Wednesday, February 06, 2013

hup toh soh (chinese walnut cookies)


Hi guys! It's Nona Nona time again, and this month's theme, Chinese New Year, was picked by Biren, who helms Roti n Rice and Tea Tattler and is my blogger BFF and partner in crime. We've been at this for almost a year now, since our first Nona Nona collaboration, the object being to present two different dishes each month, on the same theme, without revealing to each other, what dish we're preparing, until the day of the reveal.

So far we've mostly managed to avoid colliding in the dark, save for our last two collaborations first here and then again here, when we both presented the same dish.

This time, I'm pretty sure we won't be duplicating each other, but fingers firmly crossed, all the same. Now that we're done with the intros, let's roll up our sleeves and get those aprons on!

These delightful and easy cookies are a Cantonese creation, which is no surprise, as the Cantonese do seem really fond of walnuts, turning them not only into amazingly fragrant and crunchy cookies, but also lovely sweet soups, and moreish caramel coated nibbles.

But, back to these cookies - they're my absolute favourite Chinese New Year treat, though I am firmly in the chewy cookie camp. I can't resist their crumbly and light texture, and the intoxicating aroma of toasty walnuts and sweet, creamy vanilla. But, the tipping point for me, is the salty-sweet flavour juxtaposition of these pretty morsels; it makes them irresistible and alarmingly addictive.

I don't know how far this is true, but I've been told these cookies were traditionally made without walnuts (say what??) and with lots of lard. The lard bit I get as it has long been associated with Chinese pastry making, seeing as how much they love the very tasty pig and how butter has never been a part of the traditional southern Chinese diet. The no-walnut rule though, has me puzzled. Why call it a walnut cookie if it's not supposed to have walnuts in it?? One of my boys likens the fissured surface of the baked cookie to the appearance of a walnut kernel, but his brother shot him right down with his insistence that they look more like dried shiitake mushroom caps. Hmm, the doughy plot thickens...



Chinese New Year is a very big deal in Singapore as more than eighty percent of the local population is of Chinese origin. In fact, not so very long ago, in busy bustling Singapore, many Chinese owned businesses would close for an entire week during Chinese New Year, to mark the occasion. Even street traffic would decrease dramatically as celebrants prepared to be reunited with family members and relatives not seen since the previous year's reunion dinner, often crossing the border into Malaysia, to do so. These days, with the demands of burgeoning enterprise, expansion and globalisation, the wheels of commerce keep turning regardless, so Singapore no longer takes on the veneer of a ghost town, during Chinese New Year.





Still, some things never change and you will still see cheery red lidded plastic containers filled with all manner of treats, that herald the galloping approach of the Lunar New Year, at neightbourhood shops, Chinese New Year bazaars and supermarkets, gaily dotting the island, for weeks before the actual day. It's almost like red tide sweeping the country, though I have to admit, it's an uplifting sight, and my blood pumps faster, walking between walls of red lids, at the supermarket. These treats, though never as wonderful as home baked versions, are a godsend for those too busy or unable to bake their own. But, I noted while perusing them, a conspicuous absence of hup toh soh, amidst the avalanche of charcoal cookies, pineapple rolls, love letters, kueh bangkit, cashew, peanut and green pea cookies. All very well, but no representation for my favourite Chinese cookie??! Shocking, and unacceptable.



So, here is my recipe for them, in case you miss them and bemoan their glaring exclusion from store shelves and festive bazaar displays, as much as I do. Many recipes specify butter which gives wonderful flavour but oil gives them incredible lightness and flakiness and walnuts are so flavourful that I don't miss the butter very much. And, I am not kidding about how crunchy and delicate these cookies are - you'll need a saucer under your chin when eating them or be prepared to sweep up showers of crumbs.

These are usually glazed with beaten egg or egg yolk, for a richer colour, but I brushed them with a mixture of soy milk, vegetable oil and sugar instead, because I just don't like how the cookies smell when they are baked with an egg glaze. If you prefer the thicker, glossier lacquer of the traditional egg glaze, feel free to crack one open. My cookies are darker than most Chinese bakers make theirs, because I have doubled the amount of walnuts usually called for. If you want a more traditional, paler cookie, reduce the walnuts and correspondingly increase the flour to make up a total of 300 g or 3 cups of flour and nuts combined. I'll always go for taste over looks, buuuuut... that's just me.



How do you not love a cookie that not only tastes wonderful, but is also an undertaking as easy as it is enjoyable? I find pinching off, rolling and pressing down the dough induces a state of almost zen-like serenity. Just what the doctor ordered and what the hectic season demands.


Now, if you're as curious as I am about what's going on in Biren's kitchen, click here to find out what Chinese New Year treat she has for you. I hope you enjoy these scrumptious cookies, as much as my family relished every single one of the three batches I made. For more seasonal treats to make your family smile, check out my recipes for Chinese Braised Peanuts and Sweet Potato Tang Yuan. Before I go, I'd like to wish all my lovely Chinese readers,

A Very Happy New Year

or as we say around here, 

Gong Xi Fa Cai, Hong Bao Na Lai!

May this year's snake be venomless and vegan, with a sunny disposition. Yeah, go ahead, laugh. You're not a tasty, juicy goat, are you?  I didn't think so....









26 comments:

  1. Phew...at least it is two different goodies this time! Hup Toh Soh is also one of my favorites. Good thing I made and posted it last year :) Love your rendition! Must be really tasty with all the ground walnuts in there.

    BTW, I think the lack of walnuts in commercially made ones today is probably because of the cost. Not sure if they were traditionally made without them. Perhaps your son is right and they were made to look like walnuts ;)

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    1. I did go a bit crazy with the walnuts LOL But I wanted them to taste unmistakably of walnuts and boy, do they!

      I really was surprised to find an absence of hup toh soh in the shops this year, but I can't say if it's unique to this year or it's always been so, as I never went shopping for them before. I always enjoyed them at friends' homes or as seasonal gifts from neighbours. I guess it must be the cost factor as walnuts are definitely on the pricey side. Real pity. But anyway, home made is always better :)

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  2. This cookie is right up my sleeve. Although I am not a die-hard cookie person, the golden crunchy goodness of these make them a visual delight. I am sold.
    I know what you mean by the red tide sweeping the island and have experienced it more than once.
    A Happy New Year to you and your family, Denise.

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  3. OOPS ! This cookie is right up my STREET...not sleeve.
    Apologies, Denise.

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    1. I'm pretty sure you would like them too Usha :) I only give cookies the time of day, if they're soft and chewy, still I couldn't keep my greedy hands of these insanely crunchy and crumbly ones. They really smell A-MA-ZING!!! I daren't make anymore cos I know where many, many, many of them will end up ;)

      Thanks for the new year wishes - hope the year of the snake will be a great one for you too!

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  4. These look delicious! Must try soon.

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    1. Thanks Vix :) They really are yummy and I hope you enjoy them!

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  5. I've never even HEARD of Chinese Walnut Cookies, so I am thrilled to give these babies a shot and to hear a little bit of their background from you. What fun! And what a sweet treat for the Chinese New Year!

    A Happy New Year to you and yours!

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    1. Hi Erin, these cookies are a Southern Chinese speciality, specifically from Canton or Guangzhou, and may not be as well known as Northern Chinese food, outside of Asia. I think you will be pleasantly surprised by how addictive these simple cookies are, if you give them a try.

      Thank you for the new year wishes, and a Very Happy New Year to you and your family too :)

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  6. Hi Denise! Love the way you press down the dough using a bottle cap! Wife is done with her CNY baking this year... will bookmark this for future reference!

    Wishing you and your family a very prosperous year of snake, GONG XI FA CAI!

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    1. Hi Chef! It was really fun squishing the dough down LOL Glad the two of you have CNY all sewn up and ready. You are one organised and on the ball couple!

      Thank you very much and GONG XI FA CAI to you and your lovely family too :)

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  7. ooh, wow !! what a lovely cookies, need to try this., aaah.. Chinese new year pasti meriah yaa di Singapore ! would you like to taking a pictures and tell the story around the new year celebrations ? *heeey, don't be mad LOL ... I live far from Chinese town, no celebration like that in my town.. just small town, kind of borring LOL

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    1. Hello mbak Fitri :) Sungguh meriah!!! Haha - I think that would require the efforts and skills of a photographer and a journalist. I'm just a simple food blogger, but appreciate the suggestion LOL

      Awww - so sorry your CNY over there senyap senyap aja. Tapi seronok juga kalau dipandang dan dikira tenteram, bukan "boring" ;) Singapore riuh banget *eeeeeeeee* :P

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  8. These sound so delicious! I am used only to making cookies and other baked stuff with almond meal, using ground walnuts sounds great.

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    1. Hi Medeja, almond meal is a wonderful baking ingredient with its mild, sweet and creamy flavour. Walnuts are much more assertive, but no less delicious. I hope you do give these cookies a try and discover how wonderful walnuts can be :)

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  9. Hi Denise, I used to buy these when in my younger days at the Petaling Street in Kuala Lumpur, there is a shop selling very delicious Hup Toh Soh...hard to find good ones these days...maybe because walnuts are expensive! Bookmarking for future bakes:D Gong Xi Fa Cai!

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    1. Hi Jeannie :) You are so right about how difficult it is to get good hup toh soh these days. It's even worse over here, as this year, I couldn't even find ANY hup toh soh in the shops, good or bad!! Aiyoh! Terrible. That's why I decided to make my own. Hope the recipe works well for you, when you do try it.

      Gong Xi Fa Cai to you and your family too!

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  10. Denise I must have been living under a rock in Singapore as I've never heard of these cookies let alone tasted them!*baffled with a blank stare*
    Indeed they look absolutely scrumptious!
    I love chewy cookies too (a là Mrs. Field's) but I know grounded walnuts can moisten the cookie dough. Frankly I've never made cookies but your excellant(as usual) pictures are tempting me to give it a go.

    Forgot its name but a local cookie I do remember back in S'pore was a round beige coloured cookie made with crushed almonds that was dry-ish & crumbly but I wasn't too hot for it as it used to make me feel queasy if I ate more than 2 of them. Could be because of the rich doses of ghee & vanilla essence in them. Btw I think you're right about how oil is a better & lighter alternative to butter for certain recipes.
    We love walnuts chez Jeanne :) I use them often to top apple pies, toss them in salades or fill my potato/chicken curry puffs with a few walnuts. I'm lucky as my in-laws have 2 walnuts trees otherwise even here the price of walnuts have skyrocketed in recent years (€8.99/about SG$15 the kilo last time I saw it at the supermarket.)
    Wishing you & everyone a happy CNY weekend!

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    1. Hmm, what can I say Jean? So many cookies, so little time? ;) Scrumptious they definitely are. I hope you do give these a go, because apart from grinding the walnuts, they are soooooo easy, and did I mention, really fun to make, especially with kids. Have you ever tried Chinese candied walnuts? I love them, especially when they are covered in toasted sesame seeds.

      It sounds like you're talking about sugee cookies..... buttery, crumbly and yes, very rich, possibly too rich for some as they taste and smell very milky and buttery.

      Wish I could cook more often with walnuts, but they are pricey and with 3 hungry growing boys to feed, the cost would quickly add up! I have never even thought of adding walnuts (or any nuts) to curry puff filling! Oh boy, I wish walnuts cost SGD 15 a kg over here. That would be cheap. They cost at least twice as much over here. Walnut trees, pear trees, pear moonshine..... I am so jealous!

      Thanks for the new year wishes Jean - hope you and yours also have a great year, courtesy of the snake :)

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    2. Yikes I didn't know walnuts cost that much in S'pore. Oops I shouldn't complain anymore lol. The thing is the price for the kilo of walnuts at stores doubled here in the last few years for no particular reason & it annoyed me.
      Yes about the rich sugee cookies. Actually I remembered its name immediately after I posted my comments. I don't really miss it though lol. Love the candied walnuts you mentioned. I'm game for anything with sesame seeds anyway like Cheng Fun & those wonderful sesame seed balls Jian Dui :)
      Thanks for the well wishes Denise!

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  11. Hi, Apologies if this comment comes to you several times. Every time I tried to post it just disappeared...

    Hi! I really enjoyed making these biscuits. They remind me of CNY in Johor Bahru, where I used to live. Now back in the Uk I decided to make them for my Chinese students away from home for their first CNY. I put a link to your blog in my account of the recipe. Thank you They were well received!

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  12. Can I ask where you buy your walnuts here in Singapore? I can't seem to find them very easily. And then do you roast & crush them yourself?

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    1. I've been able to find walnuts in most supermarkets in Singapore, normally in the baking section. They are even available at NTUC supermarkets. Perhaps they were just out of stock when you were looking for them? Yes, I toast them in my toaster oven, cool them off then grind them in a small, electric coffee grinder. Hope you find some walnuts soon :)

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  13. Hi Denise,

    Do I just pop the walnuts in the oven to lightly toast them until fragrant or can I do it over the stove top in a pan?

    Thanks for sharing the recipe :)

    - Jess

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    1. Hi Jess, unless you're willing to stir them the whole time they are in the pan, when on the stove, its best to just pop them in a toaster oven in an even layer until they smell nutty and toasted. I tend to burn them in the pan as I'm often juggling 2 or 3 jobs when cooking or baking. Hope they turn out well for you :)

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  14. Hi Denise,
    Accidentally discovered your site and I'm so glad I did!
    These bikkies (I'm Australian) are phenomenal! Thank you for sharing them... great to have a vegan bikkie I can impress my vegan mother with too!
    Best wishes,
    Angela.

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