Zhongshan Almond Biscuit

Zhongshan almond biscuit is a dry, fragrant biscuit made chiefly of mung-bean flour mixed with sugar and lard or vegetable oil, pressed in a wooden mould carved with an almond motif and then baked; despite the name it is not made of almonds but takes its name from the almond shape, with a crisp, melt-in-the-mouth texture and a rich bean aroma.

The almond biscuit was born in late-Qing Shiqi in the county of Xiangshan, created by the Xiao household's servant Pan Yanxiang under the guidance of Lin Dagu; after the 1911 Revolution the Xiao family produced and sold it in quantity. Juxiangyuan formally took the name in 1918 and made the biscuit one of Guangdong's "four great biscuits," winning the Golden Rooster Award at the 1935 Honolulu International Food Expo and spreading it overseas.

Mostly enjoyed as a teatime snack or in gift boxes, it is best eaten dry, paired with a pot of gongfu tea or pu'er so the bean aroma meets the tea fragrance; modern versions sandwich ice cream or cream, and it is a must for hosting and gifting in Zhongshan.

The almond-shaped wooden-mould motif, the dry crispness of mung-bean flour and the melt-in-the-mouth texture are what set the Zhongshan almond biscuit apart from biscuits of other regions.