I'm back! Back from an awesome holiday with awesome friends. Somehow, this trip to Taiwan felt more relaxed, less stressed over itinerary and directions, less frustrations, much more enjoyable. I ate alot, bought alot, spent alot and had lotsa fun. Though I've been there twice already, I'd still love to visit the place again, perhaps to the coastal and mountainous areas as well.
After two weeks without baking anything, my oven must have felt really bored and left out. Looking at my stash of supplies and reading the blogs for inspiration, I had two choices - Cranberry Rose Cookies and Almond Sticks with Cocoa Nibs. I opted for the latter as I didn't have rose buds on hand and regretted not buying them when I was in Taiwan. A trip to my nearby supermarket also left me disappointed. If anyone knows where to get these dried rose buds, please let me know!
With the ingredients I have on hand, I made these Almond Sticks with Cocoa Nibs. This was an easy recipe, put together simply with a food processor in a matter of minutes. Despite its simplicity, I love its flavour and texture - crispy with the added crunch provided by the cocoa nibs. The cookie had just the right amount of sweetness with a lovely raw cocoa flavour.
I realised how much I missed baking while I was away. I missed making my own sweet treats, enjoying the process and savouring the end results of the efforts. The sweets in Taiwan were really enjoyable. I visited Hello Kitty Sweets Cafe and Afternoon Tea, both lovely cafes which I wished we had on our shores. However, that familiar aroma coming out from my underused kitchen was sorely missed. So glad to be back, back in my own room, back in my kitchen, back on my blog. As much as I enjoyed my holiday, home is still the most comfortable place for me.
I packed these into simple clear packaging, as thank you gifts to my lovely travel buddies. I hope they enjoyed the trip as much as I do :).
