Impress your guests 
with these novel 
Chinese New Year snacks

SINGAPORE — Lunar New Year will soon be upon us, and while we all love our pinepple tarts, love letters and kueh bangkits as much as the next person, sometimes, it doesn’t hurt to get out of the CNY-shaped box. It might even score you some extra points when your relatives come visit. So as we welcome the Rooster year, put aside those tried and tested snacks and dare to follow your stomach’s true desires. Whether it is durian, chocolate, bak-kwah or going dairy-free, this list of alternative Lunar New Year snacks has got you covered.

For the classic with a twist

Check out Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel’s new creation this year — the baked nian gao (a sweet cake) and yam tart. According to Daniel Burstein, director of Food and Beverage at the hotel, this is a modern twist on the traditional nian gao, which is usually deep-fried with yam paste. The nian gao is placed in tart shells, with yam paste piped in the centre. This delicacy can be eaten hot by reheating it in the microwave oven, or cold by placing it in the refrigerator, making for two very different culinary experiences.

Fans of the hotel’s CNY snacks can also expect the ever-popular Bak Kwa Cornflake Cookies. These offer the best of both worlds in a confection that marries chicken bak kwa with crunchy cornflake cookies. Feast on sweet chunks of bak kwa embedded in crumbly cookies that are coated with cornflakes, and indulge in the delicious blend of flavours complete with that extra satisfying crunch. Chef John Evans, the hotel’s executive pastry chef, said they chose chicken bak kwa as the filling “because it boasts the perfect balance of a sweet sensation and a barbecued flavour ... adding more texture and flavours to the cookies as well as giving a local twist to a Western confectionary”.

Available at Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel Forecourt Stall, 320 Orchard Road.

For the contemporary

Janice Wong Singapore has rolled out classic delicacies that feature interesting additions this season. Think traditional pineapple tarts but between baked-to-crumble biscuits with pineapple paste made from fresh pineapples, and (wait for it) salted caramel. Even better, the pineapple paste comes in two flavours: Traditional Pineapple and Banana Pineapple. It also has a range of traditional tarts dipped in 70 per cent dark chocolate, which is exactly the kind of kick cocoa lovers will swoon over.

Wong has also introduced the iconic barbecue pork into her confectionary, with the Bak Kwa Chocolate Chip Crispy Cookies. The barbecue pork and chocolate chips together create a crispy texture with a satisfying crunchiness. You can pick and choose among her various creations to create your own customised hamper to gift to your friends or colleagues.

Available for purchase at www.janicewong.online

For the prosperity-seekers

Love your pineapple tarts? Goodwood Park Hotel is rewarding that passion with a large version of the quintessential bite-sized festive treat. The Huat! Tart is a 6.5-inch pineapple tart which features a homemade fresh pineapple reduction infused with vanilla. Crowned with an auspicious “fa”, which means prosperity in Mandarin and colloquially pronounced as “huat”, it makes for a rather eye-catching and “lucky” centrepiece. You should also try the spicy salted egg yolk lotus root chips. These homemade chips are coated abundantly in salted egg yolk crumbs and spiced up with chilli padi and curry leaves, and are so addictive they would put your dieting efforts to shame.

Available at The Deli, Goodwood Park Hotel, 22 Scotts Road.

For durian and cheese lovers

Emicakes, best known for its durian cakes, is marrying two popular local favourites into one confection — the pineapple durian tarts, a surprisingly delicious combination of traditional pineapple with durian filling. And if you want to veer far off the conventional path of pineapple tarts, they also have pineapple cheese tarts. These tarts have pineapple filling garnished with strings of parmesan cheese on top of parmesan-infused pastry, giving it a yummy crunch.

Available at http://emicakes.com.sg/

For the Dairy-Free

Delcie’s Desserts and Cakes, known for its eggless and dairy-free products, is offering an all new Coconut Love Letters which are infused with rich freshly-squeezed coconut milk. Those familiar with its treats can also look forward to the popular melt-in-your-mouth Pineapple Ball with a diabetic-friendly pastry that wraps around the freshest pineapple filling without added refined sugar and eggs.

According to a spokesperson from the bakery, its Lunar New Year snacks are a hit despite being dairy-free and eggless. “Take our pineapple tarts and balls for example, our regulars came back to us because the pineapple we use is so fragrant and they can taste the pineapples’ tanginess in the filling. This is because the flavours are not covered by the use of sugar in our process of cooking the filling.”

We recommend their vegan green pea cookies as well — these are most sought-after for their rich, authentic taste of peas.

Available at Delcie’s Desserts and Cakes, #01- 83, Blk 34, Whampoa West