Name: Bánh pía — Sóc Trăng flaky durian and mung-bean pastries
Prep time: 65 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 190 min
Cuisine: Vietnam
Ingredients: 250 g all-purpose wheat flour; 45 g granulated sugar; 80 ml cold water; 45 ml neutral oil; 2 g fine salt; 150 g all-purpose wheat flour; 75 ml neutral oil; 100 g dried split peeled mung beans; 120 g ripe durian flesh, seed removed; 80 g granulated sugar; 20 ml neutral oil; 1 g fine salt; 10 salted duck egg yolks, about 150 g total; 1 egg yolk; 15 ml water

Wide tea-table view of Sóc Trăng bánh pía with cut centers

Yield 10 pastries

Cook 60 minutes

Passive 65 minutes for soaking and dough rests

Total 3 hours 10 minutes

Calories About 430 kcal per pastry

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Bánh pía — Sóc Trăng flaky durian and mung-bean pastries

Bánh pía is associated with Sóc Trăng, especially the Vũng Thơm area, and with Hoa/Teochew pastry traditions. Its name is sometimes linked to the thin layers that can be peeled from the baked shell. Fillings vary by bakery and region: mung bean, durian and salted duck egg yolk are a familiar combination, while taro, lotus seed and pork fat appear in other versions. This recipe focuses on one practical home variation rather than claiming a single definitive formula.

The shell uses a water dough and an oil dough. Wrapping and folding them creates fine flaky layers without requiring specialist pastry equipment. The mung beans are cooked and mashed into a thick paste with durian; each portion encloses one cooked salted yolk. Bake until the layered shell is golden and the center is hot, then let the pastries cool so the flakes set before serving.

Practical

Keys to successDrain steamed mung beans well so the filling can cook to a firm, shapeable paste. Keep both doughs covered while working to prevent their surfaces from drying. Roll and fold each layered dough gently; too much pressure can merge the layers. Enclose one fully cooked salted yolk in each filling ball and seal the pastry underneath. Use an oven thermometer and check the center of a pastry with a thin-tip thermometer.

Ingredients

Water dough

250 g all-purpose wheat flour
45 g granulated sugar
80 ml cold water
45 ml neutral oil
2 g fine salt

Oil dough

150 g all-purpose wheat flour
75 ml neutral oil

Mung-bean and durian filling

100 g dried split peeled mung beans
120 g ripe durian flesh, seed removed
80 g granulated sugar
20 ml neutral oil
1 g fine salt
10 salted duck egg yolks, about 150 g total

Egg wash

1 egg yolk
15 ml water

Method

Rinse the mung beans and soak them in cool water for 60 minutes. Drain and steam over fresh water for 20–25 minutes until soft enough to mash. Let them cool slightly.
Steam the salted duck egg yolks in a small covered steamer over simmering water for 12–15 minutes until firm. Check a representative yolk with a thin-tip thermometer; it must reach 71.1°C / 160°F. Cool the yolks on a clean plate.
Mash the warm mung beans. Combine them in a wide skillet with 80 g sugar, 20 ml neutral oil and 1 g salt. Cook over low heat, stirring and pressing, until the paste is thick and holds a furrow. Stir in 120 g durian and cook until cohesive, with no visible liquid. Cool, divide into 10 portions, wrap one yolk in each, and keep covered.
For the water dough, mix 250 g flour, 45 g sugar and 2 g salt. Add 80 ml cold water and 45 ml neutral oil. Knead 6–8 minutes until smooth and elastic; cover and rest 20 minutes. For the oil dough, work 150 g flour with 75 ml neutral oil until evenly combined and soft. Divide each dough into 10 equal portions.
Flatten one water-dough portion, enclose one oil-dough portion and seal. Roll into a short rectangle, fold in thirds, turn a quarter-turn, then roll and fold once more. Cover the shaped portions and rest 15 minutes. This keeps the dough supple for shaping.
On a lightly floured surface, roll each layered dough portion into a 9–10 cm round. Place one filling ball in the center, gather the edges and pinch closed underneath. Set seam-side down on a parchment-lined sheet and gently flatten to about 2 cm thick. Repeat for all 10 pastries, keeping unworked pieces covered.
Heat a conventional oven to 190°C / 375°F and verify with an oven thermometer. Bake for 15 minutes. Whisk 1 egg yolk with 15 ml water and brush the tops lightly, avoiding pools in the seams. Bake another 12–15 minutes until golden, with crisp edges. Check a center pastry with a thin-tip thermometer; the filling must reach 71.1°C / 160°F. If needed, bake in 2-minute increments and recheck.
Cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes so the layers set. Serve one pastry per person. Refrigerate within 2 hours and keep covered for up to 4 days. Reheat at 160°C / 325°F until the center reaches 74°C / 165°F and the shell crisps again.

Practical

Practical guidance

The filling can be made ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator; bring it just to a workable temperature before wrapping. If the layered dough feels oily or soft, chill it for 10 minutes before rolling. Durian fragrance and sweetness vary, so use ripe fruit with a soft, custardy texture and keep the listed weight after removing the seed.

Troubleshooting

The dough layers disappear: roll with light, even pressure and avoid kneading the oil dough into the water dough. The filling leaks: cook it until thick and cool it fully before shaping; pinch the seam closed. The shell browns before the center is hot: lower the oven slightly and continue in short intervals, checking the center temperature. The crust turns tough: avoid adding extra flour while kneading and do not overwork the dough after the rests. The pastries feel soft after chilling: reheat in the oven rather than the microwave to bring back the flaky shell.

FAQ

Can I make the filling ahead? Yes. Cook the mung-bean and durian paste, cool it, and refrigerate covered. Steam the salted yolks separately and keep them chilled; use both within 2 days for best handling. Can I use taro instead of durian? Some regional versions use taro, lotus seed or other fillings. This recipe is balanced for durian and mung bean; replacing the fruit changes the moisture and sweetness, so it needs a separately adjusted filling. Why are there two doughs? The water dough encloses a soft oil dough. Rolling and folding the pair forms thin flaky layers in the baked shell.

Nutrition per serving

Serving size1 pastry
CaloriesAbout 430 kcal
Carbohydrate53 g
Protein7 g
Fat20 g
Fibre3 g
SodiumAbout 450 mg

Allergens and safety

Contains wheat/gluten and egg. Steam salted duck egg yolks until firm and verify a representative yolk reaches 71.1°C / 160°F. Bake the assembled pastries until the filling center reaches 71.1°C / 160°F. Use clean tools and plates for cooked yolks and finished pastries; wash hands and food-contact surfaces. Cool on a clean rack and refrigerate within 2 hours. Store covered for up to 4 days; reheat leftovers to 74°C / 165°F.

Finish the dish

Let the pastries cool before breaking them open so the layers hold their shape.
Serve with hot unsweetened tea to balance the sweet, rich filling.

Bánh pía — Sóc Trăng flaky durian and mung-bean pastries

Practical

Ingredients

Water dough

Oil dough

Mung-bean and durian filling

Egg wash

Method

Practical

Practical guidance

Troubleshooting

FAQ

Nutrition per serving

Allergens and safety

Finish the dish

Vietnamese National Dishes

Lẩu mắm — Mekong Delta fermented-fish hot pot

Cá lóc nướng trui — Mekong Delta straw-grilled snakehead

Cá tai tượng chiên xù — crispy whole giant gourami from Bến Tre