moon cakes

Moon cakes are a Chinese pastry traditionally eaten during the Mid-autumn Festival. Typical moon cakes are round or rectangular pastries, measuring about 10 cm in diameter and 4-5 cm thick. A thick filling usually made from lotus seed paste is surrounded by a relatively thin (2-3 mm) crust and may contain yolks from salted duck eggs. Moon cakes are rich, heavy, and dense compared with most Western cakes and pastries. They are usually eaten in small wedges accompanied by Chinese tea. Most moon cakes consist of a thin tender skin enveloping a sweet and slightly oily filling. The moon cake may contain one or more whole salted egg yolks in its center to symbolize the full moon. The saltiness of the yolk balances well with the sweet filling in the moon cake. Rarely, moon cakes are steamed or fried. Traditional moon cakes have an imprint on top consisting of the Chinese characters for "longevity" or "harmony" as well as the name of the bakery and filling in the moon cake. Moon cakes are expensive and considered a delicacy, and production is labor-intensive and few people make them at home. Most moon cakes are bought at Asian markets and bakeries.