Chinese New Year – It’s that time of the year again, where we scramble through Chinese New Year fairs in an attempt to find the best CNY goodies to stock up for the occasion. As with every festive celebration, an essential part is those seemingly endless snack tables filled with CNY cookies and pastries – because what is Chinese New Year without feasting on traditional snacks? if you’re still fretting over which brands to turn to, our team at Vulcan Post personally purchased and tested over 30 brands in Singapore over the last few days, and have rounded up 3 of the best places for each category of goodies to get your favourite Chinese New Year snacks! Whether you’re a fan of buttery pineapple tarts, kueh lapis, crunchy prawn roll snacks or melt-in-the-mouth Kueh Bangkit, there is bound to be something for everyone!
Category: Pineapple Tarts
When it comes to Chinese New Year celebrations, one of the first things that come to mind is probably the Pineapple Tarts. This staple favourite bears a significant meaning in Hokkien, as its pronunciation “Ong Lai” can be translated to “fortune is arriving”, which means it brings prosperity and luck to whoever consumes them, typically given to loved ones to signify wishes of prosperity. While these bite-size snacks may come in different forms – be it the open faced or the golf ball-shaped tarts, one thing that remains unchanged is that buttery melt-in-your-mouth texture pastry balanced with a good ratio of sweet, sour pineapple jam which made it impossible to resist popping one after another into your mouth! We narrowed down some of the most noteworthy brands in Singapore for you to get those mouth-watering pineapple tarts.
Kele Confectionary
With a thirty-year-old jam recipe perfected to the right blend of sweet and tangy, Kele Confectionary was voted as the winner of Jurong Point Shopping Centre’s ‘The Search for the Best Pineapple Tart’ competition. Using premium ingredients to provide optimum satisfaction had earned them a lot of dedicated customers. It is of little wonder why, as their secret lies in the signature milky flavour, buttery crust and the perfect jam to tart ratio. Their pineapple tarts come in 2 forms – opened-top or ball, and we personally prefer the opened-face tarts as the pineapple jam is generously topped, and you get more flavours from the pineapple tart. They are also available in a variety of flavours such as Rose, Golden, Matcha, Sweet Potato, Cocoa and Golden Cheese.
Address: 2 smith street, Chinatown, Singapore 058917
Phone: +65 6560 1249
Bakerzin
Another worthy contender, Bakerzin has been offering a tempting array of luscious sweets since 1998, and they have two main types of pineapple tarts: the yuan bao pineapple tart and the parmesan pineapple tart. Their signature traditional Yuan Bao pineapple tarts come in the shape of an ingot – definitely an apt representation for the auspicious festive season. For those who prefer closed tarts over opened-face ones, theirs are sturdier with a mild saltiness from the crust, balanced out by the sweetness of the thick, slightly fibrous pineapple jam. Apart from the pineapple tarts, Bakerzin also offers Good Luck Cookies which comes in nine different flavours and Prosperity Lapis Surabaya.
Address: 2 smith street, Chinatown, Singapore 058917
Phone: +65 6560 1249
Poon Confectionary
Our winner for the Pineapple Tart category goes to Poon Confectionary! Its humble beginnings started out as a homely set up with traditional recipes passed down from generations. Dedicated to using only the finest ingredients and painstakingly making the pineapple jam by hand instead of using pre-packed supplies, the result is a rich and moist pineapple filling set in a flavorous cookie dough. We love their pineapple tarts, and how everything was delicately balanced, from the crumbly buttery pastry texture to the silky-smooth pineapple jam, which is not overly sweet yet tasty. Although they are new in Singapore, Poon confectionary has established a name for themselves in their native homeland in Malaysia for almost 50 years, and was voted as the Best Pineapple Tarts in 2019! Their signature pineapple tarts come in 3 forms to cater to everyone’s taste buds – the traditional open-faced, golf ball-shaped, as well as the pineapple tart rolls.
Website: www.cnydelivery.com
Tel: +65 9762 6523
Overall Pineapple Tarts Winner: Poon Confectionary
Category: Kueh Lapis
Fragrant, buttery, bouncy, what’s not to love about these moist slabs of goodness? Kueh Lapis is a Dutch-inspired layer cake created during the Colonial Era in Indonesia, bearing alternating layers of baked cake. This nostalgic slice of goodness is everyone’s favourite treat to indulge in, and a must-have for the Chinese New Year.
Bengawan Solo
Probably the first location that comes to mind for high-quality, traditional pastries, well-loved brand Bengawan Solo has won and stayed in the hearts of many over the years for their full-bodied, fragrant and addictively buttery Kueh Lapis. As a Kueh Lapis aficionado, I loved how dense and flavour packed each slice of this spiced cake was. The OG of Kueh Lapis, Bengawan Solo is a tried-and-tested name that’ll help satisfy your cravings!
Locations: Multiple outlets in Singapore
Tel: 6756 9088
The Lapis Place
Gearing themselves towards the tastes of the younger population, The Lapis Place upped the ante by incorporating a modern flair to the traditional Kueh Lapis to appeal to their tastes. You can expect an array of scrumptious and interesting flavours such as cinnamon, chocolate, pandan, earl grey, speculoos and prune – perfect for those who enjoy traditional snacks with some bold, modern twists. If you’re looking for a place with a wide selection of Kueh Lapis flavours, The Lapis Place is the place to check out. For CNY 2020, they have also come up with 2 exclusive flavours of pineapple and mandarin orange befitting for the festive occasion.
Address: 68 Orchard Road, Plaza Singapura, #B1, K4, Singapore 238839
Tel: +65 9338 1685
Don Pie
Unlike other commercial Kueh Lapis, Don Pie’s workers painstakingly bake and pack no less than 18 layers into each cake, one layer at a time. The whole process takes over 2 hours, making their Kueh Lapis one of the most labour-intensive cakes to create, and also less oily and moister. The perfect Kueh Lapis is smooth, buttery and rich with a full distinct and unique spice flavour – and Don Pie has achieved just that. Even with a myriad of modern Kueh Lapis variations that have evolved and took over the market over the years, they have stayed true to tradition with their signature Kueh Lapis. We were tremendously impressed by their handmade Kueh Lapis, and felt that the winner of this category goes to Don Pie for the best Kueh Lapis in Singapore!
Address: 1 Raffles Place, #B1-06, Singapore 048616
Tel: +65 6536 0925
Overall Kueh Lapis Winner: Don Pie
Category: Kueh Bangkit
Kueh Bangkit
A chalky-looking, powdery biscuit that just melts in your mouth effortlessly, Kueh Bangkit is the treat that everyone looks forward to at Chinese New Year. The traditional Nyonya cookie is made from relatively simple ingredients – tapioca flour, pandan leaves, eggs, sugar and coconut milk. However, getting it just right with the crisp outer shell and light, airy interior is a work of art. These cookies are then moulded into various shapes which take on different meanings – the popular chrysanthemum-shaped symbolizes good fortune while goldfish-shaped means prosperity. We tried a few of the recommended places ourselves, and we truly believed that we’ve found the best Kueh Bangkit in Singapore.
Bengawan Solo
A name that rings a note of familiarity since when we were a kid, Bengawan Solo started when founder Tjendri Anastasia moved her goodies-making expertise to Singapore from her home set-up in Indonesia which had been the talk of the neighbourhood. The Kueh Bangkit are made from coconut cream batter and pandan leaves mixed with tapioca, which rendered it exceptionally smooth-textured and fragrant. The presentable packaging also makes it a perfect gift for whoever is hosting a party!
Locations: Multiple outlets in Singapore
Tel: 6756 9088
Poon Confectionary
Year after year, we find ourselves hankering after Poon Confectionary’s creamy, crumbly and soft Kueh Bangkit. This 4 decade-old business has won our hearts in this one with this melt-in-the-mouth traditional snack. Their Kueh Bangkit are homemade with fresh, naturally grounded coconut, and without preservatives and harmful artificial flavourings. Light and not overly sweet, these delicious powdery cookies melt in the mouth instantly, leaving a lingering coconut aroma – perfect for those who love the taste of coconut. Placing a twist on their old favourite, the rich and aromatic gula melaka Kueh Bangkit really brings a nice touch of flavour to the coconut fragrance and taste.
Website: https://cnydelivery.com
Tel: +65 9762 6523
HarriAnns
Third-generation Nyonya kueh establishment HarriAnns was consistently named as one of the best places to buy kueh bangkit in Singapore. Started back in the 1950s, this family-run business is known for their incredible array of CNY Goodies, especially their traditional handmade nonya kuehs that are intensely rich and decadent, and their mouth-watering Kueh Bangkit that are perfectly powdery and fragrant. Previously crowned as the best Kueh Bangkit by Simply Her Magazine back in 2017, we had to give it a try, and we were impressed by the light airy texture, and amazing aftertaste that lingers in the mouth. It’s super shiok! Our winner for this category goes to HarriAnns for the Best Kueh Bangkit!
Address: Tiong Bahru Food Centre 30 Seng Poh Road, #02-25, Singapore 168898
Tel: +65 9736 7449
Overall Kueh Bangkit Winner: Poon Confectionary
Category: Prawn Rolls
Prawn Rolls
Prawn Rolls, or also known as “Hae Bee Hiam Prawn Rolls” is a highly popular savoury snack for Chinese New Year. Bottles of these fly off the shelves in record speed every time the festive season is near. This classic snack consists of a crispy, thin skin wrapped around a shrimp paste that gives it a kick of spice and a delicious saltiness with a pronounced umami taste. We had a great time hunting around for the best Hae Bee Hiam Prawn Roll in Singapore, and we believe we’ve hit the jackpot in this one.
Tai Sun
Homegrown Brand Tai Sun is better known for their famous nuts and cocktail snacks, but they have recently launched their own brand of prawn rolls. Each crispy roll is packed with spicy-sweet flavours of delicious spicy sambal dried shrimp. We felt that the sweetness was slightly more overpowering than the spiciness of the shrimp paste, but the extra crispy spring roll skin managed to make up for it. What’s more, they are readily available at major supermarkets. So, just pop by and get your hands on some!
Locations: Major Supermarkets islandwide
Bee Cheng Hiang
Renowned for their famous Bak Kwa, Bee Cheng Hiang recently launch two versions of their prawn rolls – the Prawn Roll (300g/bot) at $19, and Prawn Roll King (350g/bot) at $23. While the regular ones are generously filled with spicy dried shrimps fully wrapped in crispy crust, what caught our attention was the ‘King’ version. Its bigger size means that there is even more spicy fillings encased within an even thicker shell. However, we felt that it fell slightly short of expectations, as the overall taste was spicy yet a tad bland as it lacks on the shrimp paste aroma.
Locations: Multiple outlets in Singapore
Poon Confectionary
The Sambal Prawn Rolls at Poon Confectionary are very lightly spiced, yet filled with all the umami goodness of the spicy shrimp paste! We love how crunchy the prawn rolls are, and how everything was delicately balanced with the rich sambal shrimp paste, leaving a fiery and aromatic sensation with each bite. We felt it fares best in terms of the skin crispiness, spiciness level and sambal shrimp aroma – hence the winner for this category is undoubtedly Poon Confectionary for the Best Sambal Prawn Roll!
Website: www.cnydelivery.com
Tel: +65 9762 6523
Overall Prawn Roll Winner: Poon Confectionary
Overall, we award Poon Confectionary the Best Overall CNY Goodies 2019! With recipes that have been passed down for over 3 generations, Poon Confectionary is dedicated to using only premium quality ingredients, and their goodies are freshly baked upon order before being delivered to customers. They also have a wide variety of homemade Chinese New Year cookies for customers to choose, from almond cookies, love letters, to salted egg lotus roots. The best part is that you can avoid the hassle of having to jostle your way through throngs of people at the Chinese New Year fairs, and simply just order from their website. It’s definitely the place to stock up on your CNY goodies this festive season!
Overall Best CNY Goodies for 2020: Poon Confectionary
