Desserts Bringing The Surreal, Whimsical And Fantastical Flavors of Magical Realism To Life

Magical realism differs from fantasy films slightly given how their magic happens in a real-world setting. Masterful storytelling and brilliant actors anchored by the brilliance of their support crew all the while dancing on the string tugged by their directors, are what makes these films linger long after they end. Not all are Harry Potteresque and fantastical, some are just dream castles inside one’s head or lucid dreaming where a character dreams of an alternate universe where they live out their wildest dreams that tug at one’s heartstrings. So, what if we went ahead and dared to capture such a beautiful world in the form of little desserts?

1. Amélie’s Frangipane

In the movie, Amélie being homeschooled and starved of affection develops a vivid imagination and loves bringing joy to others through small acts of kindness. Similarly, the Frangipane dessert delights people with its beauty and unique flavors. It consists of an almond cream filling sandwiched between layers of flaky pastry. The light golden color and delicate texture of the frangipane evoke the luminous cinematography and charming spirit of the film. Just as Amélie finds wonder in the everyday things around her, the frangipane's subtle almond flavor profile encourages viewers to slow down and savor life's simple pleasures. Both the movie and this dessert celebrate the ability of small joys to profoundly impact people's lives.

2. Shape of Water’s Salted Caramel Eclairs

Sans verbal language, Eliza Esposito (Sally Hawkins) falls in love with an amphibian humanoid creature who despite not speaking any human language, understands her and fills the void of loneliness in her. The whole existence of the creature makes it a fantastical magical realism romance. The film has themes of forbidden love, longing, and the beauty found in those who are different. Salted Caramel Eclairs would be a fitting dessert choice to represent these themes. Like the main characters who find beauty in each other despite their differences, salted caramel brings together two contrasting but complementary flavors - the sweetness of caramel paired with the saltiness that enhances the sweetness.

3. Edward Scissorhands’ Fruit Pie

An outcast, a high-key horrifying ghoulish appearance is what makes some of us relate to Edward Scissorhands. His creator dies before he can be fully finished leaving him half-baked; Edward was made much like us and ripped from the void and forced to exist which makes him so relatable. A fruit pie is a perfect representation of the film because it symbolizes both his isolation and his ability to create beauty despite his limitations. Though Edward's scissor hands prevent him from fully integrating into society and experiencing human intimacy, he is still able to bring beauty and wonder to the world through his creations, just as a pie combines fruit and dough into a thing of simple delight.

4. The Princess Bride’s Cinnamon Roll

This is a cult classic for many people out there especially if you raid the comments of Reddit in some of its subreddits although the film might seem quite ridiculous today. But the weirdness of it from starting out fairytale-like to a full-blown brawl, is quite amusing so nothing better than a cinnamon roll can do justice to it. The snacky dessert represents both the clever trickery and heartwarming romance central to the story. In terms of trickery, the hypnotic pattern of cinnamon and icing could easily disguise multiple rolls being one, just as Westley is able to outwit Vizzini in their battle of wits. As for romance, the warm, sweet cinnamon roll embodies the comfort and affection that develops between Buttercup and Westley despite all obstacles. Its cozy flavors are reminiscent of the love and warmth they find in each other, even after facing grave danger.

5. Pan’s Labyrinth’s Spiderweb Cake

The film centers around a mysterious stone labyrinth that little Ofelia must navigate in order to complete dangerous tasks and uncover her destiny as a princess, all while escaping the threats of her cruel stepfather. As she goes deeper into the labyrinth's twisting, branching paths Ofelia comes to realize how intricately her own journey is woven, just as a spider's web intricately and non-linearly connects countless points through delicate yet durable strands - this is precisely what a spiderweb cake evokes. With its radial design forming an intricate lattice of spun sugar threads that entangles both Ofelia and the viewer who partakes in it, as with the webs Ofelia herself encounters along her surreal quest through the film, a spiderweb cake perfectly encapsulates in its very form the dense, convoluted nature of both the labyrinth at the heart of the story and Ofelia's soul-searching path to discovering her identity and place in two worlds.