Why are so many Thai royal desserts golden?

Gold symbolises wealth and auspiciousness in Thai culture — the yellow egg yolk desserts introduced from Portugal in the Ayutthaya era were naturally golden and became associated with royal favour.

dessert

Thong Yip

ทองหยิบ

Mild

Thong Yip are small golden flower-shaped Thai desserts made from egg yolk and jasmine-scented sugar syrup — one of the 'golden' royal desserts traditionally served at Thai royal ceremonies.

Cultural Origin

Thong Yip, pinched golden egg-yolk flowers, is one of the nine 'thong' (gold) desserts attributed to Maria Guyomar de Pinha in the Ayutthaya court of King Narai in the 17th century. Its name and golden color carry auspicious meaning and the dessert is a fixture at weddings, ordinations, and other ceremonies.

Allergens & Sensitivities

egg

Key Ingredients

duck egg yolks
sugar syrup
jasmine water

Taste profile

Salty: fish sauce, soy, shrimp paste
Sweet: palm sugar, coconut
Sour: lime, tamarind, fermentation
Umami: dried shrimp, fermented pastes, stock

Like the other golden egg-yolk sweets it is dense and rich rather than light, with a slightly grainy set that contrasts with the smooth threads of Foi Thong, and the jasmine-scented syrup leaves a faint floral note after the sweetness fades.

How Thong Yip Is Made

1
Preparing the yolks
Egg yolks, traditionally from duck eggs, are beaten smooth and passed through a sieve.
2
Cooking
The yolk is cooked gently over a jasmine-scented sugar syrup until it thickens into a soft, pliable paste.
3
Portioning
Small amounts of the cooked yolk paste are dropped into shallow syrup-filled cups.
4
Pinching
While still warm, each portion is pinched by hand into a small flower or petal shape, which is where the dessert gets its name.
5
Setting
The shaped pieces are left to firm up before being lifted from the syrup.

When It’s Eaten

Served alongside the other golden desserts as part of a ceremonial sweet set rather than ordered as a single dish, most often at weddings and merit-making occasions.

How to Order It

ขอทองหยิบหนึ่งที่: kor thong yip neung thi; One thong yip, please

What people get wrong

Expecting the texture to match Foi Thong because both are egg-yolk and syrup desserts — Thong Yip is a soft pinched paste rather than fine threads, and the two have quite different mouthfeels.

Where to Try It

Royal Thai dessert specialists and traditional sweet shops; wedding and ceremony caterers.

Tips

Made alongside Foi Thong and Thong Yod, Thong Yip is one of a trio of royal golden desserts symbolising wealth and good fortune.

Frequently Asked Questions

Cultural Origin

Taste profile

Salty

fish sauce, soy, shrimp paste

Sweet

palm sugar, coconut

Sour

lime, tamarind, fermentation

Umami

dried shrimp, fermented pastes, stock

How Thong Yip Is Made

Preparing the yolks

Egg yolks, traditionally from duck eggs, are beaten smooth and passed through a sieve.

Cooking

The yolk is cooked gently over a jasmine-scented sugar syrup until it thickens into a soft, pliable paste.

Portioning

Small amounts of the cooked yolk paste are dropped into shallow syrup-filled cups.

Pinching

While still warm, each portion is pinched by hand into a small flower or petal shape, which is where the dessert gets its name.

Setting

The shaped pieces are left to firm up before being lifted from the syrup.

Frequently Asked Questions