Sweet Snacks & Festive Bites

From afternoon snacks to festival food, the tastes and textures of northern Chinese sweet dishes may be a new experience for many people. The fruity, creamy and chocolatey flavours of the West are not found here — intensely sugary morsels are the traditional choices. Many of these are served during festivals and celebrations.

Several types of dates feature in north Chinese sweet dishes and they range from plain, dried ones to cloying honeyed bites. They are often mashed and used as a delicious filling in pancakes.