Re-enacting Vietnamese countryside
Thuy Duong's "Memories" mooncake is not only a gift of the moon season but also a key that opens the door to childhood memories. Images of full moon nights, the whole family gathering together, enjoying mooncakes, listening to grandmother tell fairy tales... just appear so vividly. Those are warm, sweet moments that all of us cherish.
Every year, near the Mid-Autumn Festival, the online community gets to admire the exquisite works of art by the talented girl Nguyen Thi Thuy Duong (born in 1995, living in Hanoi).
“I was born in the Northern countryside and was very impressed when I came across the miniature landscape paintings of the artisans. That is why I decided to use moon cakes to recreate the image of my hometown and my old memories in the work. That is why I named the cake Memory,” she confided.
Mooncakes "memories" of Northern countryside
Unlike traditional moon cakes, this one has its own unique features. Instead of the familiar round mung bean paste, Thuy Duong shapes the filling into a small house, a miniature garden or any shape she likes. After shaping the filling, she covers it with a soft crust. Finally, she uses small tools to create vivid details such as windows, roofs, trees... making the cake lively and eye-catching.
Thuy Duong shared: “Although this product is only for display, I still completely apply the traditional moon cake recipe with sugar water and flour... However, instead of using the usual yellow sugar water, I use white sugar water like the sticky rice cake to easily adjust the color on the cake. The colors I use are all food coloring that is safe for health.”
Moon cakes capture the hearts of the online community
To complete the “Memories” cake, Thuy Duong and her team spent 5 days working non-stop. Every smallest detail on the cake was meticulously taken care of, from shaping the cake filling, mixing colors to drying to preserve the natural color. In particular, to create the ancient moss layer, she had to experiment many times to find the right formula. Her meticulousness and patience helped the cake become more vivid and realistic than ever.
At first glance, these moon cakes make people surprised by their delicate and authentic beauty. They are not just simple cakes but also like works of art, bringing us back to a childhood full of memories. Through these cakes, Thuy Duong has succeeded in conveying the beauty of the Vietnamese countryside and evoking deep emotions in each person's heart.
True to every detail
Art on every piece of cake
Thuy Duong has devoted her love to the art of making moon cakes for over 4 years. Completely different from the mass-produced moon cakes on the market, her products do not follow commercial trends, she focuses on creating cakes that bear her personal mark, with extremely sophisticated shapes and patterns.
Thuy Duong realized that meticulousness and patience are extremely important.
To create a perfect moon cake, Thuy Duong realized that meticulousness and patience are extremely important. The process of making cakes is a challenging journey, requiring her to be truly focused and persistent. There were times when she encountered difficulties that seemed insurmountable, but it was her perseverance that helped her complete her work. In addition, the delicate color combination is also an important factor, helping the cake become more vivid and attractive.
“During the baking process, I encountered many difficulties such as breaking or damaging details. There were parts that I completed but were not satisfied or did not fit so I had to throw them away and start over. This was a big challenge because my product is food, so when put in the oven, many details can break, bend or lose their shape. I had to find ways to replace or use supporting tools to keep the details from deforming during the baking process,” Thuy Duong said.
The baking process is a challenging journey, requiring her to be truly focused and persistent.
