Mooncake workshop @ Lai Po Heen, Mandarin Oriental KL (mini snowskin with durian paste)

I was very excited when I was given the opportunity to attend a mooncake workshop at Lai Po Heen, Mandarin Oriental KL. I love eating mooncakes (no doubt about it) hence it would be good for me to learn how to make them too so that I could eat them all year round. You can read about all 15 mooncakes from Mandarin Oriental KL here.

Since it was just me in the class, you could say I was lucky to have gotten a one-on-one private lesson with head dim sum chef, Wu Chee Hong who very patiently taught me all the steps of making their famous mini snowskin mooncake with durian paste.

For those wanting to attempt to make snowskin mooncakes at home, I can assure you that this could be done at home, however you need to be very quick when shaping the durian paste as well as dough as the durian paste is delicate and will melt easily with the heat from your hands.  Lai Po Heen uses D24 durian. The instructions given here are for making mini mooncakes with a 4cm diameter, however if your mould is bigger, you need to scale up the measurements when dividing the durian paste or dough.   

I got to take home the mini snowskin durian mooncakes that I made and both my parents who love durian commented that it was really good. The most surprising thing was that even Baby D loved it. The durian paste is really smooth. Thanks to Chef Wu for the invaluable lesson ;)

With Chef Wu and Chef Ricky of Lai Po Heen

Lai Po Heen's custom mooncake mould

Mooncakes galore

Mini snow skin with durian paste
Recipe courtesy of Mandarin Oriental KL
Makes 30 (4cm diameter mini mooncakes)

For durian paste
(A)
110g wheat flour
110g corn flour
75g custard powder
38g milk powder
225g icing sugar

(B)
5 chicken eggs
300g butter, softened at room temperature
300g UHT whipping cream
600g Fresh durian (D24)

1. Mix ingredients (A) together, then slowly add in chicken eggs, butter and UHT whipping cream.

After step (1), you will get the mixture on the left and after steaming, you will get the one on the right

2. Steam mixture for 15 minutes and keep in the refridgerator for 1 hour to firm up.

3. Add fresh durian into mixture and blend until smooth. Keep into refridgerator again for 1 hour to firm up.

4. Cut into small portion, approx 50g, then shape into balls. You have to work quickly as the mixture is very delicate and melts easily with the heat from your hands.

5. Keep in the refridgerator again until ready for use.


For the snowskin
500g Icing sugar
450g rice flour
150g vegetable shortening
530g water

1.Mix the icing sugar, rice flour and vegetable shortening well.

2. Slowly add in water and knead to a soft, pliable dough.

3. Using your hands, roll the dough into a long cylindrical shape. Cut into small portion, approx 50g. Flatten dough and then wrap dough around durian paste balls.

Video on how to shape the mini snowskin mooncake

4. Cover with some rice flour and then roll slightly into cylindrical shape then press the dough wrapped with durian paste into mooncake mould.

Ready to be knocked out

5. To remove mooncake from mould, knock the mould against the table. Serve chilled.

Yay! Me and my first mini snowskin mooncake with durian paste ;)

All the ones I made

Chef Wu and me :)

Durian snowskin mooncake is the yellow one on the left.

The mini snowskin mooncake with durian paste is available for purchase at Lai Po Heen for RM16++ per piece. To read about ALL the mooncakes from Mandarin Oriental KL, please click here.

Full set of photos can be viewed on my Facebook page here. 


Location: Lai Po Heen, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Kuala Lumpur City Centre, 50088 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Tel: 03-2179 8885

*This recipe/blogpost was featured on Asian Food Channel's Facebook page on 2 August 2012.