Unconventional mooncakes you have to try in Hong Kong

Known for their fun Hong Kong-inspired pastries, Dang Wen Li have hopped on the mooncake trend to release their latest creation – the Chef Bunny mooncake gift box. This adorable collection features four custard-filled mooncakes, infused with a rich Earl Grey tea and topped off with a golden, flaky crust. But that’s not all! Packaged inside the bunny gift box’s little orange backpack is a DIY yuzu cookie kit that comes with a set of house-blended yuzu cookie mix, a bunny-shaped cookie cutter and instructions so that you and your family can enjoy some good old baking!

If you’re a sucker for a good cup of tea, look no further. Known for their tea-infused delicacies, Tea WG’s Sky Lantern tea mooncake collection features four delicate tea-infused twists on the family favourite treat. Try the classic Constellation mooncake infused with Singapore breakfast tea, or the Moonlight mooncake that showcases a white lotus paste infused with Sky Lantern tea, topped with a sprinkling of white and dark chocolate. Watch out for other options like Black Pagoda Tea and even a Matcha infused mooncake too!

Who said mooncakes have to be sweet? Giving the traditional festive treat a savoury twist, Feather and Bone has cooked up a set of pork mooncakes this year. Made with Valenca free-range pork and Lardo di Colonnata (Tuscan cured pork-fat), each mooncake holds a bacon-studded meat centre spiced with nutmeg, sage, thyme, garlic, and more – so yes, it's basically a pork pie. Each pack of two is available in Feather and Bone stores and online shops from September 1 onwards.

If you're looking for a vegan and gluten-free option, try The Cakery’s guilt-free mooncakes. Each packed with all kinds of superfoods, the healthy treat comes in four colourful flavours, including black sesame (black sesame, pumpkin seeds, and raisins), red date and mixed nuts (red dates, cashews, dried apricots, and pink pitaya powder ), oolong and peach (white bean paste, milk oolong tea, and dried peach), and lemon and yuzu (lemon, yuzu, and turmeric powder). You’ll find one of each flavour in a wooden box elegantly wrapped in a beautiful furoshiki wrapping cloth.

For those who enjoy the finer things in life, how does caviar mooncake sound? With only 1,000 boxes available, The Royal Caviar Club has created the world's first caviar and truffle mooncake! Each mooncake is individually packaged in small, elegant tins, and is handmade with the brand's Royal Cristal Caviar, Australian winter black truffle, and truffled potato, all wrapped inside a soft, chewy non-baked snow skin. The mooncakes are also free of preservatives and sugar, so it's healthy and classy. Just what you need to impress your friends and family.

If you're not a fan of lotus seed or egg custard, Venchi's chocolate mooncakes should be your go-to. Paying homage to mother nature, the petal-shaped mooncakes come in a trio of flavours to satisfy your sweet tooth: matcha and cocoa nibs mooncake (75 percent dark chocolate), which combines green matcha tea ganache with pistachio and cocoa nibs for some crunch; black cherry (75 percent dark chocolate), made with a cherry cream centre and dark chocolate with almond paste; and Didama (56 percent dark chocolate), a combination of soft gianduia chocolate spread with gluten-free hazelnut biscuits. 

Keep it simple and order the square gift box to enjoy four pieces of decadent chocolate mooncakes, or get the rectangle and double-layer gift box for extra chocolates on the side!

The hotel's famous whisky chocolate mooncakes are sure to satiate whisky buffs and foodies alike. Featuring four different types of single-origin chocolates from Ghana, Ecuador, Vietnam, and Grenada, the mooncakes have been carefully selected with varying levels of cocoa and distinct characters that, when blended with the specially aged Speyside whisky, produces a unique whisky tasting experience. The whisky used for the mooncakes is aged in sherry-seasoned mini barrels at Tiffany’s New York Bar for six weeks to develop a more in-depth profile to the dram. Nothing more fun than a boozy celebration for Mid-Autumn Fest, right?

Whisky chocolate mooncake (4pcs), $428/box

Michelin-starred Shang Palace gets creative with a series of quirky flavours in all shapes, sizes, and colours. Check out the Master Chef gift box's rose-shaped mini mooncakes infused with Yunnan rose sugar. Only 100 boxes are available and it even comes with a beautiful LED lantern. Or try the Bakkwa (Chinese-style jerky) and pork floss mooncake, an impeccable combination of savoury and sweet. Last but certainly not least, the mini matcha mooncake is a transformative spin on traditional Japanese desserts, featuring an aromatic matcha crust, red bean paste, mochi, and a zesty yuzu centre. 

If you can't decide on what to try, the Shang Palace signature Mooncake quartet will give you a variety of both old and new flavours, including a special Chiu Chow mooncake with pandan leaf, yam paste, and salted egg yolk.

Feast your eyes on Reign's two special treats this year. Whipped up by Michelin-starred chef Jean-Marc Soldati, the South African abalone egg custard mini mooncake strikes a perfect balance of sweet and savoury between its luscious egg custard filling and fresh, diced pieces of South African abalone. For a more aromatic experience, the truffle egg lava custard mini mooncake is infused with fresh black truffles harvested from Umbria, a well-known region in Italy for producing some of the finest truffles around the world. Both mooncakes are available in sets of two and four.

For the chocoholics, Godiva Chocolatier has got your back.  The shop has whipped up six Chinese-inspired chocolate mooncakes! Choose from pairings such as red bean and osmanthus, mango and ginger, as well as matcha and kumquat, and indulge in perfect bite-sized mooncakes made with chocolate ganache, pate de fruit centres, and crunchy elements such as nuts for texture. This one should definitely go on our shopping list.