The Must-Join WeChat Group for Dessert Lovers

Happy International Baking Day! Yeah, I didn’t know that was a thing either before last week. But it seems like there’s an “international” day for just about everything, so why not take this sweet opportunity (pun intended) to highlight some fantastic international bakers right here in Beijing!?

Of course, we’re all familiar with the bigger national and international brands like Holiland, Pantry’s Best, Theatre Tea, or Cheesecake Factory, however, we’re not here to talk about those cakes today. Today, we’re talking to local, independent bakers who make all sorts of amazing treats and have an immense passion for their craft.

Since I joined the Sweet Cravings Beijing WeChat group I’ve been looking at countless delicious treats from different bakers every day. The groups are run by Camilla Kongshavn Jovanovic, a mom to a beautiful little girl, and former gym owner and actress turned baker! Her love of baking has not only led her to create some of the most impressive cake designs but also the Sweet Cravings Beijing groups, a wonderland for both bakers and dessert lovers. The group is dedicated to all things sweet in Beijing, be it guilt-free healthy treats, decadent sugary desserts, and even vegan and gluten-free alternatives. All desserts, bakers, and foodies are welcomed to join. The best part is that these groups are full of bakers as well, so it’s super easy to ask questions, make special requests, and just get general info on desserts. What’s more, the group is perfect for anyone in need of some authentically Western desserts.

Kongshavn Jovanovic first got into baking after moving to Beijing and realizing that she missed Western desserts that were more difficult to find here. Likewise, she wanted tasty treats that were also healthy and safe. “When you expose harmful material to heat, the material releases toxic fumes and chemicals into the air and into the food. These chemicals are linked to causing harmful health effects such as cancer, gastrointestinal damage, decreased fertility, changes in growth/ learning and behavior of a developing fetus/ child, brain damage, and kidney damage,” explains Kongshavn Jovanovic. “Eat products made of cream with carrageenan added to it and you’ve unwittingly ingested an additive that’s highly inflammatory and toxic to the digestive tract… These toxins are stored in our body over a long period of time, hence why it’s ideal to minimize the exposure where it’s possible. We’re all going to eat desserts in the end, it’s healthier and also more enjoyable to eat the ones made without these toxins.”

For Kongshavn Jovanovic, the true joy of baking comes at the very end, when she’s able to present her final product to friends, family, and others.  As she so poetically explains, “a great dessert can be therapeutic. Knowing I’m able to contribute to someone else’s happiness and well-being drives me.” And the cake that started it all is her Bounty cake, a rich combination of chocolate and coconut.

But her most impressive cake by far is her gigantic Ferrero Rocher cake glass! Think of all the tasty goodness of a regular Ferrero Rocher, and then blow it up by 100! She created the 10kg Ferrero Rocher cake glass as a New Year’s gift for her husband’s basketball student. It contained 15 different layers of goodies including salted caramel, three different types of chocolate cakes and brownies, four different Belgian chocolate creams, Nutella, organic strawberries, and a variety of chocolate for an extra crunch. That cake is every bit as decadent as it is impressive!

So far, Kongshavn Jovanovic only bakes for friends and friends-of-friends. Until her bakery is open, she’s focusing on developing new recipes and of course, managing multiple Sweet Cravings Beijing WeChat groups and helping other bakers promote their desserts.

To join the group, add WeChat ID Camkon.

And for a little taste (pun, once again, intended) here are just a few of the amazing treats shared in the Sweet Cravings Beijing group this week.

Images: Camilla Kongshavn Jovanovic, Sweet Cravings Beijing WeChat Group