China · East Asia

Hopia (Flaky Mung Bean Pastry)

Name: Hopia (Flaky Mung Bean Pastry)
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 20 min
Yield: 16 pieces
Cuisine: China
Ingredients: 200 g (1 2/3 cups) all-purpose flour; 30 g (2 1/2 tbsp) sugar; 60 ml (1/4 cup) oil; 80 ml (1/3 cup) water; 120 g (1 cup) all-purpose flour; 70 g (1/3 cup) shortening or lard; 300 g sweet mung bean paste (or ube halaya); 1 egg, for wash

Flaky little pastries with sweet mung bean filling

🛂 Passport Stamp No.020 · Postmarked in China

60m

Prep

20m

Bake

16 pieces

Makes

Advanced

Level

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🏛 A little history

Hopia came to the Philippines with Fujianese Chinese immigrants — the name is from the Hokkien 'ho-piá', meaning 'good pastry'. It's a cousin of Chinese mooncakes and flaky wife-cakes.

Built from two doughs that laminate into delicate flaky layers, hopia is filled most classically with sweet mung bean (hopiang munggo) or purple ube, and sold in Chinese-Filipino bakeries everywhere.

👩‍🍳 Let's bake!

Mix the water-dough ingredients into a smooth dough and rest 20 minutes. Separately blend the oil-dough into a paste.
Divide each into 16. Flatten a water-dough piece, wrap an oil-dough piece inside, and seal.
Roll each ball into an oval and roll it up; turn 90°, roll and roll up again — this builds the flaky layers. Rest 10 minutes.
Flatten each and wrap around a ball of mung bean filling; seal and gently press flat.
Place seam-down on a lined sheet and brush the tops with egg wash.
Bake at 180°C (355°F) for 18–20 minutes until pale golden and flaky. Cool.

💡 Chef Axl's tips

Keep both doughs the same softness so they laminate evenly.
Don't let them brown much — hopia should stay pale.

Pantry

All-Purpose Flour

The everyday workhorse for cakes, cookies, and breads.

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Pantry

Sugar

Sweetens and helps bakes turn golden and tender.

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Pantry

Brown Sugar

Adds sweetness and a soft, chewy texture.

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Vanilla Extract

A splash of warm, sweet aroma in every batter.

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Tools

Parchment Paper

Non-stick lining so nothing sticks to the pan.

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Decorating

Cookie Cutter Set

Stamp out fun shapes for cookies and fondant.

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Tools

Rolling Pin

Tapered hardwood pin for smooth, even rolling.

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Hopia (Flaky Mung Bean Pastry)

🏛 A little history

👩‍🍳 Let's bake!

💡 Chef Axl's tips

Shop this recipe

All-Purpose Flour

Sugar

Brown Sugar

Vanilla Extract

Parchment Paper

Cookie Cutter Set

Rolling Pin

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