At the table
Break off small pieces to enjoy the layers. It can be eaten after cooling.
Contains wheat and sesame. Let a freshly baked pastry cool before biting.
Some recipes add osmanthus and sesame oil. Layering, sweetness and softness vary by maker.
The baked layered pastry has a crisp outside and soft inside, so it can be broken into small portions to share. Let it cool before serving.
Recipes vary. Ask the restaurant about ingredients and serving before you order.
GET TO KNOW THE DISH
What goes into it?
Explore some key ingredients below. Preparations may use additional seasonings and ingredients.
Some recipes add osmanthus and sesame oil. Layering, sweetness and softness vary by maker.
Typical ingredients
In some versions
Recipes vary by restaurant.
How does it taste?
Sweet brown sugar and toasted sesame.
- Chili heat
- Texture
- Crisp at the edges, soft and layered inside.
- How it’s made
- Layer wheat dough with sesame paste and brown sugar, shape it, then brown and bake it.
Some recipes add osmanthus and sesame oil. Layering, sweetness and softness vary by maker.
A CONNECTION TO PLACE
Origin & regional roots
Associated with Beijing.
About this regional connection
Beijing: Beijing/Tongzhou traditional sesame and brown-sugar pastry; no exclusive birthplace claim.
Ask if they have it first
请问你们有糖火烧吗？
Do you have this item?
A LITTLE SOMETHING TO READ
Story & history
Tang huoshao: a Hebei snack in Beijing’s breakfast repertoire
This account describes a tradition or story, rather than an established historical fact.
Local accounts describe tang huoshao as a Hebei snack that later became part of Beijing’s breakfast repertoire. Its sweet baked layers give the name a place in the city’s morning-food vocabulary as well as its bakery tradition.
