I have worked as a consultant dietitian in the food industry, then as a community and public health dietitian for a number of years. After which I resigned to take on a role as a youth pastor. We’ve had countless dinners and meetings at our house over the years, so there has been plenty of opportunities to bake and cook for guests. Again and again I have been asked, “Can you teach me how to cook that”. After writing out the recipes numerous times and even having friends come to my house to learn how to cook, I decided to one day start a cooking blog.
In March 2011 my third son was born (three wonderful boys), he was quite unwell and I was up feeding him 3 hourly throughout the night until he was 7 months old. To stay awake during those times I started howtocookthat.net Yes, that’s correct most of the first years posts were typed one handed at all hours of the night while feeding a baby.
I often get asked how can you make all of those cakes and desserts and not be overweight? Well, there is no magic pill – all of our meals are low fat and healthy, I eat plenty of fruit and excercise regularly. I try to only make amazing desserts when we have people coming over to share it with. I did have intentions of adding the recipes that I use for dinner to the blog, but I keep getting sidetracked with desserts – they photograph so much more beautifully.
I have been cooking sweet things and collecting recipes ever since I was a little girl. What a blessing to have a mum that taught me to cook despite the mess that kids make in the kitchen.
Above is a pic of the first recipe I ever wrote out – my friends mum had made the most amazing chocolate cheesecake, so I asked for the recipe. I have a recipe file that is thick with gems collected over the years. If there is no source listed it is because I don’t actually know where they came from or I have adapted or developed the recipes myself.
Ann
Please direct all media, advertsing, business and booking enquiries to: howtocookthat [at] iinet.net.au
FAQ: Where is Ann Reardon from? I live in Sydney Australia but my wonderful subscribers are from USA, UK, Canada, Australia and all over the world.
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My gransdon’s great grandmother just died and she was famous for her strawberry shortcake. I want to make it for him for his birthday in September. Your recipe for your sponge cake is the perfect one for the basis of this cake. How can I get a printed version? It will make him so happy. Thanks for your help Ann.
Karen
Hi Karen, you’re welcome to just print the recipe from the website.
Hi Ann!
Please Help!
I am really liking your vids!
when I am baking chocolate decorations and stuff with chocolate my chocolate is ALWAYS setting really fast and before I can make some decorations like the butterflies and things.
I live In New Zealand and mostly using Nestle chocolate melts.
is it because I live in New Zealand or the chocolate melts I am using and is there something I can do to stop them from melting? PLEASE HELP!
-PLEASE HELP-
you could try warming a plate or tray slightly tn the oven preveious to making and make your chocolate things over that while working and take it off of that for cooling. hope this idea helps, and have a good time cooking!
thanks:) will try that next time
nestle melts aren’t real chocolate, the vegetable fat will set fast. you can just melt it again in the microwave tho
hello from Melbourne! I love all your videos! thanks for working hard to make easy step by step videos that actually help people like me (hopeless cooks) get confidence to walk into the kitchen! my boyfriends birthday is on the 5th of september and since he is an upholsterer I really wanted to (somehow) make a classic 2 seater chesterfield couch cake. since that is his favourite. Only thing is I have no idea how to go about making one. I could use a hand. could you pretty please (with a chocolate fondue’d topping on top) attempt one and put up a how to cook that video? much love xoxo
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Hi Ann,
I love your work. I have a question though regarding the Dalek template….I am making it for my husbands work….I am looking to do the panels and the problem is there are 2 #3 templates and 2#4’s and they are both different sizes, ie a wide and thin 3 and a wide and thin 4. Am I missing something?…Many thanks 🙂
Hi Ange, sorry for late reply, I didn’t get the notification of your message for some reason. Were you able to work it out or is it still a problem?
Hi Ann:
I stumbled across your “Pattern Roll Cake” on You-Tube by accident, fell head over heals and pursued everything else of yours I could find! Your presentations are so warmly done yet to the point, I like that very much. Must say, brought a tear to my eye reading about your youngest son. Looking forward to trying your Rock Candy Geodes, but first…
My best friends son’s 15th birthday is actually tomorrow, however we will be observing it at my house in two weeks with a proper Scottish dinner (or the best I can come up with – Haggis, Tweed Kettle etc.) and a plaid pattern roll cake approximating his family’s tartan. Your technique is perfect!
I bought baking paper, sticky tape and a sheet pan (baking tray) that’s 44×22 cm and figured out how to use the tape to make the three color pattern, yet am left with two questions: 1) What size baking tray is your recipe geared towards? 2) Are the metric measurements for the cake recipe volume or weight or both?
I’m rather new to metric measures and want to get things right. Here in America everything is measured in cups, yet different volumes whether liquid or dry.
I’ll be trying a test run of the cake soon and can probably figure it all out on my own; just HAVE to say THANK-YOU for the wonderful inspirations and videos!
If you can, please help me understand metrics a little better.
Rick Sterling, Washington State, USA
Hi ann,
Its my birthday on the 18th of august and im wondering if you could make me a suprise chocolate cake however my cousins are leaving on that day 🙁 and want to make them a leaving cake. Can you mix them both together?
Can I make sniker ice cream in this fashion?plz reply to me whether it is that possible ir not?
yes that sounds yummy
Hello Ann,
God has given you an awesome talent! Your stuff is amazing.
I am doing a firetruck cake for my friends 30th birthday on the 23rd. I know its cutting it real close but I was wondering if you can please do a tutorial for a firetruck. This is my first one and I want it to look real good. Thanks so much!
God Bless
Desiree
there’s a firetruck with templates on my website & on my youtube channel Desiree.
Hi there Ann, I’m from Canada and I absolutely love your videos! I never fail to watch every episode. You are so amazing, the fact that you’re bake to make such complicated cakes amazes me. My birthday is the 15 of August, which is next Friday, I’m wondering if you could teach me how to make rainbow cake, where the layers of cake are the color, I know you made an Rainbow Loom Band Cake. If you could, please make a rainbow cake with some fondant decorations. I want to make my own cake and I want to learn some small and cute decorations to put on the cake. If you could, thank you very much!
Happy birthday Naomi, i won’t do one in time but perhaps in the future 🙂
Hi ann,
Its my birthday on the 18th of august and im wondering if you could make me a suprise chocolate cake however my cousins are leaving on that day 🙁 and want to make them a leaving cake. Can you mix them both together?
Hi ann,
Its my birthday on the 18th of august and im wondering if you could make me a suprise chocolate cake however my cousins are leaving on that day 🙁 and want to make them a leaving cake. Can you mix them both together?
Dear Ann,
I really enjoy your youtube tutorial very much and it’s because of you that I started trying to make these sugary heavenly treats. I stumble upon this picture today and I thought of making it for mummykins but I really don’t know where to start… I know how to make the strawberry part and all but how to make it stay up right? What’s that red paper/ plastic? If it’s paper won’t it stick to the chocolate?
So many questions!!! Mummy’s birthday is coming December I was hoping I might make some practice 1st. ^_^ Hope to hear from you soon! Finger cross XX
Nicole
Malaysia
there’s a similar video coming soon
Buenas noches, hace unos momentos acabo de pagar 4,99 para la plantilla del tutorial del coche Mac Quen pero no hay manera de poder bajarme las plantillas,
Como lo hago por favor, Lo necesito urgente Tengo que hacer un pastel,para mañana .
Ademas agradeceria si saben Vds, si la masa de hojalde de Lidl no lleva huevo Gracias
<pueden hacerme llegar las plantillas por el correo electronico
ok i will send them to your email address
Hello Ann
Loving your tutorials. Learning s lot. I have only just started decorating. Going to try the chocolate tempering next. Your video does not tell me what temperature the microwave should be. Or what wattage your microwave is.
I think mine is 1200 and workd on % of power. What should i use. I dont want to waste chocolate experimenting.
Hi Ann,
I was hoping you could help me. My friend’s daughter wants us to make a birch tree 3 level cake for her upcoming wedding. We saw a picture of what she wants but don’t know how to do it. It was 3 levels, each one getting smaller and the cake looks to be chocolate with maybe a white buttercream on the outside with chocolate lines (to look like a birch tree) and green leaves on the outside. She needs a cake larger enough to feed about 60 people and each level has a little chocolate cake showing to simulate the bark of the birch tree. Any ideas for us???
Thank you,
Robyn
I have done chocolate leaves in one of my videos (google ann reardon chocolate decorations) … and I also show how to do wood texture on my dragon castle cake. hope that helps
Hi Ann!
I came across your website while trying to figure out how to make a birdnest cake for my nephew for his birthday. He is 24 so I didn’t want a cartoonish one but one with a more realistic appeal which is how I found your chocolate birdnest. I am very excited to try them. Your story is so inspirational – I love that no matter where you are or what you do, you are helping others, me included. I’m so glad I found you and your site. Many Blessings to you!
thankyou Sarah 🙂
Hi Anne,
I bought your Lightening McQueen tutorial last year and it was wonderful and the cake came out brilliantly.
Since then my computer died a death and I have lost the the pdf file of the templates etc and have another order coming soon and I’m devastated.
Is there any way you can send it again (do you have my email on your system) or do I have to buy it again?
Thanks Nic x
send me you email & i’ll sort it out Nicola
Hi Ann..
I will be attempting to make your 3D despicable me minion cake. I noticed that your recipe calls for 4x the recipe of vanilla cake and you also mentioned that you’re minion cake took a total of 8 cakes. Does that mean that the vanilla cake recipe is enough to fill 2 8in pans?
hey Ann
I´m a 14 years old girl from Sweden.
I whant like you when i`m bigger
a wish that there you live because it`s like you have everithing there in Sweden can`t i find fondand and some thing like that, thats look easy to find where you live
but i trying with what i have
and I LOOVE what you are doing
it look so easy
I hope you see this
I love you 😉
// Elina, SWDEN!!