Heong Piah

Chinese
Oven
Sides/Snacks

Easy Level:

Slightly less easy

Cook Time:

1 Hr 30 Mins

Servings:

6 pcs

Heong piah translates to “fragrant pastry” — and there truly isn’t a more fitting name for this crisp, flaky pastry filled with a sweet, molten centre made from maltose, shallots, and sesame seeds. 

This iconic pastry traces its roots to early Chinese immigrants in Malaysia and Singapore, where it is also known as ma ti su or beh teh saw.

 

Notes:

  • Yeo Min made her own maltose from scratch (yes, she’s amazing). For the rest of us, ready-made maltose can be easily found at Sheng Siong or online! 
  • To truly elevate the aroma of this pastry, try making your own shallot oil. 
  • The trickiest part of this recipe is baking the pastries without them bursting — especially since the filling is molten.

Write up referenced and taken from Yeo Min’s cookbook “Chinese Pastry School”.

Ingredients

Adjust Servings
US / Metric
0.00
g
g
Maltose
0.00
g
g
Maltose
0.00
g
g
Brown sugar
0.00
g
g
Brown sugar
0.00
g
g
Salt
0.00
g
g
Salt
0.00
ml
ml
Shallot oil
0.00
ml
ml
Shallot oil
0.00
tbsp
tbsp
White sesame seeds, toasted
0.00
tbsp
tbsp
White sesame seeds, toasted
0.00
g
g
Cooked glutinous rice
0.00
g
g
Cooked glutinous rice

Water dough

0.00
g
g
All-purpose flour
0.00
g
g
All-purpose flour
0.00
g
g
Sugar
0.00
g
g
Sugar
A pinch of salt
A pinch of salt
0.00
ml
ml
Warm water
0.00
ml
ml
Warm water
0.00
g
g
Maltose
0.00
g
g
Maltose
0.00
tsp
tsp
Neutral cooking oil
0.00
tsp
tsp
Neutral cooking oil
0.00
tsp
tsp
Shallot oil
0.00
tsp
tsp
Shallot oil

Oil dough

0.00
g
g
All-purpose flour
0.00
g
g
All-purpose flour
0.00
g
g
Lard, or shortening
0.00
g
g
Lard, or shortening

Garnish

0.00
tsp
tsp
Maltose
0.00
tsp
tsp
Maltose
0.00
ml
ml
Hot water
0.00
ml
ml
Hot water
0.00
tbsp
tbsp
White sesame seeds
0.00
tbsp
tbsp
White sesame seeds

Steps

1

Toast glutinous rice flour in a pan on low heat until fragrant and slightly yellowish, or steam it for 30-40 minutes in a bowl covered with cling wrap.
Toast glutinous rice flour in a pan on low heat until fragrant and slightly yellowish, or steam it for 30-40 minutes in a bowl covered with cling wrap.
Mark as completed

2

Prepare filling, warm maltose and sugar over a bain marie. Fold in brown sugar, salt, shallot oil, white sesame seeds, and cooked glutinous rice flour.
Prepare filling, warm maltose and sugar over a bain marie. Fold in brown sugar, salt, shallot oil, white sesame seeds, and cooked glutinous rice flour.
Mark as completed

3

Rest filling for 10 minutes, divide it into 15g portions, and set aside to cool.
Rest filling for 10 minutes, divide it into 15g portions, and set aside to cool.
Mark as completed

4

Prepare the water dough, combine dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
Prepare the water dough, combine dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
Mark as completed

5

Combine wet ingredients in another bowl and mix well, ensuring that the maltose is fully dissolved.
Combine wet ingredients in another bowl and mix well, ensuring that the maltose is fully dissolved.
Mark as completed

6

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, then mix together with a pair of chopsticks. Once a rough dough is formed, turn it onto a counter and knead until smooth. Cover and set aside.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, then mix together with a pair of chopsticks. Once a rough dough is formed, turn it onto a counter and knead until smooth. Cover and set aside.
Mark as completed

7

Prepare the oil dough. Rub the lard or shortening into the flour until a smooth dough forms.
Prepare the oil dough. Rub the lard or shortening into the flour until a smooth dough forms.
Mark as completed

8

Portion water dough into 20g pieces and oil dough into 10g pieces. Laminate dough individually by wrapping a piece of oil dough in a piece of water dough and sealing it tightly.
Portion water dough into 20g pieces and oil dough into 10g pieces. Laminate dough individually by wrapping a piece of oil dough in a piece of water dough and sealing it tightly.
Mark as completed

9

Place this on your work surface, seas side up. Roll the dough into a long oval, then roll this up like a swiss roll. Turn this 90º and repeat.
Place this on your work surface, seas side up. Roll the dough into a long oval, then roll this up like a swiss roll. Turn this 90º and repeat.
Mark as completed

10

Shape each piece of dough into a circle-shaped wrapper. Place the dough on your work surface seam-side up. Press the seam down using your thumb, then bring in the two sides to the middle and press down again.
Shape each piece of dough into a circle-shaped wrapper. Place the dough on your work surface seam-side up. Press the seam down using your thumb, then bring in the two sides to the middle and press down again.
Mark as completed

11

Roll out dough, each 8-10cm in diameter, with the edges thinner than the middle.
Roll out dough, each 8-10cm in diameter, with the edges thinner than the middle.
Mark as completed

12

Place a portion of filling on each dough circle and enclose. Pinch seams together and tear off a tiny bit of excess dough at the bottom.
Place a portion of filling on each dough circle and enclose. Pinch seams together and tear off a tiny bit of excess dough at the bottom.
Mark as completed

13

Dab the bottom with some water and place seam-side down on a baking tray with no baking paper.
Dab the bottom with some water and place seam-side down on a baking tray with no baking paper.
Mark as completed

14

Make a syrup by combining maltose and hot water. Brush each pastry with some syrup and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Make a syrup by combining maltose and hot water. Brush each pastry with some syrup and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Mark as completed

15

Preheat the oven and 1 baking tray to 180℃. Stack the baking tray with the pastries stuck on and bake pastries for 30-35 minutes.
Preheat the oven and 1 baking tray to 180℃. Stack the baking tray with the pastries stuck on and bake pastries for 30-35 minutes.
Mark as completed

16

Cool pastries before serving!
Cool pastries before serving!
Mark as completed

More of what you like. Bookmark these recipes.

Pork & Chive Dumplings

Chinese
Chinese New Year
Mains
One-pot
Pork

Asian Sticky Rice Stuffing

Chinese
Christmas
Mains
Party
Rice

Burnt Orange, Burrata and Cranberry Salad

Christmas
Fruits
Leafy
Party
Salad
Sides/Snacks
Vegetarian

Eggnog & Brioche Pudding

Christmas
Desserts
Oven
Party

Shepherd’s Pie Crispy Platter

Beef
Christmas
Oven
Party
Sides/Snacks

5 Spice & Cinnamon Roasted Pork Belly

Christmas
Mains
Oven
Party
Pork

Sour Cream Ranch with Crispy Smashed Potatoes

Christmas
Oven
Roots
Sides/Snacks
Vegetarian
Western

Sweet & Sour Chicken

Chinese
Fruits
Mains
One-pan
Poultry