Bakpia

Bakpia, also known as hopia, is a cherished pastry in both Indonesia and the Philippines. Introduced by Fujianese immigrants in the early 20th century, this treat has become a staple, often exchanged as gifts due to its affordability and widespread availability. In Indonesia, it is also referred to as bakpia pathok, named after a suburb in Yogyakarta renowned for producing this delectable pastry.

There are two primary types of bakpia dough: the flaky kind, which uses Chinese puff pastry, and the cake-like dough, reminiscent of a soft cookie. As for the fillings, traditional options include mung bean, pork, purple yam, and azuki bean. However, modern variations have introduced flavors such as cappuccino, cheese, chocolate, and even durian.

Among these, mung bean bakpia stands out as the most popular, featuring a sweet paste made from split mung beans. Pork bakpia offers a savory experience, filled with a mixture of breadcrumbs, winter melon, scallion, and candied pork back fat. The Filipino variant, ube hopia, uses purple yam for a distinct violet hue and sweet taste. Meanwhile, azuki bean hopia, similar to the Japanese kuri manjū, uses sweet azuki bean paste within a cake-like dough.