Lemony Lemon Bars

As part of the experimentation and selection of a pastry for the birth of my second niece, I am dabbling in citrus stuff.

The inspiration came from my cousin's cravings for citrus stuff and how citrus fruit/drinks have helped soothe her morning sickness. Oh of course, how can I forget the scene when she vomited orange juice after a car ride (which had worsened the nausea).

This is still in process. Only testing out how citrus this would be. Still undecided about the eventual pastry and flavours.

As for the lemony lemon bars, I made 2 mistakes. I made the filling too early (before the crust went into the oven). So the filling mixture sat and waited for at least 20 min. And I should have placed them lower in the oven rack. What resulted was a crusty top on the bars and yet the centre has yet to set. In the end, I had to peel the crusty top off every bar. What a waste of the filling!


This is richly citrus and sweet! The filling reminds me of lemonade. May need to cut down on sugar, if I am making this again... Shall eat (another) one tomorrow to see how it keeps.


Buttery Ruffles

TWG Macarons

Ok, macarons are in. They have been in for a few years by now.

Should I try baking them? Are they part of the rite of passage for every baker? They seem a tart too sweet and rich for my liking... But to be able to bake them successfully seems like a nice challenge. Also, they really are quite pretty and colourful, aren't they?

Here's the highly-raved macarons from TWG. So pretty!


Will have to seriously consider trying to bake them!


Buttery Ruffles

Olivia's Lavender Shortbread Cookies

It has been a while since I baked. Life and work has indeed gotten the upper hand on me.

It was such a delight to set some time aside to bake. It was nothing fanciful, just cookies. This shortbread cookie has a special meaning for me though. It was created on the day my niece was born, and a treat to remember her safe and joyful birth.

While searching for a suitable pastry to name after the upcoming birth of my second niece, I was reminiscing and wanted to bake Olivia's Lavender Shortbread Cookies.

Lightly lavender-scented and buttery, this is how Olivia's arrival was for us all - sweet, warm, rich and full:




Buttery Ruffles