Éclair is the latest dessert cafe to hit the Itaewon area. As the name suggests, it unsurprisingly specializes in French éclairs. Eclairs are one of my absolute favourite desserts of all time. Choux pastry filled with flavoured creams and topped with fondant or ganache, what could be more yummy?

At Éclair they have a large range of different flavours which will make your mouth water the moment you look at them. I have been a lover of éclairs for as long as I can remember so was very keen to try as many as possible. I would have got one of every flavour had my budget allowed, but 3 seemed to suffice. But I will definitely be back to try the rose, chocolate, and caramel next time!

We got the double vanilla, cafe, and a cherry macaroon éclair.  The macaroon eclair was delightful, filled with pistachio crème and sour cherry jam. A crispy outside with a slightly chewy center, the flavour of cherry came through well and really complimented the pistachio creme inside. The vanilla eclair was filled with vanilla cream and topped with vanilla icing. You really can’t go wrong with vanilla. The cafe coffee flavoured eclair was also nice, although I wish the filling had had a touch more flavour as it was rather on the mild side. My only complaint were the little stickers which had been put on them. There really was no point to them at all, and really should be made of edible paper if they want to use them advertise the bakery (no one want’s paper on their food).

As well as éclairs, they have a range of macaroons and chocolate drinks.We were lucky enough to sample the chocolate and it was exceptional. So rich, thick and decadent, it took me right back to Paris, where they serve it so thick, you need a spoon of whipped cream to water it down. They also have a tropical chocolate flavour which combines passion fruit and chocolate in the most delightful way. Well worth a try if you are eating in.

Éclair is located at 247-9 Itaewon dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul. It’s open from 12 to 8, however they close when they run out of delicious treats so I advise you to get there early to avoid disappointment. To get there take a train to Noksapyeong station (line 6) and come out of exit 2. Walk straight until you come to the stairs and an underpass. Go through the tunnel and take the stairs on the left. Keep walking straight and follow the road around until you get to Well Being Mart. You should see that the road forks, cross over and take the left side. Keep walking straight, past Beer O’ Clock Pizza, and past the Ace Mart, then take the road that turns right directly after Ace Mart. There are lots of cool bars and restaurants along this street. Keep following the road until you reach Éclair. It’s on the right hand side opposite the CU. For more information call 02-337-8090 or check out their website.

Easter is a special time of year where you are encouraged to eat copious amounts of chocolate. In England Easter is a our second biggest family food filled holiday after Christmas. The stakes are always high and only the best will do. I had planned to make a full on lamb roast and then have this for dessert. However instead of going out to buy my lamb I got drunk instead, which is why I only have dessert to show you. But it’s better than nothing right?

This is probably the richest and most decadent dessert I have ever made. In fact I only could eat 2 pieces in one go which is practically unheard of for me. Especially since I was hungover, which is when I usually gorge like there is no tomorrow. Despite the many layers involved this is actually a pretty easy dessert to make and it will be sure to wow your friends, or yourself. Because sometimes we all deserve a treat. For the brownie do as much work as you like. I used my box mix but feel free to bring out your best brownie recipe.

Ingredients 

Brownie

65g of flour

45g of cocoa powder

200g of white sugar

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1/4 teaspoon of baking powder

100g of chocolate chips

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

2 eggs

1/2 a cup of oil

Cheesecake filling 

400g of cream cheese

400ml of whipping cream

1 tablespoon of vanilla extract

200g of icing sugar

5 tablespoons of peanut butter

3 tablespoons of nutella

10 mini Reese’s peanut butter cups to decorate

Directions 

1. Weigh out all your dry ingredients if you haven’t got a pre-made mix you made earlier (a la Blue Peter)

2. Preheat your oven to 170 degrees Celsius and line a baking tray with baking paper or skip this if you have decent bake ware.

3. Measure the oil and add the eggs and vanilla extract and whisk. Then add to the dry ingredients and mix until the mixture is combined. No need to over mix here. You can also add in any extras at this point, for ideas see my note at the bottom.  Then pour into your tin and bake for 20-30 minutes (depending on how you like it) or until a tooth pick comes out clean(ish). Allow to cool for an hour. If the brownie is still warm it will melt the cheesecake layer.

4. While your brownie is cooling make the cheesecake layers. Beat the cream cheese and vanilla until soft. In a separate bowl whisk the cream until it forms stiff peaks, then gradually mix it into the cream cheese so you don’t get lumps. Then mix in the icing sugar until smooth.

5. Take one third of the cream cheese mixture and mix in the Nutella. Mix the peanut butter into the other two thirds. Then chop the Reese’s peanut butter cups into chunks. To assemble put the peanut layer on top of your brownie, smooth down then top with the Nutella layer, smooth down then scatter over the peanut butter cup pieces. Then leave to refrigerate for at least 3 hours. The longer you leave it the more integrity it will have. Although I wouldn’t blame you for eating it after an hour  as it requires a lot of restraint to wait out the time :)Happy Easter everyone!

Oh brownies I do love a brownie, good, bad or even mediocre. I’m even prepared to eat slightly burnt ones that have fallen on the floor. Now don’t get me wrong I love the luxury of an out and out decadent brownie which is stuffed to the brim with melted chocolate and butter like this one. But sometimes my fridge is bare of butter and chocolate. That’s where a box mix fix comes in. I will always pick them up if I see them on sale but rarely seems to happen these days. However I just found out you can make them for virtually nothing at home. If you get your chocolate chips for free on i-herb like I do then you are laughing. Just measure out your ingredients, chuck them in a zip-lock bag and just put add eggs and oil when you are ready to go. I decided to be a little more fancy and store mine in jars because a) I didn’t have any zip-lock bags b) jars are cool and c) I have a lot of jars which I went mad buying after first discovering Pinterest then subsequently never used. It’s suggested to give away these cuties as gifts, I’d probably have to adjust the size of the recipe and not eat them myself but a good idea in theory.

So you may have noticed that my brownie is a little rustic this week, mainly because I dropped it on the floor. Did I have a little cry about this, yes, yes I did. I have made brownies for the past 3 weeks in a row intending to write a post about it but the first one I burnt beyond repair (but still ate), the second one got eaten before a picture was procured and this one was dropped and slightly burnt, but I decided to suck it up and show it to you anyway as we all make mistakes and it doesn’t make me a bad person. It just means that the damn temperature gauge on my oven is broken and I drop things sometimes.

Ingredients

65g of flour

45g of cocoa powder

200g of white sugar

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1/4 teaspoon of baking powder

100g of chocolate chips

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

2 eggs

1/2 a cup of oil

Directions

1. Weigh out all your dry ingredients and put them in a mixing bowl or store them in a zip-lock bag or jar for later.

2. Preheat your oven to 170 degrees Celsius and line a baking tray with baking paper or skip this if you have decent bake wear.

3. Measure the oil and add the eggs and vanilla extract and whisk. Then add to the dry ingredients and mix until the mixture is combined. No need to over mix here. You can also add in any extras at this point, for ideas see my note at the bottom.  Then pour into your tin and bake for 20-30 minutes (depending on how you like it) or until a tooth pick comes out clean(ish).

When your brownie is done leave to cool for ten minutes before removing from the pan. Under no circumstances drop the brownie on the floor and have a tantrum like I did. It’s seriously not cool past the age of 27.

This is a quick and easy brownie recipe that you can whip up in minutes with minimum effort when you are in the mood for a treat. It’s not the kind of brownie I’d try to make if I wanted to impress other bakers. Don’t get me wrong it’s still yummy just not amazing. You can pimp it up in various ways, add nuts, a couple of spoons of peanut butter, some white chocolate chips, or my latest favourite is to add a teaspoon of the orange extract that I bought on i-Herb. Can’t beat orange and chocolate goodness. You could also use this brownie base for a variety of other desserts like my Chocolate Trifle or Peanut Butter Brownie Cheesecake.

Last night I was walking home from a lovely dinner with my fabulous assistant Victoria. We passed by Street Churros in Kyungnidan and I just couldn’t resist trying one. For only 2,000 each it would have been churlish not to, despite the fact that I had just eaten dinner and dessert. But you don’t get to be one of Seoul’s most awesome food bloggers without eating 2 desserts in a row.

As stated previously I ordered the Churro (2,000) and the Chocola dipping sauce (1,000). I was lucky that a fresh batch was just out of the fryer. The churro (kind of like a long thin Mexican donut for those not in the know), was good. It was rolled in cinnamon and sugar. I’m not a huge cinnamon fan, but it wasn’t over powering at all, it was nice and sugary. The dipping sauce that came with it was also tasty. Dark and rich, the perfect place to put your churro.

If I hadn’t already been rather full then I totally would have ordered the ice-cream with Baileys. They also do mulled wine, which I certainly plan to get on my next walk up to Itaewon. You know Fat Girl loves a cocktail on the go. The place is a tiny hole in the wall so no seating as such, but they do have jaunty barrels which you can lean upon outside. It’s a great spot for a quick and cheap dessert or drink. The inside is sparkly too which I always find appealing.

Street Churros is located at 222 Noksapyeong daero, Yongsan-gu, Seoul. To get there take a train to Noksapyeong station and then take the lift (elevator) next to the 7-11 to get out. Walk over the over pass bridge and take a left. Walk straight down the road past Taco Chili Chili and Southern Sons and take a right at the CU. Street Churros is just on your right. You can call them on 02-792-1489 for more info.

If you are anything like me, then sometimes you get a crazy craving for chocolate. This can strike at any time ,but for me it’s usually late at night. Last night, such a craving occurred. I started ransacking the cupboards looking for anything sweet and chocolate covered, desperately trying to find those unwanted pepperos that I was too good to eat in November. I started to beg the Fat Boyfriend to please go to the shop for me and buy me chocolate. “It’s too late and too cold,” came his reply. Just as I was about to start ripping open the doors on my advent calender and gorge myself on the forbidden goodness, I recalled the brownie in a mug recipe that is always plastered over Pinterest. Its promise of chocolate in 5 minutes was all I needed to get me into the kitchen. Now that I think about it, we learned how to make these little microwaveable puddings back when I was in school, but they have since been long forgotten, until someone had the idea of doing it in a mug and it became cool again. This quick and easy dessert can be made using simple ingredients most of us should have in our cupboards. Now it’s not the best brownie you have ever had, it doesn’t really look too beautiful either, but it will satisfy that sweet tooth, in a nice snack sized amount.

Ingredients 

50g of flour (1/4 cup)

70g of sugar (1/4 cup)

2 tablespoons of cocoa powder

A pinch of salt

60ml of water (1/4 cup)

2 tablespoons of vegetable oil (Not EVOO)

2 drops of vanilla extract

1-2 tablespoons of chocolate chips or butterscotch chips (optional)

Ice cream sprinkles (optional)

Directions

1. Place flour, sugar, cocoa, salt, and in a microwave safe ceramic mug. Stir with a fork or spoon to mix well and break up any clumps.

2. Add the oil, water, and vanilla to the cup and stir until the mixture is smooth and there are no lumps. Then add the chocolate chips or butterscotch chips if using. Then stir again.

3. Place in the microwave and heat on high until the mixture is cooked through, about a 1 minute and 40 seconds for a 1000 watt microwave. My microwave is quite slow so took just over 2 minutes. . If you don’t know the power level on your microwave, start with 60 seconds and increase in 10 or 20 second increments until the brownie is done.If it moves alot when you tilt it, it’s not done yet.

4. Top with sprinkles, cream, or ice-cream if you have some. Although if I had ice-cream, I would have just eaten that instead! Voilà 5 minute brownie in a mug.

I’m not sure if this is a cheesecake or a dessert but either way it’s completely delicious. A soft chewy chocolate brownie which would be good enough on its own, layered with a a thick peanut-butter cream cheese layer then topped off with a chocolate and nutella ganache. The saltiness of the creamy peanut layer really helps cut through the richness of the brownie and the topping. If you are a peanut and chocolate lover then this is the dessert for you. The brownie recipe is from David Lebovitz and is considered to be one of the best brownie recipes around. I will definitely be using it again next time I make my brownies.

Ingredients

Brownie

8 tablespoons (115 g) unsalted butter, cubed

2 ounces (60 g) unsweetened chocolate, chopped.

1 cup (200 g) sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup (75 g) nuts, chopped

1/4 cup (25 g) chocolate chips

1/4 cup (35 g) flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

Peanut cheesecake layer

200g of cream cheese

5 heaped tablespoons of peanut butter

200ml of cream (whipped until thick)

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract (optional)

Nutella Ganache

3 tablespoons of Nutella

100g of milk or plain chocolate

100ml of cream

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325ºF (160ºC.) I decided to bake my brownie in the same pan I was planning to serve it in. So line an 8-inch (20 cm) square pan with baking paper, leaving the overhang over the rim of the pan. This is so you can remove the brownie layer after it’s done.

2. In a medium saucepan set over very low heat, melt the butter and the chocolate, stirring frequently, until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar, then mix in the eggs and the vanilla extract.

3. Stir in the nuts and cocoa chips, then the flour and salt. Scrape the mixture in the prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes, or until the brownies feel just-set in the centre. Remove from oven and let cool. Once cool, lift the brownies out of the pan by grasping the baking paper. Peel off the paper then put the brownie layer back into your serving dish.

4. Make the cheesecake layer by mixing together the peanut butter, vanilla, and cream cheese until smooth and combined. Then fold in the whipped cream until thoroughly mixed. Then spread this layer over the brownie and pop it into the fridge to set whilst you make the ganache.

5. To make the ganache put the chocolate, cream and Nutella into a glass or metal bowl and set it over a pan of simmering water. Stir until all the chocolate and Nutella have melted and you have a thick glossy chocolate sauce. Take the bowl off the heat then stir for a minute or two to help it cool, then pour over the peanut cheesecake layer. Put the whole think back in the fridge for at least 3 hours to set. When its done, cut into slices and serve or eat it straight from the dish with a big ass spoon a la fat girl. Voilà the peanut butter brownie cheesecake, the deliciousness of two desserts combined into one super dessert.

I love pavlova, it’s one of my absolute favourite desserts. I always make it back home in England, but here in Korea I have never made it as my oven was too small. However, now I have the king of toaster ovens, there’s more than enough room. So I thought it was about time I had a bash at this quick and easy favourite. It turned out perfectly and now I cant see why I waited so long.  I filled my pavlova with Nutella because, let’s be honest, there aren’t enough desserts in the world that have Nutella in them.

Ingredients

300g of caster sugar

6 egg whites

1 table-spoon of cornflour

1 teaspoon of white wine vinegar

Nutella Ganache

3 large tablespoons of nutella

100g of dark chocolate

4 tablespoons of cream

1-2 cups of whipped cream for the filling

Chopped nuts

Directions

Separate your eggs (whites only) and whisk them to stiff peaks in a clean mixing bowl. I would recommend an electric whisk unless you are very strong.You need the egg whites to be as stiff as possible as they will only get softer as you beat in the sugar. An old trick is to beat them stiff enough so they are able to stay in the bowl when held upside down. Beat in the caster sugar a bit at time until it has been incorporated into the egg whites so they form soft peaks. Stir in the cornflour and vinegar to help them hold their shape and give them some extra gloss.

Line a baking tray with a piece of grease-proof paper. Draw a circle on the grease-proof paper and fill it in with a layer of the meringue. Then build up the edges by spooning or piping blobs around the outside until it forms the pavlova shape. Bake in an oven set to 150 degrees Celcius for about an hour until the meringue has set. Turn off the oven and leave the meringue inside to dry out for a few hours, ideally overnight.

To make the ganache, melt the chocolate in a glass or metal bowl over a pan of simmering water. Stir in the cream and Nutella until it has all melted and made a thick luxurious sauce.

Pavlovas should be assembled at the last moment, so wait until you are ready to serve before adding the ganache and whipped cream. I decided to have a little chocolate surprise hiding under the cream so put a layer of my Nutella ganache on first.

Then I topped with the whipped cream and drizzled on the rest of the Nutella ganache and sprinkled with chopped nuts. It was every bit as good as it looks.  Voilà naughty nutella pavlova.

It may have taken me 29 years but I have finally made the best dessert ever. I have found true heaven in cheesecake form. I know I claimed the same when I made my lemon cheesecake but this one is even better. My lovely boyfriend brought me a rather large stock of Malteasers back from Hong Kong, when he went on a boys’ rugby trip last month. I fancied making a dessert with them and was rather tempted by the Lorraine Pascale cake, but making a cake is such a lot of hard work in this weather. So I had a quick search on pinterest for Malteasers and came across a picture of a Malteaser and Toblerone cheesecake. Sadly I am not the genius who came up with this winning combination. However when I clicked on the link there was no recipe to be found. So I created this one myself. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did, I devoured the last one in mere hours and I’m pretty sure that the same thing will happen the next time I make it. It may seem a little cruel to include Malteasers in a Korean food blog but Whoppers are available here which are very similar, if not get your friends and family to get you some or order them online, they are amazing.

Ingredients

3 tubes of oreos

2 bags of malteasers

3 small Toblerones (100g)

300g of cream cheese

200ml of whipping cream

2 tabelspoons of peanut butter

1/2  a stick of butter (60g)

1 tabelspoon of vanilla extract

100g of icing sugar (sugar powder)

Directions

Crush the Oreo’s into fine crumbs. I used a blender as it’s mush quicker as they are all in separate packets. Melt the butter in a saucepan then mix in the Oreo crumbs. When combined pack into your tin. Soften your cream cheese in a bowl then mix in the peanut butter. Grate the Toblerones into this mixture, and crush 1 bag of the Malteasers and mix it in too. In a separate bowl whip the cream until its thick. Add one tablespoon of vanilla extract and the sugar powder and stir until it has dissolved into the cream. Add the cream cheese peanut chocolate mixture to the bowl of cream, and make sure everything is mixed together. When ready, spoon the mixture on top of the Oreo base. Flatten the top with the back of a spoon. Take your second bag of Malteasers and push them into the top of the cheesecake so only half of each one is showing. Put in the fridge and leave to set for at least 4 hours.Voilà  the devilishly decadent cheesecake of your dreams.

I am a very lucky girl as I have such lovely friends. One of my loveliest friends Susan took me to Deli Heinzburg to celebrate my birthday. She clearly knows the way to my heart is through sandwiches. Located in the tres chic Sinsa, tucked away in a back street is Deli Heinzburg ready to offer up all of its delights. This deli/cafe had room for plenty in the main restaurant as well as a sunny conservatory on the side. The perfect place to grab a quick bite or while away a sunny afternoon in the sun.

After working my way through their mammoth menu, I ordered the Boiling Cheese and Steamy Beef (13,200). Hand rubbed roast beef, deep cheddar cheese, macaroni, and sautéed onions inside a steaming sandwich. When it arrived it was encased in foil to keep the heat in from the steaming plate. I had to rip it open to delve into my sandwich. The pillow soft ciabatta bread was amazing, I actually prefer it to some of chewier style ciabatta I ate in Italy. Generous slices of roast beef and cheesy macaroni. It was just the comforting calorie laden sandwich I was hoping for. It came with home-made whole grain mustard which complimented it perfectly.

My lovely friend Susan ordered the Toscana (12,200). Prosciutto topped with slices of honeydew melon. I am not usually a fan of all things ham but this one was so tempting I decided to have a bite. Fresh and tasty, it beats those limp old plastic ham sandwiches they sell every where in Korea any day of the week.. The melon was the perfect accompaniment. Being a local to the area Susan told me that she had tried various sandwiches on the menu, yet this one still remained her favourite.

Since it was my birthday I figured we needed a side order of frites (4,300). Although I was expecting french fries, these chunks of breaded and fried potato did not disappoint in the slightest. My only complaint is that we didn’t order two portions. As there may have been a little bit of a tussle over who was going to eat the last one.

As well as serving all manner of delicious sandwiches in store they also have lots of things to take home and enjoy. Bread, deli meats, sauces and  sweet delights can all be found in abundance. Obvious a glutton like myself could not resist the opportunity to pick up a few more tasty treats despite already being full.  A fully fledged fatty like myself would never let a thing like a full belly put me off buying more food.. I picked up a trio of ciabattas (5,500), 200g of turkey from the deli and a jar of their delicious lemon mayo (7,000). I used some of the rocket (arugula)  which has been flourishing in my herb garden and some cheese to make myself another fabulous sandwich at home.  The bread was once again perfect despite the lateness of the day. I will be sure to buy more next time I’m passing by.

Deli Heinzberg is located in Sinsa at 534-1 Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. To get there take a train to Sinsa station (line 3). Come out of exit 8 and walk straight until you get to Tous Le Jours and make a left. Keep walking straight along that road until you reach the Fossil store. Take a left just after and you should see Gentle Lady Cupcake on your right. Keep walking to the end of the block and Deli Heinzberg will be on your left. You can also call them on 02-541-8780.

I have been making and devouring this cake for ages now but have only just got around to posting it. It was another pinterest find. The second I saw it I knew it had to be mine. I love chocolate éclairs, can’t get enough of them, so I was intrigued by a cake that shared the same name but that was made with graham crackers. How could it possibly be like a delicious, delicious éclair? Turns out I was wrong and the texture was very similar. I have changed the recipe a bit as the original called for vanilla pudding and cool whip. I used good old custard and regular cream and it went down a storm. It is possibly one of my new favourite desserts. The only bad bit is that you have to refrigerate it for at least 12-24 hours before you can eat it.

Ingredients

custard

6 egg yolks

1 egg

75g white sugar

25g of flour

4 teaspoons of corn flour / cornstarch (I got mine at the bakery mart)

500ml of milk

1 tablespoon of Vanilla syrup

A few drops of vanilla extract (you can use the extract, the syrup or a vanilla pod)

Graham crackers (Itaewon foreign food mart)

150g of milk or dark chocolate (I just used Dove or Ghana)

100ml of milk

200ml of cream

Directions

To make the custard whisk your egg yolks and egg with the sugar until it has become a very pale yellow. Whisk in the flour and corn flour until it has combined then set aside. Heat the milk and vanilla on a low heat until it has just started to boil then take it off the heat and whisk for 30 seconds. Slowly mix the hot milk into the yolk and flour mixture until it has combined then pour it into a saucepan. Put the custard on a very low heat and whisk it continuously until it begins to thicken. This will happen all at once so make sure you keep an eye on it or it will curdle. Once its thickened into custard you can remove from the heat. Sprinkle icing sugar on the top to stop a skin forming as you wait for it to cool.

Whip the cream until it is stiff then fold into the cooled custard.

To assemble the dessert put a layer of Graham crackers onto the bottom of your dish. Top with a third of the custard and cream mixture then put on another layer of the Graham crackers. Top with the second third of custard then another layer of Graham crackers. Top with the final third of custard and the fourth layer of Graham crackers.

In a clean metal or glass bowl melt the chocolate and milk over a bowl of simmering water. Once the chocolate has melted you should have a nice glossy chocolate sauce. Pour this over the top layer of Graham crackers and spread it over to make sure it’s even. Put the dessert in the fridge for at least 12-24 hours. Overnight is best, as this makes the Graham crackers soft and éclair-pastry like. Voilà, éclair cake, the easy way to make a chocolate éclair.