Have your cake and eat it with this freshly baked batch of independent dessert makers
If you’re bored of the same old bakeries and are looking for something a bit more distinctive from your desserts, Hong Kong’s growing legion of independent bakers might just hit your sweet spot. With a range of enticing and more unusual dessert options, plus the ability to customise orders to colour schemes and dietary requirements at the drop of a chef’s hat, here are some of our favourites.
THE KITCHEN FAERIE
With a love for baking stemming from childhood, French-born Kitchen Faerie founder Fabienne is passionate about using only the very best ingredients to produce her signature range of cupcakes, chocolate cakes, pièce montéechoux cakes and pastries, and adorable Faerie Kisses meringues. All of her cakes use frosting made from silky light Swiss meringue buttercream, a less sweet but equally delicious alternative to the standard buttercream found in most cakes in Hong Kong. A dessert perfectionist (just look at her stunning photos), Fabienne Sayarath also experiments constantly to create low-sugar and gluten-free recipes that are still chock-full of flavour; check out her blog The Kitchen Addict for even more cooking inspiration.
Price: HK$22 for a cupcake, HK$750 for a standard seven-inch four-layer chocolate cake, HK$190 for a box of 24 Faerie Kisses; prices for custom orders on request.
How to order: Standard orders should be made at least three days in advance (larger custom orders may take longer) by emailing kitchenfaeriehk@gmail.com or calling +852 9688-6329.
SUGAR SISTERS
Unleash your inner cookie monster with dessert duo Sugar Sisters. Spotting a lack of all-American comfort-food classics in Hong Kong’s sweet scene, founders Gillian and Ruth specialise in wholesome home-baked cookies and brownies – including “The Salted Sister,” their take on the ultimate salty-sweet chocolate chip cookie with just the right amount of chewiness. The more adventurous might prefer “The Souped Up Sister” featuring potato chips, pretzels, toffee and chocolate, or “The Sugar Mama” half-cookie, half-brownie concoction with an Oreo centre. You can also try getting your sweet tooth around a New England cult favourite that’s rarely seen in Hong Kong, the whoopie pie – a pint-sized cookie sandwich with a whipped filling. Me want cookie, indeed.
Price: Prices per cookie start at HK$25, with a minimum order size of a dozen per flavour.
How to order: Orders should be made at least three days in advance by emailing info@sugarsistershk.com
TEASPOON
For a Thai twist on dessert, how about trying Teaspoon? In addition to classics like brownies, carrot cake and lemon meringue tart, friends Seni and Green (who both grew up in Bangkok) have built a reputation for making exciting contemporary cakes that take inspiration from Thailand’s traditional ingredients and local culture. So wave goodbye to boring old mango sticky rice and say sawadee to Teaspoon signatures like Thai milk tea cake, young coconut tart, pandan young coconut cake and lychee osmanthus cheesecake – all created with the pair’s minimalistic ethos in mind, which extends from their simple but striking cake design down to their use of all-natural pure ingredients.
Price: Prices start from HK$200
How to order: Orders should be made at least three days in advance by emailing teaspoonhk@gmail.com, or phoning +852 9682-4969 / +852 9315-1441.
NICHE FOOD
If you’re seeking a more creative cupcake than those typically on the shelves of your standard bakery, Niche Food might just have the creation of your dreams. Give your taste buds a wake-up call with exciting flavours like Envy (pandan with vanilla buttercream), Gala (apple with an apple pie filling and vanilla cinnamon buttercream) and Teaser (banana with dulce de leche Malteaser buttercream). Niche also invent regular seasonal offerings designed to tempt your sweet tooth, such as their new fresh chocolate orange cupcake with fluffy white chocolate buttercream topped with homemade orange pistachio chocolate bark for summer. Designs can be custom-made to themes of your choice, whilst Niche’s Jessie and Vanessa also cater to gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free and other allergen-free requests with ease.
Price: Minimum orders are at least six per flavour for regular cupcakes, or twelve per flavour for minis (HK$150-$180)
How to order: Orders should be made at least three days in advance (or a week for customised cupcakes); email nichefoodhk@gmail.com to order.
JOMB
Need to plan a celebration with a sweet touch? After being begged by friends to bake her delicious homemade cakes for all their parties, JOMB founder Maggie now creates whole dessert tables to ensure your bash goes with a bang. Not only will JOMB whip up a range of mouth-watering goodies, including items such as their instantly-addictive chocolate chip cookie cheesecake, peanut butter bundt cake, matcha brownies and pecan slices, but they’ll also take care of the whole table set-up for you – including backdrops, tableware, decorations and take-home party favours – whatever the occasion.
Price: Minimum order for a full dessert table is HK$4,800; individual brownie or slices are sometimes available on request.
How to order: For dessert tables, order at least one month in advance to fully customise both desserts and decorations according to the theme of your choice. Email info@jomb.net to place your order.