Guide to Chinese Celebration Desserts

While in the Western world, dessert is served at the end of a meal and often consists of a dish containing cake or cream, this is usually not the case in China. Rather than putting together a dessert using a recipe, slices of fresh fruit are instead served up in place of a dessert at the end of a meal.

Having said this, there are, in fact, a number of sweet dessert dishes that are enjoyed in China. For the most part, however, these are not consumed at the end of meals, but rather, are saved for special occasions, such as celebrations and holidays throughout the year. We take a look at some of the most popular celebratory desserts around the year in Chinese cuisine.

Tangyuan

Tangyuan are dumplings made from glutinous rice formed into balls. These dumplings are quite diverse as they can be sweet or savoury tasting. Some contain fillings while others are plain, and they can come in a variety of sizes. Common fillings for tangyuan include black sesame, red bean, taro and mung beans. Often, the dumplings are boiled in water, which is sometimes sweetened with sugar and is then served in the same warm water. Some tangyuan are coloured using food colouring, with pink being a popular choice, to add a sense of fun to the dish. Another method of cooking them is to deep fry each dumpling, however, they are most commonly served in water or syrup.

Tangyuan are popular at wedding banquets and other big family meals, as well as being a dessert typically served at the Winter Solstice Festival.

Mooncake

Most commonly served during the Mid-Autumn Festival, mooncakes are a baked dessert, comprised of a pastry stuffed with a variety of fillings. Common fillings include red bean paste, jujube paste, nuts and egg yolks. There are a massive variety of mooncakes available, each with a diverse selection of fillings.

The round shape of the mooncake symbolises completeness and togetherness, while the moon name represents the prosperity that comes from a full moon. As such, the mooncake is considered a symbol of reunion and luck for the family, so is shared between family members during the Mid-Autumn Festival gathering.

Nian Gao

Primarily reserved for serving up at the Chinese New Year celebrations, Nian Gao is otherwise known as year cake or Chinese New Year’s cake. Made from glutinous rice and brown sugar, Nian Gao can also contain sweet red beans.

Eight Treasures Rice Pudding

Reserved for special events or New Year’s celebrations, the Eight Treasures Rice Pudding is made from sweet sticky rice and contains a filling of red bean paste. Living up to its name, the pudding will also feature eight ‘treasures’ adorning the top, such as eight different types of candied fruit.

If you have a sweet tooth and can’t wait until the next festivity to sample some delicious desserts or sweet treats, check out the range of oriental sweets, including white rabbit candy that is available at Oriental Mart!