The art of gifting made special this Chinese New Year with lip-smacking goodies & stunning packaging

It’s hard to stand out with so many brands selling CNY cookies. But these bakeries have set themselves apart by offering the most interesting and unique-flavoured goodies baked with quality ingredients from all around the world. 

That’s not all, they come in vibrant and snazzy packaging befitting for a fashionista, and taste addictively delicious!

1. La Levain

My colleague had described La Levain’s mooncakes as the “ultimate box” and proclaimed their pizza as “one of the best cheese pizzas” they’ve had, so I couldn’t wait to try the WGA Cafe of the Year finalist’s uniquely flavoured CNY cookies, made with premium ingredients thoughtfully sourced from around the world.

I was especially intrigued since Chef Wythe is known for pushing the limit in his bakes, and this year’s range was spot on once again.

His clever use of ingredients like Turkish and Sicilian pistachio, kimchi and cacio e pepe are a reflection of his personal travel encounters and experience as a food researcher which have inspired him to create a collection of 12 innovative cookies all set to amaze this Chinese New Year. 

Unlike other mainstream brands which mass-produce their products in factories, La Levain’s artisan offerings are hand-crafted at their very own show kitchen at 23 Hamilton Road, and you can taste the difference immediately.

To stand out from the crowd, La Levain has dedicated a lot of time into creating their one-of-a-kind packaging. You’ll want to add on one of the elegant floral boxes in 5 attractive colours.

Their gift bag, complete with vibrant floral ribbon, looks like those out of a designer boutique. Simply classy and gorgeous! I’d say save this ultimate gift and gift bag for impressing someone special.

Renowned for their bobo chacha croissants and bobo chacha mooncakes, Chef Wythe continues to go beyond with the launch of the Bobochacha Cookies (S$24.80). 

These divine morsels have a unique blend of South Korean sweet potato and pumpkin flavours which made me feel like I was eating the actual dessert itself! I loved how the fragrant desiccated coconuts added a hint of freshness.

Not only will it be a hit at your CNY parties, its unique flavours will be a major talking point too. That’s if they can stop themselves from taking another piece first.

For someone like me who’s obsessed with anything and everything chocolate, I couldn’t resist the Fleur De Cao 70% with Fleur De Sel Cookies (S$24.80). 

It has a robust cocoa flavour with whiffs of floral and fruity notes. There was also a light sprinkling of sea salt which helped cut down the richness of the chocolate— perfect for those like me who can never stop at one.

Without a doubt, these were one of the best chocolate cookies I’ve ever tasted in my life! Why can’t they be on sale all-year-round instead of just during the CNY period?

You can see Chef Wythe’s commitment to quality and excellence in the choice of his ingredients such as the use of Belgian Plein Arome Cacao Barry. Fleur de Sel is also the purest form of sea salt one can get as it contains no impurities to fully elevate the cookie’s flavour.

The Osmanthus Pineapple Balls (S$28.80) was something out of the ordinary for me. The tangy pineapple filling which I was accustomed to was uplifted with floral and fruity hints of osmanthus. The black sesame bits at the top not only elevated its aesthetics but also provided a shiok nuttiness to it. An intriguing discovery. 

I’m already looking forward to visiting one of their CNY booths at Takashimaya Square (30 Dec 2022 to 20 Jan 2023) or VivoCity (30 Dec 2022 to 20 Jan 2023) to try the rest of their cookies. In my opinion, they’re one of the best I’ve had!

Or maybe I might head to their cafe at 23 Hamilton Road to get a coffee or croissant while picking up my cookies! I’m especially interested in trying their Nutella La LeBombz, Burnt Cheese Croissant and Bobochacha Croissant, and other goodies.

Order online here and enjoy free delivery for orders above S$120.

2. Mdm Ling Bakery

It’s no longer a well-kept secret. Apart from their delicious cookies, Mdm Ling Bakery is renowned for their beautifully-designed sets such as their monopoly/chess mid-autumn gift boxes.

And specially for 2023, homegrown Mdm Ling Bakery has pulled a rabbit out of the hat again with their newly-launched Blooming Spring Collections which take inspiration from picturesque gardens with bunnies hopping over beautiful blooms.

The gorgeous packaging adorned with eye-catching colours and tropical floral motifs is one of the best for CNY goodies which I’ve come across this year.

They’ve also added 4 new flavours Hojicha Butter Cookies (S$20.30), Salted Caramel Almond Cookies (S$20.30), Nostalgic Nyonya Coconut Cookies (S$22.45), and Traditional Nanyang Love Letters (S$20.30)) to their collection of over 30 well-curated classic and contemporary goodies to tempt even the fussiest taste buds.

Kueh lapis is a multi-layered delicacy which symbolises longevity, prosperity, and advancement. The ‘Layers to Success’ Kueh Lapis Set (S$78 for more than 1 kg) snuggly encases 4 pieces of kueh lapis with different local flavours that are so close to home.

I especially loved the elaborate design of the box with its Nyonya-inspired tiles. They were especially endearing because of my own Peranakan heritage.

In my childhood, I particularly enjoyed eating haw flakes as a sweet snack. So I couldn’t contain my excitement when I spotted hawthorn as one of their kueh lapis flavours. This is definitely not a flavour you see very often, and that is an absolute standout characteristic of Mdm Ling Bakery’s products— awesomely unique!

It has discs of haw stuffed between the layers, providing a sweet surprise in every bite you take, complementing the rich and buttery layers of goodness.

I couldn’t wait to try the other flavours after being impressed with their hawthorn version, so imagine my excitement when I learnt that each box also contained 3 other flavours: original, pandan and chocolate— all special and decadent in their own way!

Mdm Ling Bakery also ups the ante from generic sets by adorning auspicious Chinese characters 吉 (good luck), 福 (fortune), 發 (wealth) and 旺 (flourishing success) onto the kueh lapis which holds ‘rich’ meanings. Your relatives will be especially thrilled when they receive this as a gift.

They’re also having an early bird special where you can save more than 10% off (while stocks last).

You can also take your pick from their limited-edition gift tins such as Season’s Colours (S$32.15) and Floret’s Dreams (S$32.15) which offer 4 of their best-selling/favourite cookies in every box.

After all, variety is the spice of life, so why settle for one when you can enjoy 4 of their most popular cookies?

You can choose to indulge in these goodies all by yourself or share the calories by gifting them to your good friends and loved ones. I can already see myself presenting this to my bosses and friends when I visit their homes.

That’s not all, just imagine how useful this pretty box will be when you repurpose it to store your accessories and knick-knacks. 

Their creative packaging always makes great gifts, especially since they’ve got Halal-certified, vegetarian and vegan goodies for those with dietary preferences.

I’m obsessed with hojicha and it’s my go-to beverage whenever I’m at a cafe. In fact, give me hojicha in any form, and I’m a happy camper! And so, the Hojicha Butter Cookies (S$20.30) caught my attention immediately. 

I loved how the buttery core perfectly complemented the smokey infusion of roasted Japanese green tea coupled with delicate bitter notes of the tea tannins which tasted truly authentic, just like a cup of freshly-brewed tea— truly sublime!

Another best-seller to add on to their already strong stable of classic and contemporary CNY goodies.

I already knew who I wanted to gift the elegant pink Tote of Health (S$51.80) and striking orange Tote of Wealth (S$51.80) to— unfortunately, they’re sold out (along with some of their other best sellers too). What a bummer!

In fact, Mdm Ling Bakery’s products are so widely sought after that they usually sell out way before the Chinese New Year period. So hesitate no longer and be sure to grab the other range of goodies fast!

Mdm Ling Bakery will be at the following booths:

• Takashimaya Square (30 Dec 2022 to 20 Jan 2023)

• Vivo City (30 Dec 2022 to 20 Jan 2023)

• Suntec City West Wing, Tower 1 (3 – 20 Jan 2023)

• Velocity @ Novena Square (3 – 20 Jan 2023)

• Compass One (3 – 20 Jan 2023)

• Tampines Mall (28 Dec 2022 to 17 Jan 2023)

Take advantage of their early bird sales where you can get S$10 off for the first 5 bottles (and S$2 off for every subsequent bottle)— ends 10 Jan 2023. 

Or order online here and enjoy free delivery for orders above S$88. 

They tend to experience a surge in web traffic before their sale ends, so you’ll want to cart out quickly to avoid missing out.

*This post was brought to you in partnership with Mdm Ling Bakery.

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