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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plz make a Battenberg cake…!!
I just watched your fluffy sponge cake video and it looks so good 😀 I would love to try it but I cannot find gelatine in powder form. I only have sheet gelatine. Is there anyway to use sheet gelatine for this recipe?
Hi Ann,
I discovered your YouTube channel yesterday and I absolutely LOVE your work. I want to make the Dump Truck 3D cake for my sons upcoming birthday and I’m just looking at purchasing the black and yellow colored fondant. Now, I have a huge problem with the awful chemical taste of the satin ice fondant and I haven’t yet tried any other brand that makes colored fondant. Anyway, long story short, do you have any recommendations as to which one has the least chemical taste? What do you use?
Thank you, and keep up the great work =)
Anika
Hi Anika, I switch brands all the time depending on where I am shopping, black will always have some taste to it because it has so much colouring in it. You can add flavouring to fondant too if you prefer.
Hi
I need to make a princes doll cake for my daughter’s 2 nd birthday . The fondant cake which is in your web site. Can i know the sizes of pans i should take? Appreciate your reply
Thanks
Rath
Hi Ann,
I love to bake! For a school task we have to create an online magazine…I chose to create a magazine on baking. One of the requirements is to include an interview with someone that is relevant the topic you chose…I chose you. I was wondering if you could take a minute or two to answer these questions I put together:
1. What inspired you to bake?
2. At what age did you begin to have an interest in baking?
3. Who in the baking industry do you admire the most?
4. What is your favourite thing to cook?
5. What is the hardest thing that you have cooked?
6. What was the first thing that you can remember baking?
7. Do you prefer baking from scratch or using a box?
8. Who has helped you develop your baking skills the most?
9. Why do you bake?
10. What website do you most prefer using when getting recipes?
Thank you HEAPS!!
Kat
P.S. I love using the recipes on your website and each time I do they always end up perfect!!
Hi Kat
1. My sweet tooth.
2. I have been baking since about 3 years of age
3. I love desserts made by Anna Polyvou
4. I love to cook something that the person I am baking for loves so I ask them what their favourite dessert is before they come over.
5. Good question, not sure on that one.
6. Cakes with my mum
7. Scratch definitely
8. I have a degree in food science which has been great for understanding ingredients and their roles in cooking
9. It is so much fun and love sharing the food with people
10. I develop a lot of my own recipes, I do love having all my recipes on hand on my mobile when at the shops to buy ingredients.
Thank you sooo much Ann!!!
Thanks,
Kat
Hi
its my mums birthday soon and i want to make a cake for her she likes horses so can u Please make a horse cake:)
also can it be 3d please and not just the head thx
Hi Ann
I always look forward to friday when I can sit down and watch your newest video:)
thanks Teresa
can you make a house of anubis cake please because my party is coming up and i love house of anubis and i have checked everywhere for a toutorial but i can’t find one . so you might be the first to make one.
Hi ann I lve your videos but can I ask you one question can you plzzz make a Egyptian pyramid cake 🙂
can you make house of anubis cake
can you make a house of anubis cake plz plz plz!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hii Ann how r u ?
I like your videos so much is interesting and unique, but i want to ask u for chocolate truffle recipie. I sell chocolate from house i want to expand my work and want to make different flouver, i like your work so much but in videos you not give a measurement of ingredients. Plz give a recpie..
thanxx
Hi Ahina, recipe is here, https://wellness-wave1.news/public_html/best-chocolate-truffle-recipe/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> you can use the search box on the right hand column to find any recipes that you need 😀
can you make the snickers bar but in a twix
added to request list
Hi Ann can you make a car cake camaro yellow with two strips
Hi Loulwa, use this one as a good starting point https://wellness-wave1.news/public_html/3d-lightning-mcqueen-cars-cake-tutorial/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Hello Ann!
I just purchased the Fondant Shoe template, while I was printing my receipt, my download link disappeared off the screen and now I have no way of retrieving that. How do I go about retrieving that download, really don’t want to repurchase.
Thanking you in advance
Ann
How do I go about getting a refund? I purchased the shoe template, NEVER got the template nor a response from you in reference to my email nor this post!!!
Hi Ann,
My son younger Marcus introduced me to you wonderful YouTube videos.
Thank you for sharing your great work with the world. I recently made a spaghetti bolognese cake for my older 14 yr old son who loves pasta. Marcus suggested we show it to you. Choc mud cake, white chocolate butter cream icing, choc mud mixed with chocolate icing for meatball, raspberry purée for sauce and desiccated coconut for grated cheese. The cake was a surprise my son wasn’t sure if it was a cake or a tray of pasta, very confused boy for a few minutes. It was very funny. Thanks again for your great work. From Tania and Marcus
Hi Tania, great minds think a like, I filmed a spaghetti cake the same week you made yours… check it out here https://wellness-wave1.news/public_html/spaghetti-birthday-cake/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
hello Ann. i really love your works. just watched your tutorial on making cars cake and would really love to make that for my son’s birthday. i’ve tried paying for the templates but the payment can’t go through. it said-paypal is not accepted from your country.i am a nigerian and based in nigeria. is there any other way to make the payment? the birthday is for next week and i really would love to get those templates as soon as possible.
thanks a lot and God bless you
I’ll send you an email gladys
Hi Ann,
I am really enjoying reading and watching your methods on cake decorating. I am going to attempt the lightning mcqueen cake for my sons birthday. I purchased and downloaded the template for it and also your icing recipes, but I can’t access them anymore. I had to email them to my husband at work to print out, but by the time he was available to do it, they had gone.
Is there any way it can get them back to print off? Or do I have to purchase again?
Thanks Ann.
-Crystal.
Hi Crystal definitely do not need to purchase again, I can see from your email address on paypal that you have paid for it already so I will email a fresh link through to you.
Hi Ann , i know this is an odd question but i am interested in a career in food science and dietetics, how many years study did it take you to become a food scientist and dietitian?
Hi Lara, I did a three year degree in nutrition and food science and then a fourth year post graduate diploma in dietetics.
Hi Ann and Lara
Ann does that mean that you are a nutritionist aswell?
Lara in my country you do a three year degree in nutrition and food science and then a postgraduate two year master of dietetics
I Ann,
Today I baked the sponge cake you posted, and I have to say it is really the best I have ever tried. Thank you for that!!! I am also tempted to do the fire car to my son’s birthday, but would like to know if you recommend the same recipe or something else, with a litle bit more consistency?!!! Love your page!
Hi Lara, you can use this one if you bake it in trays. I have used it for a carved cake before.