The Big Sesame Cake: Changzhou’s Golden Disc

Layers of flavor

Walking through the streets of Changzhou at dawn, you will often smell the nutty, intoxicating aroma of toasted sesame seeds before you even see the bakery. This is the scent of the Da Ma Gao, a pastry that represents the pinnacle of local breakfast culture. A master baker does not simply make dough; they engineer it. Using rich pork lard to create separation, they fold the dough repeatedly, aiming for the legendary “eighteen layers.” The cake is then plastered with a dense layer of sesame seeds and baked in a traditional barrel oven until it achieves a specific golden hue known locally as “crab-shell yellow.” The result is a pastry so flaky that it shatters upon the first bite, raining crumbs of deliciousness.

Changzhou’s ultimate comfort food. A golden, flaky pastry encrusted with toasted sesame seeds that shatters upon first bite. sweet sugar melt or savory pork crunch?

The great debate: Sweet or Salty?

Locals are divided into two passionate camps, and the shape tells the story. The sweet version, typically round, is filled with sugar and lard. When hot, the center melts into a molten, caramel-like syrup that contrasts perfectly with the crisp shell. The salty version, usually shaped into an oval or rectangle, is a savory masterpiece packed with fresh scallions and pork fat, offering an intense umami punch. Whether you choose the sugar rush or the savory crunch, the golden rule in Changzhou remains the same: eat it hot, while the sesame is still singing from the oven.