Editing Mooncake (section)

== Traditional styles ==
=== Fillings ===
[[File:Lotus seed paste.jpg|thumb|right|Cut mooncake showing lotus seed paste filling around the (crumbled) egg yolk "moon"]]
Many types of fillings can be found in traditional mooncakes:
*'''[[Lotus seed paste]]''' (蓮蓉, ''lían róng''): Considered by some to be the original and most luxurious mooncake filling, lotus paste filling is found in all types of mooncakes.{{citation needed|date=September 2020}} White lotus paste commands an even higher premium. Due to the high price of lotus paste, white kidney bean paste is sometimes used as a filler.
*'''[[Sweet bean paste]]''' (豆沙, ''dòu shā''): A number of pastes are common fillings found in Chinese desserts. Although [[red bean paste]], made from [[azuki bean]]s, is the most common worldwide, there are regional and original preferences for bean paste made from [[mung bean]]s, as well as [[Black bean paste|black beans]].
*'''[[Jujube]] paste''' (棗泥, ''zǎo ní''): A sweet paste is made from the ripe fruits of the jujube (date) plant. The paste is dark red in color, a little fruity/smoky in flavor, and slightly sour in taste. Depending on the quality of the paste, jujube paste may be confused with red bean paste, which is sometimes used as a filler.
*'''Five kernels''' (五仁, ''wǔ rén'') or '''mixed nuts''': A filling consisting of five types of nuts and seeds, coarsely chopped, is held together with [[maltose]] syrup. Recipes differ from region to region, but commonly used nuts and seeds include: [[walnut]]s, [[pumpkin]] seeds, [[watermelon]] seeds, [[peanut]]s, [[sesame]] seeds, or [[almond]]s. The mixture for the filling also contains candied [[winter melon]], [[jinhua ham]], or pieces of [[Rock candy|rock sugar]] as additional flavoring.

=== Crusts ===
[[File:Moon Cakes.jpg|thumb|right|Mooncakes with Chinese characters 金門旦黃 (''jinmen danhuang''), meaning the moon cake contains a single egg yolk and is made from a bakery named "Golden Gate". Mooncakes usually have the bakery name pressed on them.]]
Traditional mooncakes vary widely depending on the region where they are produced. Most regions produce them with many types of fillings, but with only one type of crust. Although [[vegetarian]] mooncakes may use [[vegetable oil]], many mooncakes use [[lard]] in their recipes. Three types of mooncake crust are used in [[Chinese cuisine]]:{{citation needed|date=November 2013}}
*'''Chewy''': This crust has a reddish-brown tone and glossy sheen. It is the most common type of crust used on [[Cantonese cuisine|Cantonese]]-style mooncakes. It is also the most commonly seen type of mooncake in [[North America]] and many Western countries. Chewy mooncake crusts are made using a combination of thick sugar syrup, [[lye]] water (碱水, sodium carbonate (碱 [Na<sub>2</sub>CO<sub>3</sub>]), flour, and oil, thus giving this crust its rich taste and a chewy yet tender texture. Chewiness can be increased further by adding [[maltose]] syrup to the mixture.
**The dough is also baked into [[fish]] or [[pig]]let shapes ({{zh|cy=jyū jái béng|s=猪仔饼|l=piglet biscuits}}) and sold at bakeries as a chewy snack. They often come individually packaged in small plastic baskets, to symbolize fish being caught or piglets being bound for sale.
*'''Flaky''': Flaky crusts are most indicative of [[Suzhou]]- and [[Taiwan]]-style mooncakes. The dough is made by rolling together alternating layers of oily dough and flour that has been [[Stir frying|stir-fried]] in oil. This crust has a texture similar to [[puff pastry]].
*'''Tender''': Mooncakes from certain provinces of [[China]]{{Which|date=September 2011}} are often made to be tender rather than flaky or chewy. The texture of this type of mooncake crust is similar to the [[shortcrust pastry]] used in Western [[pie]] crusts or [[tart]] shells. Tender crusts are made mainly of a homogenous mix of sugar, oil, flour, and water. This type of crust is also commonly used in other type of Chinese pastries, such as the [[egg tart]].
*'''Crumbly''': [[Yunnan]]-style mooncakes are made using a [[hot water crust pastry]] that combines different kinds of flour with oil, salt, and hot water to form a dense, crumbly pastry that's quite uncommon elsewhere.<ref>{{cite web |title=Types Of Mooncake – Moon Festival |url=https://moonfestivalblog.com/types-of-mooncake-moon-festival/ |website=Moonfestivalblog.com |date=June 2021 |access-date=13 April 2022 |archive-date=13 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220413145521/https://moonfestivalblog.com/types-of-mooncake-moon-festival/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Regional variations in China ===
[[File:Mooncakes in Malaysia.jpg|thumb|right|Mooncakes from Malaysia]]
[[File:Mooncake with double yolk and lotus seed paste.jpg|thumb|right|Cantonese-style mooncake with double yolk and lotus seed paste (including [[salted duck egg]] yolk and [[lotus seed paste]] as fillings, and this wheat flour pastry on the surface)]]
[[File:Mooncake with five smashed nuts.jpg|thumb|right|Cantonese-style mooncake with five nuts/kernels (including smashed cashews, smashed sesame seed, smashed almonds, smashed walnuts, smashed egusi seeds)]]
[[File:Savoury Suzhou-style meat mooncake.jpg|thumb|right|[[Suzhou]]-style mooncakes with minced pork filling]]
There are many regional variants of the mooncake. Types of traditional mooncake include:{{Original research inline|date=November 2013}}

*'''[[Beijing cuisine|Beijing]]-style mooncake''': This style has two variations. One, called ''di qiang'', was influenced by the Suzhou-style mooncake. It has a light, foamy dough as opposed to a flaky one. The other variation, called "''fan mao''", has a flaky, white dough. The two most popular fillings are the mountain [[Rhaphiolepis|hawthorn]] and [[wisteria]] blossom flavors.
*'''[[Cantonese cuisine|Cantonese]]-style mooncake''': Originating from [[Guangdong]] and [[Guangxi]] provinces, the Cantonese mooncake has multiple variations and is the most famous regional style of the mooncake. The ingredients used for the fillings are various: lotus seed paste, melon seed paste, nuts, ham, chicken, [[Duck (food)|duck]], roast [[pork]], [[Edible mushroom|mushrooms]], egg yolks, etc. More elaborate versions contain four egg yolks, representing the four [[moon phase|phases]] of the moon. Recent contemporary forms (albeit non-traditional) sold in Hong Kong are even made from chocolate, ice-cream or jelly.<ref>鳳凰衛視中文台, 12 September 2008</ref>
*'''[[Shanghai cuisine|Shanghai]]-style mooncake''': This style is made from shortcrust pastry which is rich, crumbly and buttery crust but not like pie dough. The most popular fillings are similar to those sweet Cantonese-style mooncake such as sweetened red bean paste, lotus seed paste and taro paste with egg yolks in the middle of the filling.
*'''[[Hong Kong cuisine|Hong Kong]]-style mooncake''': Hong Kong has gained its own style of mooncakes. While [[Hongkongers]] typically eat Cantonese-style mooncakes, local inventions such as [[snow skin mooncake]] have been appearing over the last few decades.
*'''[[Teochew cuisine|Teochew]]-style mooncake''': This is another flaky crust variety, but is larger in size than the Suzhou variety. It is close in diameter to the Cantonese style, but thinner. A variety of fillings are used, but the aroma of lard after roasting is stressed. The [[Chaozhou people|Teochew]] also have a fried lotus cake (or lotus pastry) ({{zh|s=莲花酥月饼|t=蓮花酥月餅|p=Liánhuā sū yuèbǐng}}), eaten on the Mid-Autumn Festival. This moon cake is deep-fried, not baked. The yam filling and flaky pastry crust are what set Teochew mooncakes apart from other mooncakes. These old-school confections are known as "la bia" ([[朥饼]]) in the [[Chaoshan]] region in the east of Guangdong, where the Teochews came from. La means lard or pork oil in Teochew, which is mixed with flour to make the pastry.
*'''[[Ningbo]]-style mooncake''': This style is also inspired by the Suzhou-style. It is prevalent in [[Zhejiang]] province, and has a compact covering. The fillings are either [[Edible seaweed|seaweed]] or [[ham]]; it is also known for its [[spice|spicy]] and salty flavor.
*'''[[Suzhou]]-style mooncake''': This style began more than a thousand years ago, and is known for its layers of flaky [[dough]] and generous allotment of sugar and lard. Within this regional type, there are more than a dozen variations. It is also smaller than most other regional varieties. [[Suzhou]]-style mooncakes feature both sweet and savory types, the latter served hot and usually filled with pork mince. Fillings made from salt and pepper (椒鹽, ''jiāoyán'') are common in flaky Suzhou-style mooncakes.
*'''[[Meizhou]]-style mooncake''' 
*'''Southern Min-style mooncake''' 
*'''[[Wenzhou]]-style mooncake''' 
*'''[[Yunnan]]-style mooncake''': The distinctive feature is the combination of various flours for the dough, including [[rice flour]], [[wheat flour]], and [[buckwheat]] flour, and a filling that combines [[Xuanwei ham]] and [[sugar]].