This is the Ommi’s x Ice Kirin Bar Tea Infused Moon Cake Gift Box. For mid-autumn festival in 2023, Ice Kirin Bar — the popular gelato store known for its tea inspired flavours — collaborated with Ommi to create a series of infused mooncakes.
Each gift box contained four flavours:
- Uji Matcha
- Hōjicha & Kuromitsu
- Tie Guan Yin Oolong
- Pomelo & Jin Xuan
The packaging recommended reheating the mooncakes with an oven at 160°C for 1 min or microwave (1000W) for 10 seconds.
Uji Matcha Lava. This comprised a crust that enveloped a mung bean paste infused with matcha and a matcha lava centre.
Surprisingly, the richness of the matcha flavour was more restrained than anticipated, especially when compared to the depth found in the hōjicha and tieguanyin varieties. The lava centre played a pivotal role in the matcha’s expression, offering a harmonious blend of matcha’s richness and the comforting attributes of green tea, coupled with a smooth texture and balanced sweetness that effectively masked any potential bitterness. The presence of matcha in the mung bean paste was subtle, with the paste maintaining a smooth consistency while still retaining its distinctive bean-like characteristics.
Hōjicha & Kuromitsu Lava. This comprised a crust that enveloped a mung bean paste infused with the hōjicha and a kuromitsu centre.
The robust roasted characteristics of the hōjicha were immediately evident, while the mung bean paste base provided a smooth and creamy texture that effortlessly conveyed the hōjicha flavour without overshadowing it with its own earthy bean undertones. The hōjicha component had a subtle sweetness, which harmonized well with the kuromitsu lava centre, enhancing the hōjicha flavour with its deep molasses-like taste. These flavours were delectable and strongly reminiscent of the gelato flavour bearing the same name available at Ice Kirin Bar.
Tie Guan Yin Oolong Lava. This comprised a crust that eveloped a mung bean paste infused with Tie Guan Yin oolong and a Tie Guan Yin oolong lava centre.
The tieguanyin fragrance made an immediate impression, offering natural sweetness and delicate floral notes apparent from the very first bite. The tea’s flavour proved robust within the mung bean paste, effectively concealing the bean-like characteristics. The lava centre exhibited a smooth, melt-in-the-mouth quality, with its sweetness complementing the more subtle sweetness in the mung bean paste, while its rich tieguanyin essence contributed a nuanced layer to the overall tea flavour in the mooncake. The depth of this flavour profile was delightful, ranking second only to the hōjicha mooncake.
Pomelo & Jin Xuan Lava. This comprised a crust that enveloped a mung bean paste infused with jin xuan oolong and a pomelo jam centre.
The jin xuan oolong introduced a gentle, floral note, accompanied by its characteristic creaminess. This was skillfully complemented by the velvety mung bean paste base, which, somewhat unexpectedly, permitted the nuanced nuances of the tea to shine through. The pomelo jam at the core provided a pleasantly sweet and citrusy burst of flavour, adding a delightful surprise to each bite.
In general, we found the flavours of these tea-infused mooncakes to be quite enjoyable. However, their overall presentation, notably their unimpressive appearance, did not meet the expectations associated with the premium price they commanded ($68.00 for a set).
This Ommi’s x Ice Kirin Bar Tea Infused Moon Cake contained 75 g x 4 mooncakes. It was produced in Australia and purchased in Sydney, Australia in 2023.