[Travels] 2 Baking Supplies Shops You Must Check Out in Wanchai (Hong Kong)

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

Baking Trays of different shapes and sizes

Sweet Decorations - 13th Floor

Sweet Decorations is up on the 13th floor and relatively quieter.

Cookie Cutters

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).