Short answer
A snow skin mooncake is an unbaked mooncake with a soft, chewy skin made from glutinous rice flour, served chilled. It differs from the baked Cantonese kind, which has a thin golden skin, and it usually has lighter fillings and a short shelf life.
A snow skin mooncake is an unbaked mooncake with a soft, chewy skin made from glutinous rice flour, served chilled. The pale skin is wrapped around a smooth filling such as lotus seed paste, red bean paste or custard. It differs from a baked Cantonese mooncake, which has a thin golden skin and a dense, rich paste.
What is a snow skin mooncake?
A snow skin mooncake is a modern style of mooncake whose skin is made from cooked glutinous rice flour rather than baked wheat dough. It is also called a snowy mooncake, a crystal mooncake or by the Cantonese name bing pei.
The skin is white and soft, a little like mochi, and it is shaped around a filling in a mold. The style became popular in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia in the late 20th century and then spread across Asia and to Chinese bakeries abroad. Fillings range from the traditional pastes to custard, fruit and chocolate.
How is a snow skin mooncake made?
A snow skin mooncake is made by cooking a batter of glutinous rice flour, sugar and a little oil until it forms a soft dough, wrapping it around a ball of filling and pressing it in a mold. It is then chilled until firm.
- Mix glutinous rice flour, rice flour and sugar with milk or water.
- Steam the batter until it is set and translucent.
- Knead in a little oil or shortening to a smooth, soft dough.
- Wrap a ball of filling in a thin layer of dough.
- Press it into a mooncake mold, dusting with cooked rice flour to prevent sticking.
- Refrigerate until firm.
Because no oven is used, the finished mooncake is white or lightly colored, and the patterns from the mold are faint.
Snow skin vs baked mooncake: what is the difference?
The difference is in the skin, the serving temperature and the keeping time. A baked mooncake has a thin, golden, molded wheat skin and is served at room temperature, while a snow skin mooncake has a chewy, pale skin and is served cold.
| Feature | Baked Cantonese mooncake | Snow skin mooncake |
|---|---|---|
| Skin | Thin wheat dough, golden brown | Soft glutinous rice dough, pale |
| Cooking | Baked, then rested | Not baked, chilled |
| Texture | Dense, tender, slightly oily | Chewy, soft, cool |
| Filling | Rich pastes, nuts, yolk | Lighter pastes, custard, fruit |
| Serving | Room temperature, in wedges | Cold, often whole or in halves |
| Shelf life | Longer | Short, refrigerated |
Neither is a better mooncake. They suit different moods: the baked kind for tea and tradition, the snow skin kind for something cool and soft.
What fillings do snow skin mooncakes have?
Snow skin mooncakes use soft fillings that stay pleasant when cold. Lotus seed paste, red bean paste and mung bean are the traditional ones, and many shops add custard, taro, mango, durian and chocolate.
- Lotus seed paste: gentle and smooth, a classic match for the soft skin
- Red bean paste: sweet and familiar
- Custard: creamy, often with egg yolk
- Taro: earthy and mild
- Fruit: mango, strawberry or lychee in seasonal boxes
- Chocolate: a modern addition that appeals to children
Some shops fill them with a bit of mochi or a salted egg yolk, so the bite contains several textures.
How do you serve and store snow skin mooncakes?
Serve a snow skin mooncake cold, straight from the refrigerator, and keep it refrigerated until a few minutes before eating. The skin turns sticky and soft if it sits warm for long.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Eat within the time the seller advises, usually a few days.
- Do not leave at room temperature for hours.
- Cut with a wet knife to keep the skin from sticking.
- Freezing changes the texture, so ask the seller if it is suitable.
A few shops sell frozen snow skin mooncakes that thaw in the refrigerator. Follow the instructions on the box.
Where does the snow skin mooncake come from?
The snow skin mooncake is generally described as a late 20th century invention from Hong Kong, later popular in Singapore, Malaysia and across Asia. Its exact first maker is not clearly documented, so accounts differ.
What is clear is why it caught on. Bakers wanted a mooncake that was lighter than the dense baked kind, easier to flavor with fruit and cream, and free of the long resting time that baked mooncakes need. The unbaked skin also allowed color: pink, green, purple and blue skins appear in modern boxes, tinted with fruit or vegetable powders. Because the style is newer, bakery habits vary widely, and recipes from one shop to the next differ in sweetness, thickness and filling.
What should you ask before you buy snow skin mooncakes?
Ask how they are stored, how long they keep and what is inside, because the answers affect freshness and allergies.
- Is the mooncake sold chilled or frozen, and how should it be kept at home?
- How many days does it keep once opened?
- Does the filling contain egg, nuts, dairy or soy?
- Is the skin made with milk or with water?
- Is there a mochi or custard layer inside?
Boxes sold for gifting often carry an eat-by date. Check it, and plan to eat the mooncakes within that window.
Does Ho Yuen Bakery sell snow skin mooncakes?
The sources for Ho Yuen Bakery describe hand-molded, baked-style mooncakes, not snow skin. Boston Magazine writes of dense, tender mooncakes filled with lotus seed or black bean paste, some with nuts or a salted egg yolk, and the bakery sells them all year. No snow skin mooncake is recorded for the shop.
If you want the chilled style, call (617) 426-8320 to ask what is available, or read the menu page of this independent guide to see what has been recorded. The bakery is at 54 Beach St #1 in Boston’s Chinatown, and the hours and location page lists the hours as shown on Google Maps. This site takes no orders and publishes no prices because the bakery publishes none.
How do you choose between baked and snow skin mooncakes?
Choose a baked mooncake for tradition, for gifting and for a keepable pastry, and a snow skin mooncake for a cool, chewy treat to eat soon. Taste and timing decide it.
- If you are gifting a box that will travel, choose baked mooncakes, which keep longer.
- If you are eating the same day, snow skin gives a lighter, cooler bite.
- If you want a classic festival flavor, choose lotus seed paste in either style.
- If you dislike sticky textures, choose baked.
- If you want to try several flavors, mini snow skin boxes are often sold that way.
Common questions
Are snow skin mooncakes baked?
No. The skin is made from cooked glutinous rice flour mixed with sugar and fat, then wrapped around a filling and chilled until set. Nothing goes into an oven, which is why the skin stays pale and soft.
Why are snow skin mooncakes served cold?
The skin is soft and sticky at room temperature, so chilling firms it and gives the characteristic chewy bite. Take it out of the refrigerator a few minutes before eating if you prefer it a little softer.
How long do snow skin mooncakes last?
Far less than baked mooncakes. Because the skin is unbaked and often holds fresh or creamy fillings, they are kept refrigerated and eaten within a few days. Follow the seller’s advice, since the exact time varies.
What fillings do snow skin mooncakes have?
Common fillings are lotus seed paste, red bean paste, mung bean, taro, custard, mango and chocolate. Some include a mochi layer or a salted egg yolk. Modern shops release new flavors each season.
Is snow skin the same as mochi?
They are related, since both rely on glutinous rice, but they are not identical. Mochi is made from pounded or steamed glutinous rice, while snow skin is a cooked batter of glutinous rice flour, usually with sugar and oil.
Everything practical is on the home page: Ho Yuen Bakery hours, menu and directions.
This article is general information from an independent guide, not from Ho Yuen Bakery itself. For the store’s current details see hours and location.