Back in May of this year, I got the opportunity to feature the pop culture-themed treats of Korean-American baker Judy Kim in a POP! article. Since that time, Kim has continued to hone her skill in baking, making more jaw-droppingly beautiful works of art in the form of cookies.
Just take a look at her recent baked goods featuring US President-elect Joe Biden and US Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.
She even made one in honor of the late Ruth Bader-Ginsburg.
Because of this, I caught up with Kim regarding her process for making the cookies, the inspiration behind some of her designs, and her advice for aspiring bakers worldwide. Here’s what she had to say about it.
Making custom-designed cookies can be tedious but it’s an activity she enjoys
Just by looking at the detail put into each cookie, you would know that Kim devotes a lot of time and effort into making each one look perfect. And working full-time in the medical field, it can definitely be very time-consuming and tiring–but it’s one activity she seems to enjoy.
“The hardest part about creating cookies is probably all the time-involved. Custom cookies are very labor-intensive! Personally, I am a full-time practicing physician, so I make cookies on the side, and I can definitely lose some sleep over them!” she explained.
She also shared how many of her hand-painted cookies can take two or more hours to make, depending on the level of detail. And among her most tedious creations would have to be her Mandalorian-inspired cookies.
“The Mandalorian was probably 4 hours or more in total: [this includes] baking, creating multiple layers, piping royal icing, and hand-painting.”
But through it all, she seems to find fulfillment in baking and continues to put out great designs, as evidenced by her Instagram posts.
She was very inspired when she made her Parasite-themed cookies
Kim admits that many of her pop culture-themed cookies were made upon the requests of family members and friends. But the Parasite cookies were something special for her as it was made to celebrate the film’s momentous win in the 2020 Academy Awards (also known as The Oscars).
Moreover, she was very happy to know that her friends also appreciated her movie-themed baked goods.
“I definitely found the Parasite cookies really resonated with my Korean friends, and it’s great to celebrate special moments like this!” she exclaimed.
Indeed, her Parasite-inspired cookies seem to be the perfect treat to celebrate the special occasion. And I’m pretty sure even Director Bong Joon Ho would be proud of this specially-designed creation.
Her advice to aspiring bakers: “Be as creative as possible!”
Kim surprised many of her loved ones when she started making these custom-designed cookies.
“I think many of them were surprised because I started making cookies only about a year ago as a hobby and most of them do not [even] know that I have an artistic background,” she recalled.
Despite their initial response to her baking, Kim continued to hone her skills and now, she has made a countless number of beautifully-designed cookies.
Through her experience in making these hand-painted baked goods, she shares this piece of advice for aspiring bakers worldwide:
“My advice for people who would like to make custom cookies is to start with the basics (such as finding a good sugar cookie and royal icing recipe) and feel free to be as creative as possible! The cookie-making community on social media is incredibly gracious and that is how I learned myself, by asking questions and practicing.”
You can see Judy Kim’s full set of creations on her Instagram.
C. Militar Writes 