2 Baking Supplies Shops You Must Check Out in Wanchai (Hong Kong)
sábado, 14 de mayo de 2016
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Mention Shanghai Street in Kowloon to any baker/ homebaker, and they will squeal in delight. It is an almost 2-km long shopping street filled with baking supplies and kitchenwares, and the go-to place for visitors who want to buy baking/ cooking products that are not readily available in their own countries.
However, fewer people will know of the 2 baking supplies shops over at Wanchai on Hong Kong Island. Personally, I am quite focused with my shopping list and prefer not to get distracted buying other items I may not want (who else is guilty of this? >.< ), so usually just head down to this 1 building with 2 baking supplies shops - Simsons Commercial Building at Johnston Road. My aunt, a Hong Konger, goes there regularly, so they are trusted shops amongst locals too.
Twinsco - 1st Floor
Twinso, also known as 二德惠 to locals, is located at the 1st Floor. However, do not expect to see the shop when you walk past the building. In Hong Kong, Ground Floor denotes the ground level and you will need to take a lift up 1 level to head to the 1st Floor.
Fortunately, Simsons Commercial Building (like most buildings in Hong Kong) is a small building and Twinsco is the only unit you will see once you come out from the lift. They have baking classes too and it smelt so good once I came out - so you are sure you are at the right place!
The items here are reasonably priced, so please just grab whatever you want to buy - don't need to think twice! :) I recommend the wide range of chocolate silicone moulds at HK$28 (S$5) and 200g premium Valrhona baking chocolate blocks. You can get the 61% Valrhona at HK$42.50 (S$7.50) or 100% Valrhona at HK$52 (S$9). During my recent trip in April 2016, I also got a round 11-inch airtight plastic baking container which can be used to hand-carry homebaked cakes to friends' homes at HK$55 (S$9.50). That's something I have not come across in Singapore before and certainly more environmentally more friendly than paper boxes! (You can view the photo of my purchases at the last photo of this post.)
Photo-taking is not encouraged in the shop, but I managed to snap a few photos so you know what to expect:
Baking Tools
Cookie Cutters
Baking Trays of different shapes and sizes
Silicon Moulds for Chocolates
Cake Stands, Bread Machines and other Bulkier Items
Sweet Decorations - 13th Floor
Sweet Decorations is up on the 13th floor and relatively quieter.
I would say that the items are more premium, but they have a super large unique range of cookie cutters, baking stencils and fondant items. I especially love their powders - they have pumpkin powder, strawberry powder, black charcoal powder, etc.
I also recommend the ready-made pastes at HK$24 (S$4) which can be used for bread, cakes and baos. Many flavours are available: chestnut, red bean with chestnut bits, purple sweet potato, etc.
Again, the photos below shall give you a glimpse of what to expect in the store:
Cookie Cutters
Baking Stencils and Fondant Items
Silicone Moulds for Chocolates
Other Baking Accessories
And so, below are my hauls during a recent trip in April 2016:
- Top row: Chestnut and red bean pastes (Sweet Decorations, HK$24 each), chocolate moulds (Twinsco, HK$28 each), 200g Valrhona chocolate blocks (Twinsco, HK$42.50 to HK$52), baking cooling rack-stand (Twinsco, HK$20).
- Bottom row: 11-inch airtight baking container to hand-carry cakes (Twinsco, HK$55), chocolate moulds and lollipop chocolate moulds (Twinsco, HK$28 each), cake stand (Twinsco, HK$60).
Address
Simsons Commercial Building,
137-139 Johnston Road,
Wanchai, Hong Kong
(Wanchai MTR Station: Exit A3)
Google Map: Here
Twinsco: 1st Floor
Sweet Decorations: 13th Floor
Btw, Honolulu Cafe, famous for their egg tarts and milk coffee/ tea, is located a stone's throw away from Simsons Commercial Building, so we will recommend that you take a break there after your shopping. Check out our review of both their Hong Kong and Singapore outlets here!
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