Merry Berry X'mas!

Christmas, a season for the loved ones, a season to give and share...

What else could be a more appropriate treat than food? This year I'm helping an old friend to bake something for her colleagues. I hope they would find these home-made butter cookies, sandwiched with blueberry jam and hazelnut chocolate spread, enjoyable.

Parmesan Cheese Biscuits

Freshly-baked cheesy biscuits...

It tastes pretty much like the texture of a mini tart.

'Grandpa' Butter Cookies

Grandpa had a dream. He dreamt of me asking him to try out these. He has dementia. He thought his dream was real. He woke up searching for my cookies jar.

I almost nagged at him again. Almost...and I was at a sudden loss for words when brother says, "Even in his dream, he knows you like baking. Ask yourself, has he ever offered to try your cookies before...?"

No, not once.

"Ah gong, gum siah, it was you that made these cookies particularly special to me."

'Smiley' Chocolate Cake

Time heals...

And sometimes, chocolate heals too. A simple cake, wishing all laughter always.

'Friendship' Shortbread Cookies

Decided to bake something for an old friend.

Something very simple, buttery and delicate. Something that requires gentle handling so it wouldn't break into a dozen pieces, just like our friendship of 13 years...

I wish her a worries-free 24th birthday.

Blueberry Jam Drops

Frankly speaking, I've never tried and didn't know how should a Jam Drop taste like...

Comes to baking, I'm still a newbie.

I have a bottle of blueberry jam. I have flour, butter, sugar, eggs and so, I whipped it up. The result was a batch of sweet and crunchy cookies with chewy blueberries centre.

Cat's Tongues/ Langues de Chat

Years ago, thanks to a friend of mine, I got the chance to taste a wonderful chocolate sandwich cookie from Hokkaido. I remembered it having a buttery, light and delicate crispiness that slowly melted in the mouth. Still, I crave for it now.

There are dozen of recipes for 'Shiroi Koibito cookie' and 'Langues de Chat' online. I tried baking a few some time last year and didn't get the texture I wanted.

Today, I thought I'm getting close...

Although I would never be able to beat the original.

Hazelnut and Chocolate Chips Biscotti

Somewhere I read that there are two types of biscotti. The dry and crisp, and the rich and buttery...

I personally prefer it to be crispier, just like those served with a cup of hot latte in a cafe. The difference in the recipes is simply to omit the butter.

I've fallen head over heels for hazelnuts recently, especially when it pairs up nicely with bits of dark chocolate.

Sandwich Cookies

Baked a little something for my colleagues, the one and only type of cookies I'm confident at.

I wish them all the best... thank you...