Christmas Bear Macarons (new decorating technique!)

 This is one of those things I wonder why I didn't think of it earlier and why isn't it already mainstream! These charming Christmas bear macarons are actually beginner-friendly although they look impressive because of a simple hack!

This is a kids' baking class material for December that makes use of edible cookie dough for decorating all the details. The macaron bake becomes beginner-friendly because of that, at least for the heads-only version of the bears. I included the full-body version as well for those who would like to challenge themselves. Edible cookie dough is much yummier and contains much less sugar than fondant or royal icing, which have been the mainstream medium for decorating macarons. Some bakers use macaron batter to include all the details to cut out the additional sugar but using something playdoh-ish makes it so much easier but the end product still looks impressive! The cookie dough sticks by itself onto the macaron shell without needing a glue so it's really handy.

See this reel to see what I mean by it being beginner-friendly!

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQ6eq8bEgH1/?igsh=MWlvMXIwOWplYXRzdg==

What's on the menu:

- Chocolate macaron shells filled with dark chocolate Nutella filling

- Brown sugar cinnamon macaron shells filled with Biscoff filling

- ALL decorations are made of Strawberry or Vanilla edible cookie dough. No fondant, marzipan or royal icing is used at all so overall sugar load is less!

with love,

Phay Shing

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Blue China Cheongsam Cake

 My mum suggested making a blue china themed birthday cake for my Grandma's 90th and Aunt's 70th combined birthday celebration, modelled after what I made for her last year over here. I took it a step further to incorporate the cheongsam style as well!

I followed the floral and berry flavour profiles of the cake that I made for my mum except that this wasn't sugar-free since it's for the the whole extended family clan to eat after a sumptuous meal together.

Cake composition:

- Lavender rose chiffon sponge (7 layers + 1 wrapping around the stack + all external decorative pieces except the wafer paper butterflies)

- Vanilla rose diplomat cream (6 layers between the hidden sponge stack)

- Fresh strawberries (in the cream layers)

- Raspberry reduction (brushed on all hidden sponge layers)

I omitted egg yolks when making the sponges to reduce the use of food colouring to achieve the white and blue colours. You may refer to my reel to see the recipe and process. The method is in the comments of the reel.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQodDA1krAg/?igsh=MWpnZGh3NTl4am16Zw==

 I will share the ingredient list here for your convenience.

Lavender rose chiffon sponge:

This quantity is good for a 7" round pan which I used for the hidden sponge stack. The sponge can be sliced half horizontally for a thinner layer. I used a total of 7x this portion for the whole cake including decorative cutout parts

15g oil

40g floral milk tea*

35g cake flour, sifted

pinches of salt

2 egg whites (about 75g)

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

30g sugar 

* Heat 120 milk with 6g Moroccan rosebuds & 1 tsp dried lavender flowers. Steep for 30min. Strain. 

Vanilla rose diplomat cream:

Feel free to scale up the portion as needed. I used 3x for the whole cake.

1 egg yolk

10-20g sugar

Pinches of salt

8g cornstarch 

110g rose milk tea*

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

7g butter 

100g whipping cream of choice**

2-3g gelatin (depending on serving ambient temperature and preferred firmness of cream, optional)

* Heat 140g milk with 6g Moroccan rosebuds. Steep for 30min. Strain. 

** I used a mix of double cream (45% fat) & non-dairy whipping cream in 3:2 ratio. You may use gelatin to stabilize if you wish. I omitted as I used a higher fat percentage dairy cream. Sweeten with sugar of choice, adjust according to taste & whether pre-sweetened non-dairy cream is used. I omitted as the non-dairy cream is pre-sweetened

Raspberry reduction:

100g raspberry puree, sieved

10g sugar 

4g lemon juice

Some useful tips about making this cake:

- I used melted bloomed gelatin as glue to glue the decorative pieces to each other or the main sponge

- The strawberries were sliced to the same thickness as the sponge layers to ensure even layers of sponge and cream with fruit.

Here are some photos of the process...

Tracing the mirror imaged pattern with edible marker on parchment paper

Painted sponge using cake paint

small decorative pieces made of blue chiffon sponge

Assembling the cake

Unfortunately I don't have a good photo of the much anticipated cross section slice because the waitresses whisked the cake away before I could get my hands on it and sliced the cake vertically AND horizontally 🤦🏻‍♀️.

This was one of the neater slices. The cake was really soft and moist so I imagine it was a challenge to slice it. You will have to imagine what you see x6 vertically with the strawberry slices intact. At least you can catch a glimpse of the cake crumb and even layers of sponge and cream

Everyone enjoyed the cake and the celebration was a blast!

with lots of love,

Phay Shing

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Monchhichi and Friends Lemon Vanilla Marshmallows on Chiffon Cake

 My friend requested for Monchhichi marshmallow as cake topper, along with two girl dolls representing her daughters!

The girls are both fans of Monchhichi 

I took the chance to put together a systematic compilation of marshmallow piping techniques as Monchhichi is a very good subject where many techniques can be demonstrated.

Please refer to this Instagram post with a carousel of short videos for the various techniques:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DPzwZkREvDO/?igsh=MWYwbDBpYnppajlrdg==

You may refer to this reel for the piping tutorial of the girl dollies:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQBqZJ7iddo/?igsh=ZjhweXp5MGo2dDd5

Here are some pictures of the marshmallows before dusting them...

I make duplicates in case of accidental uglification 🤭.

Thank God both cake and marshmallows were very well received! The cake is just a plain vanilla chiffon cake with some pandan water mixed in for that extra natural fragrance. I omitted egg yolks in the chiffon cake to minimize the food colouring added as I don't have to compensate for the natural yellow colour from the yolks to achieve the pastel blue.

with love,

Phay Shing

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Boosheen S'mores (Marshmallow piping technique demonstration!)

 For the length of time I have been teaching character marshmallows in my classes, one thing I observed is the tendency for beginners to pipe a certain way, such that the resulting character doesn't have a smooth surface. I decide to use Boosheen as the subject matter to demonstrate this common mistake.

When piped correctly with the tip of piping bag within pool of piped marshmallow, the swirl lines shouldn't be too visible on the surface like the smiley Boosheens. When piped with the tip of piping bag above pool of marshmallow, you get The Mummy version of Boosheen as shown by those with an open "O" for their mouths, with the swirl lines clearly visible.

It's easier to understand what I mean by watching the video:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQWbgDdEvvX/?igsh=MXM2NWVzaWF2eTV5Zg==

A peek at some of the marshmallows before dusting!

S'mores were the reason I fell in love with marshmallows because before that, I thought they were just one-dimensional tasting candies. Turn up the volume for the ASMR of Boosheen S'mores over here:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQMISuJCfhF/?igsh=MXhwOWJjcTdkNzE2

Recipe for the vanilla marshmallow, chocolate layer and cookie, as well as instructions for toasting homemade marshmallows can be found in my Deco Marshmallows book.

with love,

Phay Shing

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Lavender Honey Vanilla Red Panda Marshmallows

 Piping character marshmallows with many details can seem intimidating but there's a hack to simplify it! I made the apples that the red pandas are holding with royal icing transfers to cut down the number of piping steps and colours of marshmallow batter that I have to make from seven to five.

Watch how I made use of royal icing transfers in this reel:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPLweoSCcFn/?igsh=NTc2c2Y3OHFidGcz

Here's the piped marshmallows before dusting!

I use this royal icing transfer hack for character macarons and iced cookies too. Very handy!

with love,

Phay Shing

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马蹄酥(Ma-Ti-Su) Seal

 My younger boy wanted his favourite Chinese Pastry, beh teh soh/heong piah (马蹄酥) as his early birthday treat from me this year so I made them into the likeness of the newest addition of plushie in our family --- seal with a disapproving look! 

Here's a closer look at the bite-cross-section!

I adapted the recipe from Yeo Min's Chinese Pastry School cookbook.

You may find a video of the process and the full recipe over here:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPdx9tOiU_x/?igsh=czhwZnQzdmY5bWV4

I will just share the ingredient list over here for your convenience but so check out the reel for the method.

I accidentally used 4-5g more oil for the water dough so it was much softer than the oil dough. It still turned out well but don't make the same mistake as me!

马蹄酥 (Ma Ti Su) Seal

(Makes about 12 seals)

Filling:

70g sugar (caster or light brown)

110g maltose

1 tbs toasted white sesame seeds

20g shallot oil

2g salt

30g cooked glutinous rice flour

Oil dough:

100g plain flour

50g vegetable shortening 

Water dough:

140g plain flour

20g sugar

16g neutral oil

8g shallot oil

70g warm water

10g maltose

1/8 tsp salt

Maltose wash (may replace with egg wash):

1/2 tsp maltose

1/2 tsp instant coffee (optional, to add slight brown naturally)

10g hot water

1 drop brown gel colouring 

Glue:

1 tsp plain flour

2 tsp water

Other:

Dark brown non pareils/ chocolate Crispearls 

Black edible marker

Here's how the assembled pastries look before baking...

... and after baking with the eyes drawn in

Thank God the boy gave his seal of approval 🤭! These are yummy when eaten warm after re-toasting to get the filling oozy and crust crisp again.

with lots of love,

Phay Shing

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Sugar-Free Tiramisu Parfait

 These are the Tiramisu parfaits that the sugar-free Pochacco marshmallows went on!

I made these for my hubby's super early birthday treat!

You may refer to the reel for the recipe and video of assembling:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DN5W_8o0gHB/?igsh=MWhvenpnMHZ2OTc5cw==

But for your convenience, I will put the ingredient list here.

You may replace all the ingredients marked "*" with caster sugar for the regular sugar version.

Vanilla sponge:

Yolk batter:

2 egg yolks

10g Lakanto* (Erythritol with Monk fruit extract)

10g Maltitol*

55g cake flour, sifted (may be replaced partly with almond flour to further lower the GI)

Pinch of salt 

15g water

1/4 tsp vanilla extract 

Meringue:

2 egg whites

1/8 tsp cream of tartar

10g prebiotic soluble fibres* (I used Alchemy Fibre)

20g Maltitol*

Cream filling:

2 egg yolks (or half of a large egg)

13g Maltitol*

A pinch of salt

180g whipping cream (35% fat)

170g mascarpone, softened at room temperature 

1 tsp Kahlua coffee liqueur (optional)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Other ingredients:

60g concentrated coffee or espresso

120g sugar-free Oreo cookies without cream, crushed (I used Gullon's no sugar added cocoa sandwich cookies without the cream. You may replace it with sugar-free grated chocolate or cocoa powder, or omit)

Just to share some photos of the process...

Soaking sugar-free sponge with concentrated coffee

Piping sugar-free mascarpone cream

Adding crushed sugar-free oreo cookie crumbs

If I didn't tell you this is sugar-free, you wouldn't know because it's yummy!

with lots of love,

Phay Shing

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Sugar-Free Pochacco Coffee Lavender Marshmallows

 The end of the year looks set to be busy so I decided to make the birthday bake for hubby really early while I have the inspiration 🤭. I made some sugar-free marshmallows as decorative toppers for another sugar-free bake. Presenting my coffee lavender sugar-free Pochacco marshmallows!

Here is the video of the piping process:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DN5W94R0r8G/?igsh=MTZ6NzQ0bWhrYXYyOA==

I am not able to share the recipe as it's a class material. I added some prebiotic soluble fibres as well to further lower the overall GI of the confection, and add dome benefits for gut health and cholesterol management.

 You may also see my book Deco Marshmallows for another sugar-free marshmallow recipe that produces the fluffiest and bounciest marshmallows but I decided to switch to another sugar replacement that is more easily available and doesn't have a strong aftertaste. 

Here are some works-in-progress pictures:

I couldn't resist taking the following shot just to show how tiny the little chick friends are!

Stay tuned for the sugar-free Tiramisu that these sugar-free marshmallows are supposed to go with! 

with lots of love,

Phay Shing

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Mao Shan Wang Durian Ice-Cream Cake

 This was the birthday cake I made for my dad this year --- the ultimate durian ice-cream cake, complete with "the most durian" durian ice-cream creampuffs as cake decorations!

Please refer to my previous post for the durian creampuffs.

I share the video of the process and recipe for the ice-cream cake in my reel below:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DOdaLbAkmek/?igsh=bDFpczd1Zm4ybzJw

For your convenience, I will include the ingredient list for the cake in this blog post.

Pandan chiffon sponge:

(12x12" tray)

Egg yolk batter:

4 egg yolks

40g oil

60g pandan juice concentrate*

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/8 tsp salt

72g cake flour, sifted

Meringue:

4 egg whites 

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

50g caster sugar

10g prebiotic soluble fibres* (omit or replace with sugar)

Durian puree:

100g durian puree

10g cold water

2g gelatin*

Durian ice-cream 

175g durian puree 

100g whipping cream of choice*

4g gelatin*

20g cold water/milk

* Special notes for ingredients:

🔸Pandan juice concentrate: Blend one or two bundles of fresh pandan leaves with cool boiled water (I didn't count the number of leaves). Sieve the extracted juice through a very fine mesh sieve into a container/bowl/jar. Refrigerate covered for 3 days undisturbed. The juice will separate into a clear layer on top and dark green layer below. Use only the dark green layer, which is the pandan juice concentrate, for making the sponge. If there is not enough, you may top up with some liquid from the top clear layer.

🔸Prebiotic soluble fibres: I used Alchemy Fibre which is a blend of inulin and edible gum. You may use inulin, which is available from health food stores, omit or replace with sugar. I added this to reduce the overall GI of the cake and for its added benefits for gut health and cholesterol management.

🔸 Whipping cream: You may use dairy, non-dairy or a mix of both. If using full dairy, you may add a little icing sugar when whipping it (about 10% by weight of cream). If using non-dairy, you don't have to add sugar if there's already sugar added. I use a combination of both to get the best of stability and taste. Non-dairy cream remains soft when frozen too.

🔸 Gelatin is added to prevent ice crystals from becoming large so the filling stays creamy and not rock hard when frozen. It's also a good stabilizer to prevent the cream from melting too fast when serving in tropical Singapore. You may use any form and bloom strength of gelatin according to preference.

Just to share some works-in-progress photos...

Process of filling the cake!

Looking pretty and inviting even without decorations!

Thank God everyone enjoyed the durian cake and creampuffs!

with love,

Phay Shing

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"The Most Durian" Durian Ice-Cream Creampuffs

 When my dad asked for a durian cake for his birthday this year, I immediately thought of decorating the cake with durian creampuffs that look like mini durians. So glad I managed it!

A closer look at the cross-section...

Although I have durian creampuffs as an entry in my Deco Choux Pastries book, they look more like soursops 😅. I decided to challenge myself to make more realistic durians out of choux pastry batter only and this time, I use a double-baking method to achieve the desired effect.

Here's a look at the choux pastries before the spikes were added.

You may refer to my reel for the video of the process and recipe. 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DOVrtpMCVVO/?igsh=am51ZTF2a2Vtbm53

I will just include the ingredient list in the blog post for your convenience.

Makes about 12-14 "durians"

Choux Pastry:

20g unsalted butter

20g olive oil

120g water

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp pandan paste

1 drop green gel colouring 

1 drop yellow gel colouring 

45g plain flour + 3g, sifted

15g bread flour, sifted 

100g egg, beaten (may need more or less)

Brown gel colouring or cocoa powder as needed

Durian puree inserts:

(may not use all for filling choux)

100g durian puree (I used Mao Shan Wang)

10g cold water

2g gelatin*

Durian ice-cream:

175g durian puree

100g whipping cream of choice*

4g gelatin*

20g cold water/milk

* You may use dairy, non-dairy or a mix of both. If using full dairy, you may add a little icing sugar when whipping it (about 10% by weight of cream). If using non-dairy, you don't have to add sugar if there's already sugar added. I use a combination of both to get the best of stability and taste. Non-dairy cream remains soft when frozen too.

* Gelatin is added to prevent ice crystals from becoming large so the filling stays creamy and not rock hard when frozen. It's also a good stabilizer to prevent the cream from melting too fast when serving in tropical Singapore. You may use any form and bloom strength of gelatin according to preference.

Don't they look like actual mini durians if you don't look too closely 🤭? It's definitely not AI!

See the durian ice-cream cake that these creampuffs went on top of over here! 

with lots of love,

Phay Shing

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How To Create Two Different Fur Textures On Macarons

 There were some textured macaron techniques that I know of but didn't have the motivation to try as I didn't have the right subjects to test them on. When my friend requested for macarons of her two bear plushies, I took the chance to give it a go as they were the perfect subjects! 

A closer look at the feet from the sides.

I filled the macarons with a simple dairy-free dark chocolate ganache

Here are my real-life models!

Piped macaron batter with the two different fur textures: 1. Short velvety fur 2. woolly fur

The facial features and ribbons were added on after baking using royal icing.

You may refer to my reel below for the tutorial. Please read the captions for detailed explanation:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMU10xyJYJe/?igsh=MWs5aXdpOWJyOW4xaQ==

with love,

Phay Shing 

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Sugar-Free Sunflower Gula Melaka Pandan Kaya Cake

I finally got around to making my mum's super belated birthday cake! Dad took much longer than expected to recover from his surgery so we had to postpone her celebration. Thank God all's good now. Presenting the gula melaka pandan kaya cake that I planned to make a few months ago with the design based on one of Mum's Nagomi Art paintings!

This is mum's painting. Doesn't it look like some professional art piece?

I did a "full-dress rehearsal" of the cake over here with a tulip themed Nagomi Art design as my reference if you are interested:

http://lovingcreations4u.blogspot.com/2025/05/gula-melaka-pandan-kaya-painted-swiss.html

Cake composition:

- Sunflower chiffon cake inserts made using only Gula Melaka and prebiotic soluble fibres as the "sugar"

- Green and brown gula melaka pandan kaya pudding with gula melaka as the only "sugar"

- White chiffon sheet cake made using pandan water and no egg yolks to keep the cake white. A sugar replacement and prebiotic soluble fibres were the "sugar" in this cake

Just to share some works-in-progress photos:

Some photos of the cake at the restaurant where we had the celebration 

You may see the reel for the process of making this cake over here:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNnVY5XpCy5/?igsh=MXViYzQzZHZ3OTVodg==

I shared the sugared version of the recipe together with my Tulip roll cake reel so please refer to the captions of that reel if you need a reference recipe. 

Needless to say, everyone enjoyed the cake that was tasty but light and refreshing enough to be consumed after a sumptuous meal!

with lots of love,

Phay Shing

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