Tag Archives: Hobby

‘Subtle Asian Baking’–the online haven for bakers obsessed with Asian-inspired treats

As many of us already know, Asia is home to many amazing baked creations. From Vietnam’s Bánh Chuối Nướng (baked banana bread) to Japan’s Daifuku (mochi) treats, we have seen and may have even tasted some of these delectable desserts during our trips there. 

However, with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, traveling is highly discouraged as it could lead to the further spread of the virus. 

Given this, a lot of people have taken to baking their own versions of these desserts at home. Some have even mastered its baking techniques, while others still have a long way to go before mastering their craft. And whether you’re the former or the latter, there’s one place online that you can connect with and converse with other bakers about your love for Asian-inspired treats–and that’s through Subtle Asian Baking. 

Photo Credit: Facebook.com/subtleasianbaking

Subtle Asian Baking is an online community on Facebook that allows bakers from all over the world to share, discuss, and even recommend their favorite Asian-inspired creations and recipes.  

And in this article, I got the chance to talk to the founder Kat Lieu and the rest of the Subtle Asian Baking team on what makes the Facebook group special, the inspiration behind its creation, and what message can they share to aspiring bakers about their online community. 

Here’s what I learned from the interview: 

It’s a community of like-minded bakers who support and encourage each other  

In the Subtle Asian Baking Facebook group, members are encouraged to share their latest Asian-inspired creations without fear or judgment.

“What makes the group special is when people can show off their amazing desserts and bakes, and feel appreciated. [And] when people ask a question, they receive a flood of helpful answers [from other members],” Subtle Asian Baking founder Kat Lieu explained. 

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It is an avenue where bakers can freely express themselves and even help inspire a sense of creativity in other members who see the posts.

Lieu herself admits to exploring other baking ideas after seeing other people’s creations in the group–“[In terms of] creativity, I find myself becoming more and more creative and innovative with my own baking.” 

More than just a platform for sharing one’s creations, it is also a community that engages with its members through virtual bake-offs and online contests. In fact, just last month, they held a charity mukbang for the benefit of the Alzheimer Society of Canada. And as of December 2, 2020, they were able to raise 4,002.50 CAD (approximately 150,611.93 PHP) for the non-profit organization. They were also able to surprise members of the group and participants with a number of special guest appearances.  

“Our mukbang fundraiser was very special. Three CEOs from the Alzheimer Society of Canada, the Alzheimer Society of Toronto, and the Alzheimer Society of Ontario joined us in [the] eating [contest]. We [also] had a special guest eating with us, Fred Chang, a contestant from MasterChef US Season 10. A rising mukbang duo made a special appearance during the Zoom livestream [as well],” Lieu shared.  

These online events were created to both give back to the community and entertain its members.  

“We want to be different. We also want to give back to the community. [Since] many people are stuck at home now, the Internet has become our world. [There,] we can build a community with virtual bake-offs and we can give back through fun fundraising activities.”  

At the moment, the team has prepared two bake-offs for December. The first of which is in partnership with Suncore Foods and is a competition for junior bakers between the ages of 4 to 15 years old. While the second one is a holiday bake-off that features guest judges Catherine Zhang, the Zumbo’s Just Desserts season 2 champion, and Fred Chang, season 10 finalist of the hit show MasterChef US.

Members can stay tuned for more announcements on this through their Facebook page and group, or through their Instagram account.

A recent trip to Japan inspired Kat Lieu to create the group 

The group was created back in May of this year by Kat Lieu. She was inspired to form Subtle Asian Baking after reminiscing about the baked creations she got to try during her recent trip to Japan. 

“COVID-19 was spreading fast and things were closing down. I was thinking about my trip to Japan back in February 2020, and I couldn’t find a group I liked dedicated to Asian sweets, particularly subtle Asian sweets. So, I created the group in [the] hopes [that] I can bring together a large baking community and curate recipes and beautiful pictures of Asian-inspired desserts,”  Lieu expounded.  

“Many of us can’t travel [now], but we can reflect fondly about desserts we love, desserts from our culture, and the baked goodies we had while traveling across Asia and so forth.”

To her surprise though, the group quickly grew since its creation, now amassing over 66,000 members from all over the world. 

Screengrab from Facebook.com/groups/subtleasianbaking

Today, the group is handled by Lieu and the Subtle Asian Baking team, which comprises the following: Owen Li, an IT professional and the team’s very own “air-frying ninja”; Will Leung, a bakery owner in New Zealand; George Lee, a Le Cordon Bleu-trained cook and rising star in the vegan culinary world; and Nichole Tan, a Singapore-based sweets expert.

A message to aspiring bakers: ‘Just start baking!’  

Starting a new hobby can be hard but the Subtle Asian Baking team believes that practice makes perfect. And they continue to encourage aspiring bakers to express themselves and try new things, with a little help and inspiration from their Facebook group.  

“Just start baking! It doesn’t matter if you use cake mix or bake from scratch, just make it and bake it! And please join our group! We are inclusive and [we] welcome all bakers, dessert makers, or dessert enthusiasts of all skill levels. We also welcome savory baking recipes and pictures!” the team said.

To join Subtle Asian Baking, click their Facebook group here and request to be a member. Once approved, you can start posting your creations, joining their online contests, and start conversing with like-minded bakers.

You can also follow them on their Facebook page or on Instagram to stay up-to-date with their latest posts and announcements. 

Happy baking, everyone! 

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Inside the art of making hand-painted cookies

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.

View this post on Instagram

If you are a woman, regardless of your political views, you have gained something from RBG’s legacy. As a working mom of two girls, I am even more grateful that she paved the way. Case by case, she forever changed the legal landscape for women, attaining equal protection by the law and did so with intellect and grace. She allowed women to sign a mortgage without a man and to have a credit card and bank account without a male co-signer. She fought gender pay gaps and pregnancy discrimination in the workplace and made it okay to be a working mom (and stay-at-home dad). She upheld the notion that women hold God-given moral agency by advocating to keep the government out of a woman’s body and allow her to make her own personal health and reproductive decisions. Finally, she showed us by example how to remain kind and civil despite fierce disagreement (shown by her close friendship with Justice Scalia) — something that is rare today. Her fight is ours to continue. Thank you @thecookiestache for hosting the #BeRuthlessBakes collab to honor RBG and her incredible legacy. Check out the hashtag for some amazing bakes. ❤️and VOTE.

A post shared by Judy (@judyscookies) on

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.”

View this post on Instagram

Resurrecting my Mandalorian cookie as I think about what is happening to us. We are covered by our armor and masks, hiding behind our screens and social media accounts. This makes us appear indifferent and less human. When Mando’s helmet was removed for the first time, we realize this was just some regular guy who wanted to do the right thing, but his affiliations and duties sometimes conflicted with that. We see his conscience awakens. He is complex. He is human. He is growing. We are all him. Let’s give each other that space. Let’s take off our masks. Let’s SEE each other again. “We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break the bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory will swell when again touched, as sure they will be, by the better angels of our nature.” – Abraham Lincoln (Royal icing, painted with @americolor food gels and @thesugarart elite dusts)

A post shared by Judy (@judyscookies) on

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.

View this post on Instagram

Woooooo @parasitemovie !!!

A post shared by Judy (@judyscookies) on

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. 

Here’s what I learned about making miniatures

I first started making these miniature rooms when my friend Cath showed me the living room diorama she made as a gift to my mother. At that moment, I was so amazed by how detailed her miniature creation was–from its carefully-constructed furniture to its highly-detailed pieces. And I knew that I would like to try this project on myself. 

Fast forward to today, I have made a total of three miniature rooms and houses. 

My first project was a living room set, complete with a sofa, a cofee table, and some cupcakes.
The second one I made was a windmill house with a small shop on the side. You can watch a close-up video of this here.
My third and latest project was a pink bedroom designed with a floral dresser, a tea set, and a double deck bed. You can watch a close-up video of this here.

Now, I do admit I am still far from being a “miniature expert”. But I would like to share the things I learned from creating these projects, in case any of you would like to try this as a hobby. 

So, here are a few tips you might want to know about before working on your first DIY miniature kit:

Purchase DIY miniature kits from established online shops or websites 

This is quite possibly the most important tip I can give you and let me tell you why… So, when I decided that I wanted to make these miniature set-ups, I purchased a few kits from random sellers on Lazada and Shopee. Since it was cheaper there, I thought I was getting a good deal and saving money. But let me tell you, the kits I bought had a lot of missing parts–to the point that I had to improvise on some of the details. 

In hindsight, I realize that it might have been better to spend a little more money on DIY miniature kits that have complete materials rather than save a few bucks on kits with missing parts. 

And if I were to recommend some online sellers, I highly suggest you check out and purchase from either Lil Haven PH or Miniature MNL. They provide a complete set of materials and are even very eager to assist if you have questions about their items. 

Always have extra glue on hand 

Another experience I had from purchasing random DIY kits online was that the glue provided was dried up and not usable. Fortunately, I had extra glue on hand so that situation was easily remedied. 

However, this instance reminded me that it helps to have another tube of glue on hand, especially when the one provided to you by the seller is defective. 

Plus, the extra amount of glue may also be useful in further securing the wooden pieces of your project. 

Tweezers and electrical tape are also essential items for miniature-making

Most (if not all) of these DIY miniature kits contain electrical wires with small bulbs that you can attach to the walls and lamps of your projects. Given this, you will need some electrical tape on hand to connect the wires together and light up your room.

I created a GIF to show how the wires can light up your miniature house or room once it’s connected to the battery pack.

Another tool you may also need to have prepared is a pair of tweezers. This will allow you to easily grab those very small pieces and glue them together. And if your first DIY miniature project is as tiny and as intricate as the windmill house I made, then you are definitely going to need your tweezers beside you as you continue on crafting.

This is how small and intricate the pieces were. So, I definitely made use of tweezers to pick up, hold, and glue the items together.

Remember that it may not turn out perfect… and that’s okay 

If you were blessed by the arts and crafts gods with masterclass miniature-making abilities, then you might want to just skip this point. But if you’re like me, a regular crafter, then you might agree that there may be times when your projects don’t turn out as you expected.

Perhaps, there may be times when you still see visible remnants of glue on your diorama?  Or you may even find some pieces of fabric fraying from your furniture pieces? 

If you see these imperfections, don’t fret. Mistakes are always a part of the process. All you can do really is learn from them and adopt these lessons on your next project. Who knows, maybe with time, you will end up being an expert miniature craftsman!  

Don’t be pressured to finish it, just have fun crafting

One of my friends who also bought a DIY miniature kit shared with me that she felt a bit pressured seeing the overwhelming number of pieces she had to assemble. Understandably so, it can be a bit distressing having to think about all the things you have to cut and glue together to form the furniture. So if there’s one thing I can advise, it’s this–start with the easiest piece and work from there.   

Sure, the process can be tedious and time-consuming but that’s ultimately where the fun of crafting is! And I promise you, after finishing one of these projects, you’ll feel slightly more accomplished than you had before.

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Additionally, if you’re a beginner in making miniatures, I suggest trying the smaller rooms first. The first one I ever made was a 17 x 15 x 5.5cm living room that allowed me to get the feel of what it was like to make miniatures. 

This is how the 7 x 15 x 5.5cm living room looks like and it’s perfect for beginners!

Consider altering the design to fit your interests 

Now, this tip is something you might like to consider if you want it a bit more personalized. Instead of using the pictures provided in the kit, you can change it up by printing out your own and placing them in the diorama. Or maybe, you can even choose to change up the color of the walls by painting on them with acrylic paint. The possibilities you can make are endless when it comes down to it! 

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Hopefully these tips will help you in your next project. And remember, have fun crafting!