There are two kinds of people when it comes to mooncakes — those who enjoy nibbling on slivers of the dense discs filled with sugary lotus paste, and those who would rather eat anything else. We belong to the latter camp — so even sexy-sounding, luxed up variations like champagne chocolate truffle mooncakes do nothing for us. But as with most things in life, there are exceptions. Especially when the flavour combinations actually work and aren’t just there to create hype, or, well, justify inflated prices. Such as the…

Custard mooncakes aren’t new. But many of the ones we’ve come across are gummy and saccharine. This petite number cloaked in thin, glossy pastry is, however, a brilliant new offering from SunnyHills. Yes, there is lemak, silky custard — but its richness is counterpointed with a tangy dollop of fragrant organic pineapple jam (used in SunnyHills’ famous Taiwanese pineapple cakes). And when it all threatens to become a little too overwhelming after a couple of munches, a whisper of salted egg yolk subtly blended with the custard shows up to introduce welcome umami. A hint of salt is indeed dessert’s best friend. Excellent dense, melty mouthfeel, too.

That the box, designed by “Taiwanese artist Ramee, famed for his contemporary designs depicting modern lifestyle” manages to be both hip yet adorable is another reason to love this.

Ok, so this isn’t technically a mooncake. But the newly-introduced tiny apple tart that’s usually sold only in Japan makes a brief appearance in Singapore just for the mid-autumn festival — and we think it's too yummy to pass up. Its juicy Kougyoku apple (from Aomori prefecture) filling is perfect for this snack; the sweet-sharp, crunchy varietal is often used for pies in Japan because of its high level of acidity. Here, it's cooked into a gleaming compote that somehow tastes like candy, ume, citrus (thanks to a hint of lemon juice), flowers and a whole lotta apple, of course. Super addictive with SunnyHills’ rich pastry made with, according to the brand’s PR rep, “Japanese butter” and “topped with icing sugar frosting, like Mt Fuji”.

The Pineapple Custard Mooncake & Apple Cake are available while stocks last at SunnyHills. Two outlets including Raffles Hotel, 3 Seah St, S188379. Tel: 8522-9605. http://shop.sunnyhills.com.sg/index

To us, Thye Moh Chan’s savoury tau sar piahs are the perfect antidote to the tooth achingly sweet mooncake. This handmade number (often eaten during the mid-autumn fest by Teochews) with salted egg, the size of a small birthday cake, only makes its appearance annually during the mid-autumn bash. There’s more of the superb filling to savour in this behemoth: intensely flavourful ground mung beans hugging an even layer of mashed salted egg yolk in the middle so every wedge you slice gets an equal portion of briny yumminess to go with the flaky, lardy crust. Just be warned that heartburn is inevitable if you eat half of this in one sitting, but boy will it hurt so good.

Available till 1 Oct, or while stocks last. Three outlets and one booth including Paragon, 290 Orchard Rd, #B1-12, S238859. Tel: 6732-8858. https://www.thyemohchan.com/

Photos: SunnyHills & Thye Moh Chan