow-skin, Yam White Chocolate with White Lotus Past,e and Azuki Red Bean Chocolate with Green Tea Paste. All four snow-skin mooncakes are also available as a set.
Order online or visit Shisen Hanten at Hilton Singapore Orchard.
Summer Palace
One-MICHELIN-Starred Cantonese restaurant, Summer Palace, also offers its selection of snow-skin mooncakes. The Roselle & Goji Berries snow-skin mooncake is a testament of chef Leong Kwok Sing mastery of flavour and craft, while other snow-skin mooncake favourites such as well as the Mao Shan Wang Durian Black Sesame Paste, and White Lotus Paste are mainstays on Regent Singapore's snow-skin mooncake menu.
Order online or call 6725 3239 and email mooncake@regentsingapore.com.sg. All 4-piece baked and 8-piece snow skin mooncakes are entitled to 25% early bird discount until 7 August 2022. Bulk order discounts are also available.
table65 and Ocean Restaurant located at Resorts World Sentosa
Home to one-MICHELIN-Starred table65 Resorts World Sentosa also houses Ocean Restaurant, whose chef patron is Olivier Bellin of two-MICHELIN-Starred L'Auberge des Glazicks. This year, both restaurants showcase their very own snow-skin mooncakes packaged in the Treasured Snow Skin Mooncakes Set, which comes with Perrier-Jouët Champagne.
From table65's Pearl of the Sea Snow-Skin Mooncake, chef de cuisine Dayal Kesha takes white chocolate ganache, surrounded by a sencha and white lotus paste, with briny pops of caviar, and envelops the mixture in a champagne snow-skin. On the other hand, Ocean's version features Aonori dried sea lettuce, flavoured green pea paste, candied lemon, sea salt buckwheat biscuit, and roasted pine nuts encased in rainforest açaí berry snow skin.
Guests can also enjoy mooncakes with Champagne as RWS collaborates with Perrier-Jouët for the first time this year. The sophisticated Treasured Snow Skin Mooncakes set includes a 750ml bottle of Perrier-Jouët’s NV Grand Brut Champagne for the ultimate indulgence this Mid-Autumn Festival.
Mooncake orders can be placed via email at festive@rwsentosa.com, via phone 6577 6688, on www.rwsentosa.com/mooncakes, or at Feng Shui Inn and Malaysian Food Street.
The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore
This year, and with travel returning, MICHELIN Hotel The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore has reimagined its mooncake boxes to be repurposed as travel-sized vanity cases after the Mid-Autumn Festival.
The mooncake boxes come in either white embossed leather with floral motifs, or in burgundy with crocodile print. It features five pockets for makeup brushes, and has dual compartments with zips to house cosmetics and adorned with a personalised luggage tag.
Apart from the hotel’s signature Mini Snow-skin Lycheetini mooncakes that comprise a mix of real lychee bits with the same fruit liqueur and Snow-skin "Mao Shan Wang" Durian mooncakes, a new snow-skin flavour that is featured this year is the Black Sesame with White Lotus Seed Paste and Roasted Walnuts.
Classic traditional mooncake flavours such as White Lotus Seed Paste with Double Yolk and White Lotus Seed Paste are also available, as well as mini snow-skin mooncake sets that showcase fillings such as Green Tea with Yolk and plain Green Tea.
Order online here or at the hotel's Colony Bakery from 06 August to 10 September 2022. Enjoy a 30% privilege on all mooncakes purchased from 01 July to 09 August 2022. For bulk purchase enquiries, please call 6434 5263 or email rc.sinrz.mooncakes@ritzcarlton.com.
The St. Regis Singapore
This Mid-Autumn Festival, stalwart Cantonese MICHELIN-listed restaurant Yan Ting at The St. Regis Singapore presents this year's mooncake collection a glass box adorned in floral blooms. The 2022 mooncake collection is available in a Gilded Gold or Resplendent Silver-Violet with choice of traditional baked mooncakes or mini snow-skin mooncakes.
Available for pre-order from today and collection from 25 July to 10 September, the mooncake selection is highlighted by the debut of a Pandan Paste with Melon Seeds Traditional Baked Mooncake and a series of new truffle snow-skin mooncake flavours.
Classic baked mooncake flavours include White Lotus Paste with Single, Double, or Four Yolks, White Lotus Paste with Assorted Nuts and Yunnan Ham, and a Reduced Sugar White Lotus Paste with Macadamia Nuts.
For the snow-skin mooncakes, choose from an array of delights such as Yuzu Paste with Cream Cheese Truffle, Lychee Paste with Peach Passionfruit Truffle, Black & White Sesame Paste with Salted Peanut Truffle, and Pure "Mao Shan Wang" Durian.
Order online here or call 6506 6852 and email festive.midautumn@stregis.com. Early bird discounts are available for St. Regis Supper Club Members, American Express Cardholders, and Citibank Cardholders.
Header image is from JW Marriott Singapore.
