Milk Tea Snowskin Mooncakes
Milk Tea Snowskin Mooncakes are my take on two things I love from Hong Kong — milk tea and mooncakes.
If you’re from Hong Kong, you’ll know that milk tea is more than just a drink. It’s a big part of Hong Kong’s cha chaan teng culture and one of those flavours that instantly reminds me of home.
Hong Kong-style milk tea is made with strong black tea and evaporated milk, giving it that rich, smooth and creamy flavour that I absolutely love.
So this year, I thought — why not turn one of my favourite Hong Kong drinks into a mooncake?
These Milk Tea Snowskin Mooncakes have a soft, chewy white snowskin wrapped around a creamy Hong Kong milk tea custard. The white snowskin gives you a lovely contrast against the milk tea filling, both in colour and flavour.
They’re a little different from traditional baked mooncakes, but they make such a lovely treat for the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Alright, let’s get started!
Why You’ll Love These Milk Tea Snowskin Mooncakes
- Hong Kong milk tea flavour – The custard is made with authentic Hong Kong-style milk tea for a rich tea flavour.
- Soft and chewy snowskin – The white snowskin has a pleasantly chewy texture without being overly stretchy.
- Creamy custard filling – The milk tea custard is smooth, creamy and rich without being overly sweet.
- No baking required – Once the custard and snowskin are prepared, the mooncakes are simply moulded and chilled.
- Perfect for Mid-Autumn Festival – A fun Hong Kong-inspired twist on the traditional mooncake.
What Is Hong Kong Milk Tea?
Hong Kong milk tea is a classic drink you’ll find in cha chaan tengs, the traditional Hong Kong-style cafés known for serving affordable, everyday food and drinks. The name cha chaan teng (茶餐廳) literally means “tea restaurant”, but these casual cafés are much more than just places for tea. They’re a familiar part of everyday life in Hong Kong, serving everything from milk tea and Hong Kong-style French toast to noodles, sandwiches and rice dishes.
Hong Kong-style milk tea is traditionally made by brewing strong black tea, often using a blend of tea leaves, then combining it with evaporated milk. The result is a smooth, creamy drink with a rich and distinctive tea flavour.
For these mooncakes, I use Trini Original Hong Kong Style Milk Tea, which makes it easy to bring that familiar Hong Kong milk tea flavour into the custard.
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For The Milk Tea Custard
- Hong Kong-style milk tea: This is the main flavour of the filling. I use Trini Original Hong Kong Style Milk Tea.
- Egg yolks: These add richness and help create a creamy custard.
- Cornflour and plain flour: These thicken the custard and help it become firm enough to portion and wrap inside the snowskin.
- Milk powder: Adds extra milky richness and helps reinforce the creamy flavour.
- Caster sugar: Adds sweetness to the custard. The amount is kept fairly low because the milk tea and condensed milk in the snowskin already contribute sweetness.
- Butter: Gives the finished custard a smooth, rich texture.
- Salt: Just a little helps balance the sweetness and brings out the tea flavour.
For The Snowskin
- Glutinous rice flour: Gives the snowskin its characteristic soft and chewy texture.
- Rice flour: Helps reduce the stretchiness of the dough and gives the snowskin a softer, more tender bite.
- Wheat starch: Helps create a smooth, delicate snowskin with a pleasant texture.
- Milk: Provides the liquid needed to bring the dough together and adds a little richness.
- Condensed milk: Adds sweetness and a subtle milky flavour.
- Vegetable oil: Helps keep the cooked snowskin soft and pliable.
Tips for Success
- Cook the custard until it bubbles: Once the custard becomes very thick and starts bubbling, continue cooking for 1 full minute, stirring constantly. This helps it set firmly enough for the mooncake filling.
- Chill the custard thoroughly: Make sure the custard is completely chilled before portioning. Chilling it overnight makes it easier to handle.
- Strain the snowskin batter: Straining removes any small lumps and gives you a smoother, more even snowskin.
- Knead the snowskin while warm: Knead the cooked dough while it is still warm to help develop a smooth and elastic texture.
- Keep the filling cold: If the custard becomes too soft while assembling, return it to the fridge until firm enough to handle.
- Use just enough toasted flour: Lightly coat the snowskin to prevent sticking, then brush off any excess. Too much flour can make the mooncake dry.
How to Serve
- Serve chilled: These mooncakes are best enjoyed straight from the refrigerator. The chilled snowskin is soft and chewy, while the milk tea custard stays creamy and firm.
- Let them sit briefly: If you prefer a softer snowskin, leave the mooncakes at room temperature for about 5–10 minutes before serving.
- Pair with tea: Enjoy them with a cup of hot Chinese tea, such as jasmine, oolong or your favourite Hong Kong-style milk tea.
- Slice to serve: For a pretty presentation, cut the mooncakes in half or into quarters to reveal the creamy milk tea custard inside.
How to Store
- Store the mooncakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep them chilled until you’re ready to serve.
- For the best texture, let them sit at room temperature for about 5–10 minutes before serving. The snowskin will soften slightly while the milk tea custard remains creamy and chilled.
- I wouldn’t recommend freezing these mooncakes, as freezing can affect the texture of the snowskin and custard.
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Hong Kong Milk Tea Snowskin Mooncakes
- Prep Time: 1 hr
- Chill Time: 1 hr
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 9 servings 1x
- Category: Desserts
- Method: No-bake
- Cuisine: Asian, Chinese
Description
Soft, chewy white snowskin wrapped around a creamy custard made with authentic Hong Kong-style milk tea. A delicious twist on the classic Mid-Autumn Festival mooncake, with a delicate tea flavour and creamy, milky filling.
Ingredients
For the custard filling
- 200 ml Trini Original Hong Kong Style Milk Tea
- 10 g caster sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- 30 g cornflour
- 20 g milk powder
- 5 g all purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 20 g unsalted butter
For the snowskin
- 48 g glutinous rice flour
- 24 g wheat starch
- 24 g rice flour
- 15 g caster sugar
- 10 g vegetable oil
- 20 g condensed milk
Instructions
Make The Custard Filling
- Put the Trini Original Hong Kong Style Milk Tea and caster sugar in a saucepan. Warm gently over medium-low heat until hot but not boiling.
- In a bowl, whisk together the cornflour, plain flour, milk powder and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Add the dry mixture to the egg yolks and whisk until fully incorporated into a smooth, thick paste.
- Gradually whisk the warm milk tea into the egg yolk mixture, adding it a little at a time and whisking constantly to prevent lumps.
- Return the mixture to the saucepan.
- Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly and scraping the bottom and sides of the pan, until the custard becomes very thick and starts to bubble. Continue cooking for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the butter until completely melted and the custard is smooth and glossy.
- Prepare a shallow container lined with cling film. Press the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into the container to make it smooth.
- Press another sheet of cling film directly onto the surface of the custard.
- Chill completely, preferably for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Divide the chilled custard into 9 portions of about 30 g each. Cover and keep chilled until ready to assemble.
Prepare The Snowskin
- Combine the glutinous rice flour, rice flour, wheat starch and caster sugar in a heatproof mixing bowl. Mix well.
- Stir the condensed milk and vegetable oil into the milk until well combined.
- Gradually pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, whisking until you have a smooth batter with no lumps.
- Strain the batter through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof bowl.
- Cover the bowl tightly with foil.
- Steam over medium-high heat for 25–30 minutes, or until the dough is fully cooked. An inserted skewer should come out clean without wet batter.
- Remove from the steamer and let the dough cool slightly, until it is warm enough to handle. Put on food-safe gloves and knead the dough while warm until smooth and elastic. If the dough is sticky, rub a tiny amount of vegetable oil onto your gloves.
- Wrap the dough tightly in cling film and chill for 30–60 minutes.
Assemble The Mooncakes
- Toast the glutinous rice flour in a dry non-stick pan over low heat until it turns slightly yellowish and smells lightly nutty. Let it cool completely.
- Divide the chilled snowskin dough into 9 portions of 20 g each.
- Roll each portion into a disc approximately 8 cm in diameter.
- Place one portion of milk tea custard in the centre of the dough. Gently pull the sides of the dough upwards while gradually pushing the filling down. Pinch the edges together to seal.
- Roll gently between your palms to form a smooth ball.
- Lightly roll the mooncake in the toasted glutinous rice flour, then brush off any excess.
- Place the mooncake into the mould. Use your palm to gently press the dough into the mould so it fills the corners evenly.
- Place the mould on the work surface. Press down firmly and hold for about 15 seconds to create a well-defined shape.
- Release the mould gently. The mooncake should come out cleanly.
- Repeat with the remaining portions.
- Place the shaped mooncakes in an airtight container and chill for about 30 minutes to set.
- Serve chilled and enjoy. Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!
Notes
If you can’t find Trini Original Hong Kong Style Milk Tea, you can substitute it with a strong Hong Kong-style milk tea or strongly brewed black tea, such as Assam or English Breakfast. Adjust the amount of sugar to taste, depending on how sweet your milk tea is.
Final Thoughts
I love how these Hong Kong Milk Tea Snowskin Mooncakes bring together two things that are so familiar to me — Hong Kong milk tea and mooncakes.
The soft, chewy white snowskin pairs so well with the creamy milk tea custard, giving you that rich tea flavour without making the mooncake feel too heavy. It’s a little different from the traditional baked mooncakes, but still feels right for Mid-Autumn Festival.
If you’re a Hong Kong milk tea lover, I hope you’ll give these a try. They’re a fun way to turn a familiar Hong Kong favourite into something a little different to share during the festival.
Thanks for joining me in the kitchen today. Happy Mid-Autumn Festival! 💛
