Saturday

Shortbread Cookies ~ made with Chinese Wooden Molds

Gung Hay Fat Choy! Happy Chinese New Year.






The year is 4706 on the Chinese Calendar, this is the year of the Ox.


I don't have any Ox cookie molds, only a Foo Dog, Hen and Koi which I bought a couple of years ago.

Please scroll down to see a link of where to buy the
wooden molds.




The Koi is my favorite (as you'll see, by the number of photos of the Koi cookies.)




I use my favorite shortbread cookie dough. The trick is to grease (OR use cooking oil spray on) the inside of the mold, then dust with all purpose flour before packing the shortbread dough in.



Then invert the mold and give it a good, hard downward whack on the counter, or a chopping block to loosen the dough from the mold. The molded dough is then baked on an ungreased cookie sheet until it is firm, and barely golden colored.




As I said, the Koi are my favorite~
















If you are interested, I bought mine here:






They are not expensive at all.





When I bought my cookie molds I also bought some Moon Cake molds.


Authentic Moon Cakes take more effort and skill to make. I hope to try my hand at them sometime.





32 comments:

  1. Mary...those are some of the most beautiful things I have ever seen...
    those little fishies gave me tears in my eyes! I need those molds...I need em bad :X
    L xoxoox

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  2. Those molds are amazing! The koi are so cute! I am SO impressed!

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  3. Mari, I love the molds and your shortbread cookies. I am an ox .... I love reading the placemats at our local Chinese restaurant.

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  4. Oh the famous fish cookies. I love love loved these when you first showed them to us. I really need to order one of the molds. As you say they are relatively inexpensive and turn out such a beautiful product.

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  5. Those cookies are exquisite! I love them!

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  6. That is so beautiful! I want one of those!

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  7. I've never seen these molds before, but you've sold me. I love doing things like this. I'm just sorry I missed the start of Chinese New Year, but, hey, there's always next year. I'm off to shop for molds!

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  8. Yes, I remember when you showed us those too, Mary!
    You have the neatest things and your cookies are little works of art!
    Do you use a regular shortbread recipe?

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  9. My husband saw me drooling over these molds, and I think he may get me some for Valentine's Day coming up. The cookies are gorgeous!

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  10. Amazing cookies, Mari. I love the koi. I think there is going to be a run on these little molds. I know I have to have several. I can't wait to make them for my family.

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  11. I do remember them also..
    I am still stuck in my mammoul mode:)
    You could make our Chinese population so proud here!
    I must admit I am coveting the Moons:)

    I think they are more labour intensive..but so beautiful also!

    Perfect Mary.

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  12. Fabulous photos, these almost too good to bite into!

    Love the blog, I'll be back for more.

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  13. Mari - these are amazing - and so much detail. I'm definitely going to Chinatown to find some for my collection!

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  14. How cool are these Mari?!!!


    I'm particularly partial to the goldfish.

    Thnx you for this!

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  15. Wow Mari. Those cookies are exquisite. And I had never heard of Chinese wooden molds before. So thanks for teaching me about this. I always learn new things at your blog.

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  16. Mary, I see similar wooden molds in the middle eastern restaurant that we go to. I'll have to take a closer look, not sure what the design is.

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  17. Those are gorgeous! What beautiful molds and cookies.

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  18. These are the cutest little cookie shapes, Mary. Your molds were a wonderful find.

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  19. Uh oh...those fish molds are entirely too cute, guess I'll have to go buy them.

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  20. wow, mari! you never cease to amaze me with your creativity! these are so beautiful. i'm going to the asian store right now for the molds!!

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  21. What gorgeous cookies! I like the koi, too :)

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  22. Wow, thank you so much everyone. Your comments make my week!
    :) Thanks for taking the time.

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  23. These are beautiful! I ordered the Koi and Foo Dog. I had to - the Koi are gorgeous and I have my own little Foo Dog - Pekinese Lilly. Can't wait until they come!

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  24. hello! wonderfull cookie !!! please can you give me the receipe that you use for these cookie thanks a lot cordially from france...ANGY

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  25. I love the fish mold! Can't wait to make some cookies.

    Gung hay fat choy, Miss Mari.

    ^_^

    -Holly

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  26. Gorgeous! Would you please post your recipe? I tried a traditional shortbread cookie recipe in mine and they melted too much and the design got lost. I love those Koi! I just got a double happiness moon cake mold that I'm attempting to make cookies with.

    Thanks!!!

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  27. Hi RS,

    The one I use is just like this one. http://pies-cookies-squares.suite101.com/article.cfm/shortbread_cookie_recipe

    I chill the dough and reduce the oven temperature a few degrees since the molded cookies are thicker than traditional shortbread cookies. That way they will bake all the way through before the outside burns.

    You can make half of that recipe if you don't want too many cookies.

    If you are using the Chinese cookie molds, be bold and really slam them on the counter to loosen the dough from the mold, sometimes if they are stubborn you can help them with the tip of a knife ~ and don't worry if they aren't perfect at first--- you can just use the same dough and refill the mold. :) I hope this helps!

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  28. Thanks so much Mari! So far I've made delicious shortbread that melted so the design wasn't visible and a very clear sugar cookie that wasn't so delicious so I'm hoping that with your recipe I'll have a winner! :)

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  29. I love that fish mould!
    I don't suppose you know of anywhere else I could get one? I desperately want one but because it's shipping from America it would cost me £28 ($44) from Amazon!

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  30. Plinkie, Please email me . . .

    onceuponaplate [@] gmail [dot] com

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  31. I just found your site whilst looking for a recipe for orange shortbread cookies. I have been using my (ever growing) collection of moon cake molds with my shortbread recipe since about 1984, they are always a show stopper.
    I was excited to see your cookies as I had never seen any other but mine!
    Peace.

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Thank you for your comments, friends ~ they make my day!

A Sampling of my food . . .

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