Modernized Traditional Asian Desserts
Wen Jian, owner of Wen’s Cakes in Foster City, has traveled throughout Asia perfecting her craft. She is an extraordinary baker and artist, specializing in cakes, macarons, cookies and flowers so life-like you would never guess they were made out of bean paste, wafer paper or buttercream.
One of her favorite things to make are snowy mooncakes, a twist on the traditional Chinese dessert enjoyed for Mid-Autumn Festival in China. For centuries, (ever since the Yuan Dynasty, 1279-1368), mooncakes made with salted duck egg yolks and lotus seed paste have been a mainstay during the festival. In the 1980’s, a bakery in Hong Kong made the first snowy mooncakes, a non-baked and less sweet and fatty alternative to the traditional mooncakes. Wen will teach us her tips and tricks for making this equally beautiful and delicious dessert at home. In the meantime, see Wen’s artistry on Instagram @wenscake1106.
