Golden, flaky and filled with sweet red bean paste, Wangmu pastries are a beloved specialty of Jingchuan county in Pingliang, Gansu province. [Photo/WeChat account: PLSWGJ]

Wangmu pastries are a renowned traditional pastry from Jingchuan county of Pingliang, named after Wangmu Palace, a historic temple dedicated to Xiwangmu (the Queen Mother of the West) in Chinese mythology.

To prepare them, white sugar syrup, alkaline solution, cooking oil and flour are mixed into a dough, which is then divided into small portions and rolled into thin wrappers. The filling is made by stir-frying red bean paste with cane sugar, maltose and salt until thickened, then blending in butter until smooth. Each wrapper is filled, pressed into shape in a mold, removed, lightly misted with water and baked until golden. The pastries are then left to cool.

Wangmu pastries are known for their rich aroma, delicate, flaky texture and mellow sweetness. Every year around the 20th day of the third lunar month and the Mid-Autumn Festival (the 15th day of the eighth lunar month), they are in especially high demand.