My Melody French Sablés (Cookies)

Photo source: Eugenie Kitchen

If you have been active on social media, Instagram for instance, I bet many of you would have noticed the overwhelming number of bakes on these Valentine Rainbow Heart Cookies originated by Eugenie at Eugenie Kitchen. These pretty-looking cookies first caught my attention on a youtube video featuring a detailed-making process of these cookies. With the power of social media nowadays, the video has been shared so widely that the whole world seems to be making these cookies now! How impressive is that?! In fact, Eugenie is not only behind the creation of these rainbow heart cookies, she has also made various impressive cookie designs, including the recent Instagram cookies, Facebook cookies, and her previous Mille Crepe Cake with Hidden Rainbow Heart was definitely a hit! Hands down to Eugenie and her incredible creations! So, whenever I see unique creations like that, I would think hard on how I could re-create them into the desired shapes and patterns I desire, which is none other than everything to do with the Sanrio© character, My Melody! Love love love to the max! ^_^

My Melody French Sablés (Cookies)

But I'm no way comparable to Eugenie's skills and creativity. So I'd decided to try out something really simple and easy. And here's my version of My Melody French Sablé Cookies inspired from the rainbow heart cookies! Not too bad uh? Honestly, I had no idea how French Sablés (cookies) taste like prior and how different they are from the Danish butter cookies or shortbread cookies which I had baked in my previous posts. But now I know. However, I don't really know how to describe it, except the texture of these cookies are somewhat between butter cookies and shortbread cookies. Oops... If I have to say, they are certainly crumbly and delicate, and has a salty taste in every bite (although there isn't a lot of salt in the ingredients), and it still has the crunch on first bite. Oh no, I hope I have not made you confused at this juncture. In conclusion though, these are definitely delicious, especially if you are not in favour of the buttery smell from the usual butter cookies. Now that I have made this possible, I hope there would be a day I could add on the features of My Melody into this cookie design and impress! Hee hee! Oh and if you have tried it before me, or work with other cartoon designs, do remember to share with me because I would very much love to share and admire, maybe taste too that's if you offer free sampling! Hahaha.. Alright, for now enjoy and till next time!!

TDB's Birthday (Chocolate Chiffon) Cake

Woohoo~ The Dream Baker is One! Happy Birthday (to my blog)! ^_^

I guess words simply can't describe my feelings now. Looking back at the past blog posts of all that I've done (or rather achieved), it's definitely consoling. Every little detail and contents on this blog is a great reflection of the amount of time and efforts that I've put in and built from scratch. Never would I have dreamed of having my own (baking) blog. And I can't help but wonder, "How would I've otherwise spent those time if I wasn't baking and blogging?!" Well, I guess that's life, never without uncertainties...

So to celebrate this notably significant anniversary of the birth of my blog, I've decided to bring my self-taught baking skills to greater heights by making a cut-out cake of my self-created logo! This birthday cake is a combination of my favourites - chocolate chiffon cake, strawberries, dark chocolate and cream frostings.

TDB's Birthday (Chocolate Chiffon) Cake

And my thoughts behind the creation and making of this birthday cake:
I was caught up with this cut-out shaped cake idea after I was inspired by a birthday cake idea which I learned from a friend. In fact this is my second attempt after I made myself a birthday cake last year. I decided to use a chocolate cake base after I posted my Milano® Cookies Chocolate Cake, and I decided to use strawberries to fill in between the layers of the cake since I needed chocolate frosting for the drawing of the outline and strawberries and chocolate are just a heavenly pairing. I personally preferred a lighter cake texture like chiffon cake as compared to the usual chocolate sponge cake, so instead I've decided and wanted to adopt the same recipe I had used for my Mini Chocolate Chiffon Cakes, only to realised that I was out of milk. Hence, I modified the recipe from a Green Tea Chiffon Cake which I came across during my research. Unexpectedly it turned out pretty well! In fact, the cake is deliciously chocolatey to be eaten by itself.

Then some friends asked, "why not use fondant?" To me, fondant is a "pretty-but-not-delicious" form of cake decoration (in my own opinion). Putting aside the skills level required to master fondant cake decorations, I'm very much in favour of presenting an equally pretty and yummy cake, both for admiration and savouring, than just a pretty cake that is better for admiration. Although I'm not a fan of cake frostings either, and often I would be "scrapping" away those thick layer of cream from store-bought cakes, I'm quite happy to be eating those cream frostings of my self-baked cakes since I am in control of the amount and thickness of the cake frostings that goes onto my cake. ^_^

And this feels like a dream (cake) come true...

P.S. Pardon me for my tiredness, I was oblivious to the abbreviations ("TDR") I've written on the cake (which was supposed to be "TDB") until I was going through the pictures. Instead of trying to photoshop those photos as my husband suggested trying, I thought I might as well take the wrong and make the best of it. So in this context, "TDR" (or correctly "TDB") shall stand for The Dream BakeR. Hahaha!