Scholars' Cake and Number One Scholar's Pastry

Scholars' Cake and Number One Scholar's Pastry

　　Scholars' Cake and Number One Scholar's Pastry are traditional delicacies from the ancient city of Kaifeng, cherished for hundreds of years and still widely celebrated. Legend has it that during the Song Dynasty, when the imperial examination system flourished, scholars from all over the country flocked to the capital city of Kaifeng to take the exams. Merchants, catering to the candidates’ aspirations, competed to make “Scholars' Cake” and “Number One Scholar's Pastry.” The ingredients and preparation methods of the two are similar, both crafted with fine craftsmanship, with the only difference being the fillings. The way they are made is as follows: first, sugar, honey, oil, eggs, Shaoxing wine, and edible yellow food coloring are mixed in proportion to form dough, which is then set aside. Next, winter melon, green plums, peach kernels, and dates are processed into nut fillings and date paste fillings respectively. The rested dough is then rolled into strips and filled. Different molds are used to press the characters “Scholar” and “Number One Scholar” onto the pastries, which are then baked in an oven. The finished Scholars' Cake and Number One Scholar's Pastry are bright red and golden in color, uniformly sized, fragrant, sweet, soft, and melt-in-the-mouth. Among them, Scholars' Cake stands out with its rich nutty aroma and osmanthus fragrance, while Number One Scholar's Pastry is especially noted for its deep, sweet date paste flavor. Today, Scholars' Cake and Number One Scholar's Pastry are no longer just favorite accompaniments for ancient literati and scholars, but have become premium gifts for presenting to relatives, friends, and honored guests. (Kaifeng)