Cookies from Malaysian prison by former Queen Azizah selling like hot cakes

The women inmates at Bentong Prison, Pahang, Malaysia have been cooking up a storm thanks to the recipes shared with them by the prison's royal patron.

On Wednesday (March 27), Tengku Ampuan Pahang Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, Queen consort of the state of Pahang was with the inmates teaching them how to prepare and bake seven types of cakes and cookies.

Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah was the 16th Raja Permaisuri Agong or Queen consort of Malaysia during her husband's reign as the 16th Yang di-Pertuan Agong or King of Malaysia from 2019 to 2024.

The women have had much success in drumming up demand for their cookies and cakes, as well as "asam pedas” paste and rendang betawi for the coming Eid al-Fitr celebration.

The women inmates in the prison indeed have their hands full meeting the demand, especially for the Mazola and Arab cookies, Bentong Prison Superintendent Mohd Zulkifli Zakaria told Bernama.

"The high demand is because people want to taste made from Her Majesty’s recipes.

"Although the price is a bit 'high,' we have many regular customers ordering them to be given away at gatherings," he said, adding that the cookies were not only made for Hari Raya, but throughout the year.

He told this to reporters when met at a Prisons Department's event at the Banquet Hall of the Palace of Justice, Putrajaya recently.

He said Bentong Prison started to become a focus among those who want to get Raya cookies after Tunku Azizah consented to share her recipes for 12 types of cookies with the inmates there in 2018, all of which were certified as halal by the Islamic Development Malaysia Department (Jakim).

Mazzola biscuits, Arabic biscuits, custard biscuits, milo biscuits and Scottish shortbread biscuits are a few of the recipes Tunku Azizah shared with the inmates.

"Tunku Azizah, who is also the Royal Patron of the Prison Department’s Arts and Crafts also shared her culinary knowledge, especially in pastry making to some selected female prisoners," he added.

Regarding the "asam pedas” paste and "Rendang Betawi”, Mohd Zulkifli said the products can only be purchased at Bentong Prison’s My Pride sales gallery and the Malaysian Prison Department Cooperative.