This observe usually persists at present in Asian baking, and unsurprisingly, desserts with a “not too candy” profile are trending and gaining world reputation. In East Asian and Asian diaspora cultures, “not too candy” is neither merely descriptive nor vital — it is the final word praise that the baker has achieved a nuanced stability of flavors.
In distinction to Western tradition, bread and pastries are extra typically loved as treats than on a regular basis meal staples. And desserts are thought of an integral a part of the meal, which brings stability to the opposite programs moderately than being handled as a course of their very own. Therefore, if you get pleasure from dim sim, you’ll be able to have an egg tart or sesame ball at any time, not simply after the meal.
This cultural perspective is another excuse for the distinctive taste profiles noticed in Asian baking, like savory bread, corresponding to sausage and pork floss buns, carrying a touch of sweetness, whereas candy desserts, like mochi, err on the facet of being “not too candy.”
The mooncake is one other signature instance of a “not too candy” dessert. This Chinese language specialty typically includes a dense and subtly candy lotus seed or purple bean paste filling balanced by a savory salted egg yolk within the center for a small, full-moon-shaped deal with meant to be shared.