Photography by Matyen

Introduction

Chinese New Year, also called Spring Festival or CNY is a festival that falls between January and February, and as you may expect, a great time to enjoy foods. Having sweets and snacks during Chinese New Year celebration are mandatory to enhance the new year sweetener and of course, new year prosperity. When it comes to snack, which has been very popular during the Chinese New Year celebration then there is definitely no filler as there pineapple tarts and the more modern bak kwa.

Here, we bring you ten classic Chinese New Year snacks and tidbits to start the Lunar New Year on a healthy note. These crunchy kuih can be eaten as snacks, improve on their presentation to make them gift offerings or even include them as part of a CNY dining table. Well then, continue reading below to get inspired on what to fill your home with during this CNY!

1. Pineapple Tarts

They are a classic for a reason – featured with the buttery, crumbly tart shell and a thick chunky pineapple jam in an iconic pineapple tart for the celebration. It’s a sin not to take home these melt-in-your-mouth guilt free pineapple tarts which represent prosperity with the golden pineapple. You can go for the simple, yet recognizable uncontained tart or select pineapple balls surrounded by a pastry cover. , you can have it normal or make yourself creative to come out with different varieties such as the chili pineapple tarts.

For instance, Prima Deli and Awfully Chocolate sell even the pineapple tarts at a high price and they come in flavors such as the lychee rose and the chocolate pineapple. Want the authentic recipes of traditional bakes, then look no further than Bengawan Solo and Tong Heng Confectionery.

2. Bak Kwa (BBQ Meat)

Barbecued pork jerky, bak kwa is one of the tastiest snacks for Chinese New Year because of its sweet and BBQ taste. For visitors to nibble on, sets of bak kwa or packets of it may be given as gifts, or placed in the Chinese New Year goodie jar.

Lim Chee Guan is the most trusted bak kwa brand in Singapore; their bak kwa is sweet, tender, and caramelize. Pungent and aromatic, their famous Bak Kwa is perfect for the gifting. Bak kwa from Bee Cheng Hiang is another brand that has substantial stores in Asia and the United States of America. Their honey bak-kwa barbequed to perfection then coated with a lovely honey glaze is a CNY bestseller.

3. Love Letters

It has that cripsness of biscuit and the of coconut and winter melon that you get when you actually try the snack pieces known by the endearing name of love letters. For this reason, the intricate fold resembling letters of love and tidings makes it a favorite for CNY.

The homemade ones from small-scale businesses taste much better compared to industrial produced and sold ones. Specialty love letters to look out for are those that have peanut or sesame fillings included as well. Roland and Crown Confectionery are Chinese cookie brands that also sell love letters in a proper packaging, suitable for CNY hamper.

4. Almond Cookies

Being one of the most delicious CNY cookies, almond cookies contain a great amount of roasted almond chips and flakes in buttery cookie dough. It is also important to notice that their round form, as well as intricate carvings indicating coins and peaches, are symbolic as well.

The two brands for almond cookies that can be recommended are Khong Guan and Kyokuyo. Of course, their star buy is the mini almond cookies which are best used as fillings for goodie jars or packed ready for snacking. For luxury experience one must try out the Shanghai brand Xinghualou as they specialize in handmade butter almond cookies based in 150 years back.

5. Kueh Bangkit or Tapioca based cookies in Indonesia.

Kueh bangkit is precious because the cookies are crisp, melt in the mouth and breaks apart gently. The pastries made from tapioca or potato starch, rice flour and coconut milk and therefore are free from diary as well. These cookies are then decorated with flower designs carved into them or with flour or powdered sugar dusted on top.

Home bakers consider it a challenge to make these cute cookies from scratch during CNY. Among the samples purchased from supermarkets, Bengawan Solo is one of the outstanding ones due to clearly delineated kueh bangkit pattern on its packaging, the meticulous hand-piped writings and the plentiful coconut shavings sprinkled on the steamed kueh. This is mainly due to the ability of the beer to provide a light and flaky feel in the mouth.

6. Peanut Puffs

Crunchy peanut puffs are a favorite especially for the Chinese as the puffed up shape and glistening yellow colour reminds them of gold bars during CNY. Another type of tea snacks is of pillow shape filled with roasted peanut bits and recalls traditional Chinese tea snacks.

Handmade puffs are normally more aromatic than commercial packs. Local brands Golden Peanut Puffs and Fragrance make peanut puffs, sesame puffs, and variety packs packed tastefully in retro tin boxes. Perfect for snacking, for receiving guests or taking in a holiday tin to be baked into cookies.

7. Mandarin Oranges

Among all the Chinese New Year fruits, mandarin oranges are most representative CNY ornaments and gifts. Their colors indicate gold and the outlines symbolize coins. The Cantonese equivalent for orange resembles the sounds of luck and prosperity, so they are even more iconic.

Here in CNY, markets and stores are filled with plastic crates of mandarin oranges. Try the seedless Japanese Dekopon varieties or the Hawaiian Honey murcotts. Aside from consuming them fresh, serve mandarin oranges as lovely garnishes, including for fruit bouquets.ana

8. Sugared Preserved Plums

Salted plums also known as suan mei are a traditional Chinese salty sweet sour CNY delicacies to warm up your palate. Suan mei is a common decoration in China and Taiwan, which literally means ‘longevity, prosperity, sweet voice and sweetness of marriage,’ sweet life of the future.

Suan mei coated in a frosting of white or colored sugar crystals are especially pretty and tasty versions for CNY. It is best eaten as a snack, or even simply showcased in glasses for the beauty of their colors. Bring a little sweetness to the new year with this confection delight this season.

9. Peanut candy

Of all Chinese candies, it is easy to have a special plance on these melt-in-your-mouth peanut candies during the first day of CNY. From the preparation of sugar and roasted peanuts to hardness, biscuits get their brittle characteristic. Incorporation of natural colours and flavours turns these plain basic products into such irresistible sweets containing sugar.

Many brands of confectionery manufacture peanut candies but home made ones taste even better. Some of the famous types are the Lukang peanut candy of Taiwan and the nyonya peanut candy. You can also be extra innovative by coating the candies with chocolate or adding more peanuts on top of the candies.

10. Egg rolls

Pineapple tarts: These are relatives of eggroll biscuits filled with a rich coconut jam or pandan kaya spread might sound like an acquired taste, but they’re a huge hit during CNY. They have a rather peculiar combination of textures that is biscuit and a sweet product inside, so you will want to have more of them. If there is one aspect in which brands such as Khong Guan have reached culinary excellence, it is with the egg rolls. Take them as they are or dip them into Chinese tea or coffee.

Conclusion

To have such a mouthwatering list of CNY goodies and snacks, the feasting options this, Lunar New Year are simply extensive. In terms of products on the menu, there is something for everyone, traditional products such as the pineapple tarts, and love letters, and modern products such as the chocolate chili pineapple tarts and assorted puffs in collectible tins. Send your family, friends and beloveds quality and tasty bak kwa, oranges, cookies or peanut candy in elegant tins or baskets. When deciding on the list of dishes for the New Year’s table, be sure to include these Top 10 CNY snacks so that your feast bursts with the taste of sweets and good wishes. Happy Lunar New Year and Gong Xi Fa Cai!