Changzhou Crab Shell Yellow

Changzhou Crab Shell Yellow

　　Crab Shell Yellow is a local specialty snack from Changzhou, commonly known as small sesame cake, and is often paired with large sesame cake as a gift. It comes in four fillings: shepherd’s purse, scallion oil, white sugar, and clear oil red bean paste. Its characteristics include a crab shell-like shape, golden color, rich oiliness without being greasy, crispy and flaky texture, sweet and mellow sugar filling, and savory taste for the salty version.

　　Preparation: The crisp layer dough is made by stir-frying with rapeseed oil that has been simmered to about seventy to eighty percent doneness... It is then rolled together with two-thirds of the water-based dough into a multi-layered dough roll, filled with stuffing, and baked in an oven until done. It can be stored for up to a week without spoiling, making it suitable for travel.

　　The basic ingredients of Crab Shell Yellow are flour, and the dough-making process is quite particular. In addition to water, refined oil is added—not just a little, but enough to create a shiny raw dough that will develop flaky layers when baked. Fresh out of the oven, Crab Shell Yellow is intensely fragrant. Take a bite and it’s both crispy and flaky, with layers that peel away, leaving a lingering aroma and a deeply satisfying flavor.