Hong Kong has a really exciting food scene; for many tourists and frequent visitors, one delight of the city is experiencing all of the great desserts that you won’t find anywhere else. If you’re visiting Hong Kong, you should take some time to taste the wonders of the city. In this article, we take a look at some popular desserts in Hong Kong so you can plan what you want to try.

Red bean soup

Although this delicacy sounds more like a starter, it’s actually a delicious dessert that’s popular in Hong Kong. This sweet red bean soup is very smooth, nutritious and delicious. The soup itself only contains a few ingredients, with red beans being the main ingredient; sometimes, tapioca pearls are also added to the soup for a different texture.

Durian pancakes

Durian pancakes are smooth, beautiful and don’t really look much like the pancakes you’re probably familiar with. However, inside the smooth outer is a light creamy filling mixed with delicious durian fruit. Durian fruit is a very interesting fruit with an acquired taste; it's incredibly smelly and has been described as smelling similar to raw sewage or sweaty socks. This fruit smells so much that it has been banned on public transport in many cities, including Hong Kong. The smell of the fruit does put some people off trying the flesh, but others can see past the disgusting smell and find that they really enjoy this unique dessert.

Matcha ice cream

You may have tried the grassy and unusual taste of matcha before when drinking matcha tea or smoothies that contain matcha. However, in Hong Kong, a popular way to incorporate matcha into desserts is through ice cream. Matcha ice cream offers a balance of sweet, bitter and earthy flavours. This ice cream also has a fantastic green colour that’s striking and enticing.

Black sesame cake

Sesame is another popular flavour used for desserts in Hong Kong; this nutty ingredient creates a stunning-looking black cake without the use of artificial colourings. Although sesame might not sound like it works in desserts, you could be surprised. The mildly sweet, nutty flavours of black sesame seeds work well when they’re combined with other ingredients to make an impressive cake.

Moon cakes

​Moon cakes are traditionally eaten during the mid-autumn festival, the festival celebrates the moon, and the cake is shared amongst family and friends. There are several varieties of moon cake, but generally, each consists of an outer layer of thick pastry with a thick, dense, sweet filling inside. Some moon cakes are decorated with patterns such as flowers or vines on the top of the pastry. Generally, people tend to share mooncakes, eating only a small amount themselves, along with some tea. If you are visiting Hong Kong during the mid-autumn festival, join in the celebrations by sharing a moon cake with your friends and family.

Tang yuan

This dessert is made from rice that’s shaped into balls, filled with different fillings and served in a hot broth or syrup. You can also have the balls without the filling for a simpler version of the tang yuan dessert. The fillings often used for the rice balls are sesame, peanuts and sugar. You can get them in several different sizes, from very small glutinous rice balls to much larger balls. The rice that wraps the filling is more of a dough texture compared to individual rice grains. This dessert is an interesting one that’s often very different in texture compared to the desserts you may be familiar with.

Hong Kong is a city with a rich and diverse culinary scene, and its desserts are no exception. From traditional Chinese desserts like red bean soup and durian pancakes to modern Western-style desserts like matcha ice cream and black sesame cake, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Whether you are looking for a sweet treat to end your meal or a light snack to enjoy on the go, Hong Kong has the perfect dessert for you.

So next time you are in Hong Kong, be sure to try some of the city's delicious desserts. You won't be disappointed, and you might find your new favourite dish.

Useful Sources:

• ​Reasons To Visit Hong Kong​
• ​Butcher Shop​
• ​Mooncake Filling Options​