A MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL REUNION AT FOUR SEASONS HOTEL KL

Paying homage to the timeless tradition of family gatherings and children playing with glowing lanterns during Mid-Autumn Festival, Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur’s Dim Sum Chef Ng Meng Loong steps up to proffer time-honoured mooncakes  with novel and classic flavour combinations.

Celebrate the joyful occasion with chef’s new creation of Bird’s Nest, Dragon Fruit and Pecan Nuts Snow Skin Mooncake (RM69). Infused with an intriguing combo of mint, dragon fruit and orchid, the delicate snow skin mooncake boasts a beguiling filling of lotus seed paste, red dates and bird’s nest finished with the satisfying crunch of pecans. It's a contemporary, cohesive combo of creamy, nutty textures exuding floral and gently fruity accents.

 
Durian devotees will enjoy the Musang King Durian Paste Mooncake (RM89); its unmistakably creamy richness puts Malaysia’s much-loved Musang King at the front and centre.

More nuanced choices such as Black Sesame Lotus Seed Paste with Almond (RM59) draws you in with deep, earthy black sesame nuttiness alongside White Lotus Seed Paste with Palm Sugar, Macadamia Nuts and Seaweed (RM59), a familiar classic bearing an unexpected twist.

Traditionalists can find comfort in the classic selection of Pandan Lotus Seed Paste with Single Egg Yolk and Melon Seeds (RM47), Red Bean Paste with Almond Flakes (RM47) and Eight-Nut Treasure (RM49) for their Mid-Autumn celebration.

The exquisitely crafted mooncakes make superb gifts, nestled in an elegant, jewellery-inspired gift box in auspicious red. Ideal for personal and corporate gifting or familial reunion, Four Seasons Hotel KL’s mooncake selection is bound to make an excellent first impression.

 
Receive 15% savings for orders placed before August 20 and 10% savings for purchases of 20 boxes or more.
 

NEW DIM SUM CREATIONS

 
Chef Ng has also introduced new dim sum creations at Yun House recently. Delicate seafood and savoury richness come together in the Mantis Prawn Dumpling with Morel Mushroom.

More oceanic sweetness surfaces in the Farmed Prawn and Flounder Fish Dumpling with Chicken, Crab Roe and Fish Roe.

 
Wrapped in chewy deep-fried mochi-like skin, the chef’s Deep-fried Sea Cucumber Dumpling with Beetroot, Fish Tendon and Lobster Broth delight us with its playful approach as we squirt the lobster broth into the dumpling prior to eating.

Zingy mustard sauce or a dash of Worchestershire sauce perks up the Crispy Beancurd Skin Roll with Prawns and Chives, enhancing the distinct textural and flavourful combination.

Be prepared to be swept away by the lush accents emanating from the Signature Crab Roe Xiao Long Bao with Chicken, Spring Onion and Ginger. Red vinegar dials up the appeal of the soup-filled dumpling.

Supple softness subsuming to crisp crunchiness makes the Steamed Red Brown Rice Rolls with Crispy Prawns and Coriander a praiseworthy offering.

Even the humble Wok-fried Carrot Cake gets a luxurious makeover with prawns, sun-dried scallops and dried shrimps joining the jumble of egg, preserved radish and dough fritters in signature spicy scallop sauce.

 
Part heritage and part imagination, Chef Ng Meng Loong’s dim sum creations is worth gathering together to enjoy.

 
For the Mid-Autumn Fest mooncake orders, contact Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur, tel: 03-2382 8602 or email: yunhouse.kualalumpur@fourseasons.com.

  

A MAD PICNIC BY MADHATTER DESSERTS

The MadHatter returns! Masterchef Asia S1’s first runner-up and dessert maestro Marcus Low will host MadHatter Desserts: A Mad Picnic at Psychotic Operator Wine Space on 11 and 12 July.

Collaborating with homegrown brands like Raksasa Spirits and Chocolate Concierge, Low’s masterpieces will feature nostalgic Chinese-inspired dessert using French techniques and Malaysian flavours.

Taking pride of place in his repertoire is Pineapple Beneath the Looking Glass featuring a snap-crackle pineapple-shaped chocolate shell filled with Raksasa gula Melaka rum baba with mascarpone mousse, spiced pineapple compote and gula Melaka rum 'snow'. Tastes super-boozy so it should hit the spot for avid drinkers.

Chocoholics will adore the Rather Peculiar Biscuit featuring decadent dark rye brownie and chocolate mousse topped with a layer of savoury chicken biscuit crumbs, a popular Malaysian snack of yesteryear. Upping the indulgent ante further is roasted peanut skin ice cream. Definitely a luscious creation to go nuts over.

A whimsical Teapot Cake drew admiring gasps of delight. The squat Chinese teapot is delicately made with exquisite oolong tea mousse and jelly, passionfruit curd and tea biscuit crumble.

We were astounded by the fine handiwork employed to create Porcelain Illusion. Low used white chocolate, coconut mousseline and peanut génoise; transformed into retro bowls adorned with the iconic rooster motif bearing peanut-filled tang yuan (glutinous rice balls).

The chef’s playfulness also emerged in Marry Me Cake – an artful melding of two traditional pastries known as ‘lou po beng’ (Wife Cake) and ‘lou kung beng’ (Husband Cake). His flaky, buttery puff pastry flaunted a distinct core of fermented red beancurd and roasted peanuts paste sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds.

Low’s other notable offerings we sampled include Sambal Tempoyak Buns, The Curious Orchard (buttery pâte brisée tart with apple-kedondong compote and local lime) and feather-light, crisp Palmiers.

His classics: Matcha Pistachio Passionfruit, Chocolate & Calamansi Cake, The Queen’s Victoria (sponge with berry compote, fresh cream and port-macerated locally grown berries) and Raspberry Rose Lychee Cake need no introduction for long-time MadHatter fans.

 
The full MadHatter’s sweet collection is available for pre-order via @madhatterdesserts