Bakpia

Hopia / Bakpia

Alternative names	Hopia, Pia
Type	Pastry,sweet roll,kue
Course	Snack,dessert
Place of origin	IndonesiaandPhilippines
Region or state	Southeast Asia
Variations	Bakpia pathok
Media: Hopia / Bakpia

Bakpia(Javanese:ꦧꦏ꧀ꦥꦶꦪ,romanized:bakpia;Chinese:Nhục bính;Pe̍h-ōe-jī:bah-piáⁿ;lit.'meat pastry'- the name it is known by inIndonesia) orHopia(Tagalog:[ˈhop.jɐʔ];Chinese:Hảo bính;Pe̍h-ōe-jī:hó-piáⁿ;lit.'good pastry' - the name it is known by in thePhilippines) is a popularIndonesianandPhilippinebean-filledmoon cake-like pastry originally introduced byFujianeseimmigrants in the urban centers of both nations around the past centuries. It is a widely available inexpensive treat and a favoured gift for families, friends and relatives.

In Indonesia, it is also widely known asbakpia pathok,named after a suburb ofYogyakartawhich specialises in the pastry.Thesesweet rollsare similar to bigger Indonesianpia,the only difference being the size.

Types of dough

Flakymung beanhopiafrom the Philippines

Flaky type

The flaky type ofbakpiausesChinese puff pastry.Clear examples of this can be seen in China (especiallyMacau),Taiwanand countries with established Chinesediasporacommunities such asTrinidad and TobagoandGuyanamaking this type the authentic Chinesehopia.In addition, there is more skill involved in making this type ofhopiacrust.

Cake-dough type

Filipinohopiautilizes the cake-dough type in addition to the flaky type.

Fillings

Below are the four traditional and most popularbakpiaorhopiafillings, though recently other fillings have been created such ascappuccino,cheese,chocolate,custard,durian,mango,pineapple,screwpine (pandan),and umbi talas (taro).

Mung bean

A pair of mung-beanhopias in a saucer

The most popular flakybakpiain Indonesia andhopiain the Philippines is filled withmung bean,which is called inIndonesian:bakpia kacang hijauand inFilipino/Tagalog:Hopia mongo / Hopiang munggo,sometimes referred to inTagalog:Hopiang matamis,lit. 'Sweet hopia'.As its name implies, it is filled with sweet split mung bean paste.

Pork

Pork hopia (Tagalog:Hopiang baboy / Hopia baboy)is filled with a savoury bread-crumb paste studded with candiedwintermelon,flavoured withscallionand enriched with candiedporkback fat, hence its name. This type ofhopiais also sometimes referred to ashopiang maalat(Tagalog for "saltyhopia").

Purple yam

Ubehopiafrom thePhilippineswith the cake-type dough

Ube hopia(Tagalog:Hopia ube / Hopiang ube) is a variant of hopia from thePhilippineswhich usepurple yam(Tagalog:ube;Cebuano:ubi). The filling is reminiscent ofhalayáng ube(ube jam), a traditional Filipino dessert eaten duringChristmas season.Like other ube-based dishes, it has a unique, vividvioletcolour and sweet taste.

Ube hopiawas first introduced in the 1980s by Gerry Chua ofEng Bee Tin,aChinese Filipinodelichain in theBinondodistrict ofManilanoted for theirfusionof Chinese and Filipino culinary traditions.

Azuki bean

A variant from the Philippines that uses redazuki beanpaste is called inTagalog:Hopia hapón / Hopiang hapón,lit. 'Japanese hopia'. It differs from otherhopiain that it is made from cake dough. It is small and round and is similar in filling, crust texture, and style to theJapanesekurimanjū,hence its name. These are also often formed into cubes and cooked on a griddle one side at a time instead of being baked in an oven.

See also

• Bánh pía
• Heong Peng
• Pan de monggo