Flaky pastry, with sweet (typically maltose) fillings. Big, flat and round.This is what Taichung, in Taiwan is famous for. Suncake (太阳饼, pronounced Tai Yang Bing) is a popular Taiwanese snack originally from the city of Taichung in Taiwan. They are normally packaged elaborately and meant to be given as gifts.
Why the name "suncake" ? Does it resemble the sun? There are two most widely heard stories. (1) it's named after the store (Sunbooth, Taiwan) that made these cakes famous.
(2) it looks like the Rising Sun of the Japanese FlagThe three distinct characteristics of suncake - thin soft pastry crust despite their multiple layers; aromatic light pastry crust made from lard; soft sweet fillings of maltose that is not overly sweet to burden your palates.
There is much hard work in making suncakes that gives them their distinctive characteristics. The outer pastry is typically a water-oil dough while the inner pastry is an oil-dough (I'm not good with these dough baking terms but I'm sure they are easy for you bakers out there). The ingredients of the suncake fillings are typically sugar, maltose, butter, salt, mlik and cake/pastry flour.
I got these suncakes from an Asian bakery in California. There are several locations in California.
Tag: suncake, bay area food
Yum yum I love those, but right now I am sooooo craving for sweet stuff that anything oso good lar.
ReplyDeleteThanks for teaching me what a suncake is! It reminds me of a mooncake only because of the name :)
ReplyDeleteLooks kinda like a Phong Pneah from Ghee Hiang bakery in Penang.
ReplyDeleteWah, lucky you, get to buy this at the bakery shop over there. I love all sort of Chinese pastry.
ReplyDeleteI am wondering if I ever had this before.
ReplyDeleteIt is not the one with gooey sticky toffee inside with a bit of sesame seeds, is it?
Why sun biscuits/cake? Why not moon biscuits?
Sun biscuits - Jit tau piah
Moon biscuits - Gaik neo paih.
Which sounds nicer? Aiyah, don't care lah, I just want to taste it now. :))
Looks lovely and delicious!
ReplyDeleteI thought it's called 'wife biscuit' in Hong Kong... I always think it would taste better when it's hot.
ReplyDeleteHmmm..I have never seen this before...but it looks like those big biscuits in those olden days...that people pack when they go travelling for that scholar trip to the Beijing city..what's the name of that? :)
ReplyDeleteI think its a 'wife biscuit' as well...
ReplyDeleteThose look wonderful - I love flaky pastries - just can't be bothered to make them myself. Happy to pay money for them, though!
ReplyDeletefirehorse, when I crave for sweet stuff, I eat dark chocolates :)
ReplyDeletehillary, find the starcake for me! :P
nate, I think Phong Pneah is a bit harder to bite, and more round and fat. This is quite a flat piece of snack.
little corner, Colorado dun have?
judy, it is quite gooey but I think you are referring to Beh Teh Sau or Phong Pia izit?
big boys oven, maybe your project also? :P
windy, I know the famous wife biscuit in HK but not sure if suncake (famous in Taiwan) is anything exactly the same.
They may be similar though.
christy, ahahaha...I dunno! I think it's Man Tou ? Geeezzz...suddenly I thought of the biscuits(forgot the name) in Lord of the Rings.
anoymous, they are the same?
katiez, me too! Even if I'm bothered to bake them, I can't! LOL!
These are one of my favorite Chinese pastries!
ReplyDeleteyeah, i think it's called wife's cake here too. the best i've ever had was from a bakery in Vancouver B.C. i haven't been able to make it, and i love it too.
ReplyDeleteWife biscuits and sun cakes are similar but have a different filling. Wife biscuits tend to have a filling that is a little chewy/gummy in texture. Suncakes however, have a sort of sandy texture inside. They also have a slightly different taste. Both are delicious :)
ReplyDeleteHi I've tried baking this Taiwan Suncake with almost similar ingredients that u guys mentioned but without milk.
ReplyDeleteAnyone out there with a full recipe where I can try out again. Pleaseeeee.......
Cheerio
San San
Suncake is Suncake ! They are not the same as wife biscuit/cake, Husband biscuit/cake, beh teh sau, phong pia ....
ReplyDeleteSuncake are not so sweet as compared to the above. It come with a slightly milky taste makes it goes well with tea or coffee.
Not easy to find good suncake outside taiwan. Good suncake pastry will melt in your mouth with just a bite.
So far none found in Singapore for a freshly baked suncake ....
Hi all,
ReplyDeleteI chanced upon this post while surfing. Being a fan of suncake myself, I've decided to import them into Singapore. Looking forward to bringing in more taiwan goodies in future. You can visit my shop at www.sunpalace.com.sg
Cheers!
hey
ReplyDelete