Passion Fruit Ice Cream

Baguio is the summer capital of the Philippines, because of high altitude it has much cooler temperature compare to here in Manila. So when the summer temperature here in Manila is unbearable, people pack up and goes to Baguio! With it's amazing cool temperature, there are abundant of flowers, vegetables and fruits grows there locally. Baguio is more popular known for it's sweet succulent strawberries. Whenever a friend or any family member is going to Baguio, people automatically ask them to bring back loads of strawberries. My recent Baguio trip is different, instead of bringing home strawberries, I got myself a bundle of fresh passion fruit. This is so cool! I was so excited cannot wait to get back to Manila.

Flock!

Decorated Cookies are so much fun to do! It's a bit nerve racking waiting for the royal icing to dry. This is the first time I made royal icing using meringue powder. I always used egg whites but then I'm making this for a good friend's preggy cousin P. So I know that raw egg whites are a big no no! I hauled my ass to the nearest baking specialty store and grabbed a tub of meringue powder. Back to the kitchen I went and started making my flock. I couldn't find any rubber ducky cookie cutter so I made do with making my own template for it and individually cut them out with a sharp paring knife.It was a lot of hard work but then it's so gratifying seeing many of them done and ready for the oven.

Malted Milk Sandwich Cookies

I'm not very fond of making rolled out cookies, it takes too long to make since I have to chill the cookie dough for quite sometime to get that more pronounce grooves and sometimes time is something I don't have. This weekend was a treat, Saturday (April 9) was a celebrated holiday here, there are no classes and no work, it's National Heroes Day. With enough time in my hand, I got the chance to make Malted Milk Sandwich Cookies from the book Baked Explorations. Malted Milk are hard to find nowadays, that's why whenever I see some available in my local supermarket aisle, I quickly grab some and hoard it like crazy! :D

Addiction Strikes Again!

Look what I got! Last Sunday, one of the biggest mall here in Manila had a sale. What sale means to me is another chance to add to my ever growing cookbook collection. I visited 4 bookstores got these from two of them. It put a huge dent on my wallet.

1. Martha Stewart's New Pies and Tarts: 150 Recipes for Old-Fashioned and Modern Favorites - being a Martha fan I got to have this. Just like in the previous Martha Cookies and Cupcake books, this is definitely a must have for beginners and non beginners alike.
2. The Sweeter Side of Amy's Bread - I've been drooling over this for quite sometime now, I love reading about how bakeries started, the stories behind them and how they found or formulate each recipes. I find it very inspiring.
3. Maida Heatter's Cakes - I'm not actually sure if this is a republish of her old cake book since I don't have that. I haven't had the opportunity to browse this since I only got it last night.
   
4. Milk & Cookies - with that title who would love to try this book. This book is full of classic recipes and will surely remind you of your childhood. This is one of those spur of the moment purchase. The title just got me ♥♥♥
   
5. Maida Heatter's Cookies - aside from being a chocaholic, I'm a self admitted cookie fiend, I love cookies in any form. I love them soft, chewy, thin or crisp. I'm very partial to those dunkable variety.