What is Teochew Mooncake
The Teochew mooncake (潮州月饼) is a Mid-Autumn Festival delicacy loved for its distinctive flaky pastry and savoury-sweet fillings. Originating from the Teochew (Chaozhou) region in Guangdong, China, this mooncake has become a festive favourite in Malaysia, especially in states with a strong Teochew community such as Penang, Johor, and Selangor. Its unique spiral-layered crust, made from oil pastry, gives it a delicate crispness that contrasts beautifully with its soft, aromatic fillings.
Unlike traditional Cantonese mooncakes, the Teochew mooncake is famous for its multi-layered flaky pastry created through a skillful process of wrapping and rolling oil-based dough. The result is a beautiful swirl pattern on the surface. Common fillings include yam paste, mung bean paste, or lotus seed paste, often paired with salted egg yolk for added richness.
The pastry’s crisp layers are achieved by baking at a high temperature, giving it a golden exterior and melt-in-the-mouth texture. Its lighter, less dense profile makes it a refreshing alternative to heavier baked mooncakes.
Teochew Mooncake in Malaysia
In Malaysia, Teochew mooncakes are especially popular in Penang, where Teochew heritage is strong. Many local bakeries in George Town continue to make them by hand, passing down traditional recipes through generations. Johor Bahru and Klang also see high demand during the Mid-Autumn season, as Teochew families honour their culinary roots.
Premium versions of Teochew Mooncakes can be found at specialty shops and luxury hotels. For example, Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur often features flaky yam paste mooncakes with salted egg yolks in their seasonal collections. Boutique bakers also experiment with creative flavours like matcha yam, black sesame, or pandan-infused bean paste.
Teochew mooncakes use a distinctive two‑dough method also known as Huaiyang Chinese Flakey Pastry 淮揚酥皮 that creates their signature “thousand‑layer” look.
- Bakers first make a water dough (wheat flour, water, sugar, and a little oil) for elasticity,
- then an oil dough (wheat flour blended with vegetable shortening or neutral oil) for tenderness. The oil dough is enveloped by the water dough, rolled, folded, and rolled again to laminate ultra‑thin sheets that flake beautifully in the oven.
In Malaysia, many producers opt for vegetable shortening to keep the pastry halal‑friendly (some heritage recipes elsewhere may use lard). A touch of sugar in the dough balances flavor without making it overly sweet, while natural powders—taro, matcha, black sesame, butterfly‑pea—can be swirled into the dough for subtle color. Fillings lean classic and aromatic: taro (yam) paste made from steamed taro mashed with sugar and oil for a buttery, nutty depth; mung bean or lotus seed paste for a smoother, cleaner profile; and often a salted egg yolk centered inside for savory richness.
Contemporary Malaysian spins may add pandan, durian, oolong, or black sesame praline, but the balance remains: fragrant filling, restrained sweetness, and pastry that doesn’t overpower.
A well‑made Teochew mooncake is all about contrast and layers. The oven heat lifts the laminated pastry into paper‑thin, shattering flakes—light, crisp, and delicately brittle at the edges—while the inner dough stays tender, giving a pleasant bite rather than a hard crunch.
Break it open and you’ll find a creamy, cohesive filling that spreads gently across the palate: taro brings a buttery, slightly earthy silkiness; mung bean tastes cleaner and lighter; lotus paste feels denser yet refined. The optional salted yolk introduces crumbly, savory granules that punctuate the sweetness and add a mild umami finish.
Compared with dense Cantonese baked mooncakes,
- Teochew versions feel airier and more textural, making them easier to enjoy with tea without palate fatigue.
- They’re best at room temperature (for maximum flake and aroma), though a brief warm‑up restores crispness if the pastry has softened in Malaysia’s humidity.
- The result is a light‑yet‑indulgent mouthfeel—crisp on the outside, velvety within—that suits both elegant gifting and unhurried tea‑time pairing.
Moon Cake Types
Make Classical Charm Interesting
At Kek & Crust, we believe in honoring tradition while embracing innovation. Our Teochew mooncake selection goes beyond the old-style flaky yam pastry—it’s a reinvention of the classics. By keeping the signature crispy, layered crust that Teochew mooncakes are known for, we’ve elevated the experience with modern fillings and creative flavours. Instead of only the traditional yam or mung bean paste, our offerings introduce new savoury tastes such as chicken floss, or even honey yam mochi, giving the Teochew mooncake a refreshing twist without losing its heritage charm.
Malaysia’s FIRST colored teochew mooncake blending heritage with modern taste.