The cake that was stolen and eaten by Xiao Jiaqi comes from Pingtung County – the super popular "Heart Harmony Bakery"!

Editor's note: Recently, when the Executive Yuan was occupied by students, food in the office of Deputy Secretary-General Xiao Jiaqi was stolen. Xiao Jiaqi complained that the highly sought-after Pingtung super cheese cake he had ordered with much effort was also eaten. It turns out this cake shop is located in the countryside of Chaozhou, and every holiday it’s packed with people — you might have to wait in line for half an hour just to buy a cake. After the incident, the shop received many orders specifically requesting the same cake as Xiao Jiaqi’s. This article was written by blogger Shadow inAugust 2013.

Photos & Text /Shadow

On a sunny weekend holiday, we headed to Chaozhou to find the "Heart Harmony Bakery," which has won the U.S. Cheese Creative Baking Competition champion title for two consecutive years. The Foodie Show has also featured Heart Harmony. This quiet little village becomes quite lively thanks to the bakery’s presence.

I remember first hearing about this extremely popular online bakery from the owner of RBPET. Later, I visited the shop with a friend. At that time, it was extremely crowded, and we could barely find a seat, so we had to give up. This was our second visit, and we arrived a bit earlier than last time. We got here after noon, and there were parking spaces nearby — parking wasn’t difficult.


Although there weren’t as many people as during our last visit, there were still quite a few. With the experience from the first time, we had a better understanding of how the shop operates this time. If you want to enjoy afternoon tea here, you need to find a seat first before ordering at the counter. The staff will give you a number, and they serve food based on the table number.


In the countryside, there’s more land available, so the shop looks like a typical standalone house commonly seen in rural areas. Once inside, there’s a garden next to it, which is quite spacious with lush flowers and plants — a perfect place for kids to play. Someone is always maintaining it, so the grass is just the right length and doesn’t cause any trouble when walking on it.


On the other side is the outdoor afternoon tea area set up by the shop. They first elevated the ground with wood, then placed outdoor umbrellas. To reduce the intense heat of southern Taiwan’s summers, the shop also installed a misting system, which sprays water occasionally from the floor and above to cool down the area — presumably using RO water.

Both times we visited, it was fully booked, but this time we got lucky as someone was just leaving, so we managed to get a seat. Actually, we had already used a little trick — we placed our order before finding a seat. We figured that even if we couldn’t find a seat, we’d stand and eat rather than make a third trip.


While waiting for the desserts to arrive, let me introduce the rest of the environment. The owners put a lot of effort into creating this dining space, including some installations like cute child-like figurines that make you feel like you’ve stepped into a fairy tale.


In another corner of the lawn, there’s another set of adorable figurines that made us want to take photos again.


We noticed that the shop has placed tea water in various corners for customers to drink. We didn’t use them on either of our two visits, so we’re not sure what kind of tea it is.


Various newspaper clippings and awards displayed in the shop demonstrate the establishment’s strength. No wonder families come here with their kids and elders to enjoy afternoon tea. Visitors should be prepared for very long waits during peak hours — arriving early might be the only solution.


The cakes in the display window are very eye-catching. A variety of cakes and pies are made to look absolutely delicious. Normally, we don’t have many opportunities to indulge in sweets and afternoon tea, but this time we were drawn to the wide selection of cakes. We debated for a while over which ones to choose and, in a rare moment of agreement, we successfully picked two desserts.


In addition, the shop also sells handmade cookies and similar products, but it seems most people are more interested in the cakes, and the cookies don’t get as much attention.


A good dessert needs a good drink to go with it to make a proper afternoon tea. We ordered a Kumquat and Yuzu Tea. We originally wanted to get a Mango Smoothie, but the price — 180 NT dollars per cup — scared us off, so we opted for the Kumquat and Yuzu Tea instead.


Blueberry Pie for 130 NT — after a short wait, our desserts arrived. The blueberries on top of the pie were so eye-catching that my husband and I both instinctively chose this one. The base is your familiar pie crust, with a middle layer of cheesecake — it’s a light cheesecake with not very noticeable sourness but a very rich creamy flavor. The texture is firm but melts in your mouth, making it great for those who can’t handle heavy cheesecake.

The blueberries themselves don’t have much taste — not too sour or sweet. The blueberry sauce underneath adds layers of flavor to the cheesecake. Actually, this dessert is more about visuals than taste. If it weren’t for the finely made cheesecake, spending over a hundred NT on such a small piece might not seem worth it.


Sabra Chocolate for 90 NT — this one was my pick. As a chocolate cake lover, I was drawn to the chocolate balls on top, which reminded me of Ferrero Rocher, so I chose it without hesitation. The price isn’t cheap either — 90 NT for such a small piece, which surprised us since we don’t usually eat this type of dessert.


Overall, it’s different from a regular sponge cake. The white part is cheesecake with a slightly salty taste. Unlike the previous blueberry pie, the main body of the chocolate cake is soft and fluffy, with a texture similar to brownies — a moist chocolate cake. We all agreed this one tasted better than the blueberry pie.


The chocolate ball on top is coated with crushed almonds, and it tastes very much like Ferrero Rocher. The chocolate inside is thick, smooth, and richly flavored — absolutely delicious.


Kumquat and Yuzu Tea for 100 NT — both desserts are fairly sweet, and pairing them with the tangy Kumquat and Yuzu Tea is a great match. This drink is probably less than 500cc, with the aroma and tartness of kumquats, plus the sweet taste of yuzu tea. My husband finished it very quickly.


If you’re in a group, it’s recommended to order a pot of fruit tea (250 NT), which is more cost-effective, unlike our choice of ordering individual drinks at 100 NT each — not very economical.


We got a little shop-stamped seal as a memento of our visit today. With the backing of champion-level cheesecake and media coverage, this small town has gained a new tourist spot. The area around Heart Harmony is all residential with no other shops, so visitors are asked to keep their voices down.


During our meal, we also saw elderly couples enjoying afternoon tea here. The charm of Heart Harmony is undeniable. For those who can’t make it in person, you can still enjoy the cheesecake through home delivery. The elegant garden-style afternoon tea setting attracts people even from far away just for the cheesecake — a true testament to the allure of sweets. Friends who love desserts should definitely pay it a visit if given the chance.
 

[Heart Harmony Bakery]

Address:No. 108, Pengcheng Road, Chaozhou Township, Pingtung County
Phone:08-7897322
Business Hours:11:00～20:00
Afternoon Tea Service Hours:13:00～19:00
Closed:Every Monday
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