Review: Fann Wong's Fanntasy tarts - are they worth camping for?

Like many of us, Fann turned to baking during the circuit breaker period last year. From fudge loaf cake to her son Zed’s favourite pita, Fann kept herself busy in the kitchen, preparing yummy treats for her family and friends.

This year, her love for baking caught the attention of variety programme producers. Together with Jeanette Aw and Janice Wong, Fann became the host-judge for Channel 8’s dessert-making competition Crème De La Crème.

In an interview with #JustSwipeLah, Fann shared that she loves baking because it helps to “destress and it’s therapeutic”. She also revealed that she doesn’t rule out the possibility of turning her hobby into a business.

And now, she’s launched her online pastry store called Fanntasy.

“After many months of painstaking trial and error experimenting with and developing the recipes, I am now ready to launch Fanntasy,” said Fann in a press statement.

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For many of Fann’s longtime supporters, the name Fanntasy also brings to mind Fann’s first music album in 1996. It was also titled Fanntasy. That’s not the only special thing about the launch. Fann also chose 9.29am to launch her online store, representing Fann and Chris’ wedding date (Sept 29, 2009).

If you’re wondering how Fann is going to cope with the large amounts of orders, you’ll be glad to know that she won’t be baking out of her own kitchen. “I have chosen to partner a licensed baker to scale up production, and in turn allow more dessert lovers to enjoy my creations,” she shares.

Eager fans (myself included) quickly nabbed all 1,000 pieces of the two flavours — Signature Valrhona Chocolate Tart and Musang King Gula Melaka Tart — within 30 minutes from the launch time. Now that shows the kind of star power that a heavyweight celeb like Fann commands.

Thankfully, I managed to get my hands on the two tarts on the morning of the launch, and received them before lunchtime on the following day. On to the taste test!

My honest review of the Fanntasy tarts

Smooth and decadent, this chocolate tart features chocolate cremeux made with Valrhona 70 per cent dark chocolate, almond sponge and chocolate sable base. There is also a sprinkle of gold dust on the top which makes the tart look extra pretty and Insta-worthy.

It didn’t taste overly sweet at first, and had only a slight hint of bitterness from the dark chocolate. I like that the cremeux is neither too sticky nor thick, allowing it to glide down my throat effortlessly.

While the chocolate sable adds a nice and filling crunch to the tart, I had a hard time slicing it neatly. My slice of chocolate tart ended up in big chunks, making me feel like I was having a deconstructed dessert. Towards the end of my slice, I found that it gradually tasted sweeter, and had to reach for a cup of water to wash it all down.

Fanntastic rating: 8.5/10

Durians are one of Singaporeans’ most loved fruits, and this Musang King Gula Melaka Tart has pure Mao Shan Wang pulp that’s coated in house-made gula melaka sauce and coconut flakes.

I enjoyed the fragrant durian flavour that blended deliciously well with the gula melaka sauce. It’s mildly sweet and doesn’t leave an overbearing taste and scent in your mouth or your fridge. Surprisingly, the durian flavour didn’t overshadow the rest of the flavours — something that I appreciate. I also liked that the gula melaka sauce is lightly balanced by the butter sable, giving my taste buds a part sweet and part salty treat.

To complete the experience, I paired the Musang King Gula Melaka Tart with a cup of green rooibos tea. And it made my day.

Fanntastic rating: 9.5/10

Being health-conscious, I think that the tarts can be made less sweet. Other than that, they will make for a good treat to share with family and friends on special occasions. Plus, with their lush looks, it’ll be hard to resist showing them off at get-togethers and on social media.

Price-wise, while I’ve read many netizens commenting on the hefty price tags, I think it’s still reasonable. You see, each tart measures seven inches and can be divided into eight slices. That means the price per slice ranges from $7.25 to $8.50, which are comparable to the price range of desserts sold at cafes.

If I had to pick one flavour over the other, it’d be Musang King Gula Melaka Tart because it packs more flavours and textures that make it a more unforgettable and Fanntastic dessert.