Ipoh Heong Peng @ 362 Heong Peng, Jalan Gunung Rapat, Ipoh

Having old fashion confectioneries is one of life's simplest pleasures. And when old fashion means baking it inside a pit, you know this will be great. Located in Jalan Gunung Rapat, it can be a long drive for most people. And as such, people go to 362 Heong Peng and get their heong peng (香饼) fix in the bulk. Literally translated as fragrant pastry or aromatic biscuit, heong peng for the uninitiated would be akin to caramel pasties. But even with that description does not do it justice, as it is such a unique item, that it cannot simply be classified nor "translated". It has to be eaten to be understood. 

Front of the house

It is a very unassuming place and some searching is necessary eventhough it is popular and 362 is actually the address of 362 Heong Peng. This shop, which has a very shantytown like back bakery is a typical sight in any rural Malaysian village. Yet, never judge a place by its cover. 

Used right, it is great fuel.

In front of the place, are sacks full of coconut husks which is the fuel for their earth ovens. The back is the abovementioned bakery, where earth oven  are used to bake. The husks are loaded in the middle and actual fire is used to bake the heong peng. And if you are lucky, you can see the whole process of it being made. And luckily I went on the right day.

People labouring away.

There were a few people sat outside the bakery, where you can see them rolling out the pastry. Once they have been rolled out, they will be transported to the ovens to be baked. 

Before the baking happens.

And inside, there will be the baker pasting the pastries at the wall of the earth ovens. And he literally paste them. As the fire comes from one source, you can see a side of the pastries to be more charred than the other parts. It does not affect the flavour, but it does give it an aesthetic difference. 

Old school at its most raw

A good trait to pick up if you want your earth oven stamp of approval. Once those crunchy, flaky, caramel stuffed rounds are ready, there are placed at the front counter to be sold almost immediately. 

A look inside. 

The extra work and effort is easily reflected in the finished product. The filling is sticky and sweet, with some savouriness, like how an actual heong peng should. The star was the crust, as the coconut husks gave it a smoky flavour which cannot be obtained if you use a conventional oven. It is like how a wood powered oven will always make better pizza. This is the same situation.

The end result. 

They sell by the 10s, which is RM9 per pack of 10 pieces. Considering the effort made to manufacture, this is something worth spending. I am not really a fan of places that powers it money making machine with gimmicks, but the extra steps serves more than a visual purpose. This is some of the better heong pengs that I had and better than my usual supplier in Malacca. If you are in Perak, this is a place you should try at least once and a worth while detour. However, as it is so fresh and old school, it has to be consumed almost immediately, and latest in one week. 

If you like croissants, danishes, puff pastries, or super flaky foodstuffs, you need this in your life. 

Keen to visit? the address is as follows:

362, Jalan Gunung Rapat, Taman Rapat Setia, 31350 Ipoh, Perak