Rainy Wednesday + Updates!

Isn't it supposed to be Spring? Why is it pouring freezing rain outside? Never believe the weather forecast, New England weather is too temperamental for that.

Anyway, I've been spending the last few weeks at home busily packing things into boxes. 

Ah, yes! I'm moving back home in 2 months, finally! *phew*

Home has a dual definition to me: Singapore and Jakarta, Indonesia. Now, I don't know where I'll be on the long run, but I'll definitely be jumping back and forth on a regular basis to explore new cafés, bakeries, and what not.

Follow me and I promise you, it's going to be scrumptious and fun!

Packing up the past 5 years of my life into boxes and throwing out all the old junk that I've unintentionally collected has been quite a stressful yet liberating experience. It's really a love & hate situation right now. 

A part of me wants to get things packed as soon as possible, which means packing up my kitchen and baking ware into heavy duty moving boxes. The other part of me wants to let them hang out in the kitchen until the very last day. I'm kinda stuck in between, and I haven't been baking much, I'm sorry.

On the bright side, I've been working a lot with cake decorations at work recently and I've been posting them on my Instagram @Jessicalogy. Click to see!

Talking about packing, I'm easily distracted with all the random stuff I find around the apartment. Like when I found my typography sketch book and I started scribbling, and then I realize that OH! I was supposed to be packing.

It's so inefficient, but nonetheless my stuff is getting packed up a little each day!

Langues Des Chat / Cat's Tongue

meow, meow, meow...

I've been consuming way too much Langues Des Chat these past few days. You see, I put the container full of meow-goodness on the kitchen counter, so whenever I step in or out of the kitchen I stuff my mouth with one or two cookies.

Because they're so small, crispy, and cute. Plus, tiny cookies make me (or anyone else) feel less guilty about consuming them. Or maybe that's what I want myself to feel, but really, the best part about it is that it brings me back home.

When I was a little kid, I used to eat Lidah Kucing, an Indonesian version of Langues Des Chat. They're much more delicate because it's made with meringue folded into the batter. It's very buttery and super duper flavorful. Oh, and one is definitely not enough!

Maybe I'll make the Indonesian version next time.

Baker's Dozen: Links of Love!

Yup. It's so far so good here in Little Rhody. New England's been pretty chilly lately, but we always make do with a warm cup of tea and staying warm under the blanky while web surfing on the couch.

My Laduree Sucre book finally arrived! Time to make some Langues de Chat!

Colette Leica X Hello Kitty X Playboy Limited Edition Camera Too cute!

I bet this White Marble Pastry Slab will make a great background for any food photography

How to make Chocolate Dorayaki

For the love of coffee: Bee Hive Dripper (Small)

I know it's still freezing, Biscoff Cookie Vanilla Bean Ice Cream!

I'm following The Clever Carrot now!

Currently addicted to Argo Tea's Carolina Honey Tea

Oh My God! Matcha Sea Salt Fries with Siracha Ketchup

Cornbread Donuts to top off any soup this cold season

Just bought this Octopus Cup & Saucer

Super adorable Mini Hello Kitty Apple Pies

Honey Spiced Madelines Oh so fluffy!

Chinese New Year Cookies

I know it's a little too late, but "Happy Chinese New Year, Everyone!" It's better late then never, right?

How did your CNY celebration go? That's if you celebrate... :) Unfortunately, I was in a retreat camp over the weekend. But Chinese New Year is never the same here as it is back home anyway. 

Can't wait to pig out with my family and friends next year! 

Anyway, I've been a little caught up with travelling these past couple of weeks, so this post has been pending since last month! By the way, these are the cookies that I made with my DIY cookie cutters.

招财进宝 (zhao cai jin bao) means: to usher wealth and prosperity. In this case, the cookie is in the shape of old fashioned Chinese coins.

The DIY cookie cutters did their job and I'm quite pleased with how they turned out to be. I guess my favorite ones are the lanterns! What do you think?

The more I look at this pagoda cookie picture, the more I think of Mickey Mouse-second from the top. See what I mean?

So anyway, here's to all celebrating! Have a bountiful Horse Year ahead! 

DIY: Make your own cookie cutter

January is almost over?! What? I barely even noticed! I feel like my mind is still stuck in December. Well, it sure feels like it. Still bitter and cold as ever here in Providence, but being the cold weather loving being that I am, I LOVE IT!

Let's talk festivities! Chinese New Year is around the corner and I've got a friend ordering some cookies for her party/event. She showed me this picture, very festive, red, and bold which reminds me of the decorations at my grandparent's during Chinese New Year.

Which reminds me that this will be the 5th year that I'm missing the Chinese New Year family gathering at home. I'm missing all the good food and the 红包 (Red Packets/ Envelopes filled with money are usually given by married couples to single people and kids) 

Anyway, back to the topic. 

The cookies. 

Yes. 

Here's the picture.

Last February, Sweet Sugar Belle created these Chinese New Year decorated cookies on her blog and it has been circling Pinterest for quite some time. My friend wanted the exact same thing, I find them super cute, and I'm so excited to make these....

But I don't have a pagoda cookie cutter!!!

I've looked everywhere, online and in stores, but I guess it's just not that popular.

So anyway, I've decided to create my own cookie cutter, and it's easy. You will need a few things. 

Let me show you!

1. Design. 

My awesome friend Sandy helped me sketch out a perfectly sized pagoda outline! Make sure your template is big enough to fit all the design going on the cookie. This was about 5 inches.

2. Aluminium strips (about 1 inch width) 

I bought a cookie cutter kit online. It comes with a bunch of other things in it which I don't really find them useful, so I won't recommend you to get them, but you can always buy 1" aluminium strips on Amazon or in a Home Depot type store.

3. Some type of string/yarn

You need this to figure out how much aluminium strip you'll need to use. Just trace the yarn over the outline of your design and add an extra inch or two just in case you run out of material when you're creating your cookie cutter.

4. Tongs/ Bending tool

You can use almost anything to help you bend the aluminium strip. I just happen to find that this tool works good for me. The aluminium strip itself isn't hard to bend, in fact it's pretty bendy and you can even use your hands to shape it!

5. Bend Away

Remember to bend away from you. Keep the long part of the strip away from your body (It might be sharp and I'm sure you don't want to get scratched) Keep on bending, bending. bending. But not too much or the strip will break!!!

6. Glue them tight

I find that it's best to use a quick dry solid adhesive. In this case, I used a 5 minute dry epoxy glue - just mix the 2 substance, glue them in place and secure it with a binder clip. 

Taaa-daaaa!! Not bad, eh? It's not the same size (pardon my bending skills) but it's definitely original and worth the time and effort. 

Practice makes perfect. So now, let's bake some cookies!