Kaixian Ice-Thin Mooncakes

Kaixian Ice-Thin Mooncakes

　　Kaixian Ice-Thin Mooncakes are a specialty of Kaixian District in Chongqing. These mooncakes are distinguished by their uniquely thin shape, rich aroma, appropriately crisp yet soft texture, sweet taste without being greasy, high nutritional value, and long shelf life. Kaixian Ice-Thin Mooncakes have been awarded a National Geographical Indication Certification trademark.

　　Kaixian is home to a diverse array of flavorful snacks, but among them, the Ice-Thin Mooncake stands out in the memories of the locals. It doesn’t just offer material satisfaction—it embodies the taste of Mid-Autumn togetherness and sweetness. For over four hundred years, every Mid-Autumn season, Kaixian’s Ice-Thin Mooncakes have “made a bold appearance” on the candy trays of every household. They are an essential delicacy for moon-gazing and gift-giving, beloved by both adults and children for their sweet, crisp, and soft texture.

　　The traditional Ice-Thin Mooncakes use meticulously selected ingredients and follow a refined production process. The main ingredient is premium refined white flour, with additional ingredients including fats, roasted sesame seeds, rock sugar, white sugar, peanuts, spices, maltose, and various preserved fruits. The overall production involves seven major steps and 11 minor steps. First is the removal of the sesame husk: the sesame purchased from rural areas is soaked in clean water for about an hour, stirred, then rinsed to remove the husk. The cleaned sesame must be dried on the same day to prevent sprouting or mold. Next, maltose is made by steaming rice into cooked rice, fermenting it at a low temperature, and then boiling the resulting sweet liquid in a large pot to produce maltose. Then comes the preparation of the filling: fats, cooked flour, peanut powder, sesame powder, and various preserved fruits are mixed in specific proportions, stirred evenly, and then shaped by hand into small balls weighing about 4.5 qian (approximately 17 grams) each as the filling. The premium refined white flour is combined with a measured amount of maltose, a small amount of fat, and water, then stirred into a dough with the right moisture level. To ensure the mooncakes are crispy and not hard after baking, a measured amount of alkaline water is added during the mixing process. The dough is then flattened into circular pieces, each weighing about 3.5 qian (approximately 13 grams). The filling is wrapped in the dough, placed in molds, and rolled into raw mooncakes. These are then coated with white sesame seeds in a tray—a step known as “sesame coating.” The sesame-coated raw mooncakes are baked in a stove oven to ensure they are thoroughly cooked without burning. Finally, they are packaged and sealed.

　　With their uniquely thin shape, rich aroma, appropriately crisp yet soft texture, sweet taste without being greasy, high nutritional value, and long shelf life, Ice-Thin Mooncakes are representative products for studying folk confectionery culture. The traditional dietary culture elements and craftsmanship they embody hold significant value for uncovering folk techniques and promoting cultural heritage.

　　Kaixian Ice-Thin Mooncakes are not only popular locally but have gradually expanded their influence to surrounding areas, gaining considerable recognition. At their peak, just in Linjiang alone, there were over fifty Ice-Thin Mooncake workshops, employing more than a thousand workers, with an annual output exceeding 100,000 jin (approximately 50 metric tons). They dominated the local market in Kaixian and were also exported to major cities such as Chongqing, Chengdu, Nanjing, and Beijing, where they were warmly received by consumers.

　　In 2013, the “Kaixian Ice-Thin Mooncakes” application submitted by the Kaixian Ice-Thin Mooncakes Industry Association was approved and registered as a China National Geographical Indication Certification Trademark by the Trademark Office of the State Administration for Industry and Commerce. The trademark registration number is: 11632186.