Sugary Sustenance Inspired from Stories of Suspense, Shock, and Surprise that Seized and Shook Sensibilities of Cinema Buffs

Thrillers either make you eat a ton of food or completely nauseate you enough to keep away from it. But what if we told you we had some of the memorable thrillers captured in miniature, edible form? Try these instead of your regular treats for your next movie night in.

Thriller movies have been keeping us on the edge of our seats forever and for some of us who lack the adventure in life, we love to feast our eyes and send our brain into an overdrive with the dread and anticipation that thriller movies instill in us. We are going to capture the thrill of those movies in miniature, edible form.

By that we mean desserts of all kinds, shapes, and textures! Whether the thriller is light-hearted, packed with punches, or a mind-twister, we have an array of desserts ready to be sampled, and what’s better than adding them alongside snacks during your next movie marathon?

1. The Silence of the Lambs’ Blood Orange Cupcakes

Anthony Hopkins makes you squirm in your seat with the portrayal of the infamous genius doctor who is an ‘ethical’ cannibal played by the brilliant Anthony Hopkins. Paying homage to the dark undertones of the film, a blood orange cake is a fitting representation of the movie. Beyond their fleshy crimson appearance, blood oranges are both sweet and tart in terms of flavor, mirroring the intricate psychological nuances of the story. Nobody is a nameless casualty and everything is calculated courtesy of Dr Lector and individual portions of the cupcake reflect that. The sweetness also hints at the feelings Hannibal Lector develops for FBI agent Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) who is anything but good for Dr Lector.

2. The Tourist’s Petit Fours

With a flurry of action and confusing identities from the start, The Tourist stars Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp making the viewers guess till the last scene where everything is revealed in a soaring crescendo. The plot of The Tourist revolves around an American tourist who gets embroiled in an unexpected spy mystery while visiting Italy. Like the movie, the petit fours will have hidden layers of intrigue for no two of these mini-confections are similar. The exterior will be different, hiding the fillings inside much like the surprise element of the American tourist getting involved. Flavors could include tiramisu cream, lemon curd, chocolate ganache, or caramel. Like the shifting identities throughout The Tourist, these petit fours would keep people guessing with every new one being sampled.

3. Joker’s Mousse Cups

Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker thrills and causes mayhem on screen in this different outtake on the classic Batman’s Joker. It’s his origin story, inspired by his unsettling descent into madness, as the mousse cups aim to mirror Arthur Fleck's (Joker) turbulent inner world. Light and fluffy chocolate mousse is piped into clear vessels, representing Phoenix's nuanced performance slowly peeling back the layers of Fleck's troubled psyche. A subtle sprinkle of red sprinkles can be added to these cups, to evoke the subtle yet menacing makeup that comes to define his alter-ego. The taste of the mousse will be in stark contrast to the anti-hero role portrayed by Phoenix in the film. These desserts are perfect in representing the slice of the chaos, violence, and dark humor that Phoenix so brilliantly embodied in one of the most memorable big-screen villains of all time.

4. Black Swan’s White Chocolate Brownie

Nina is a talented but reserved ballerina who is given the chance to play the White Swan in Swan Lake. This is represented by the fudgy brownie which embodies her passion and talent for ballet. However, when the director suggests that someone else may be better suited for the lead role, Nina's sense of identity is threatened and this cracks her fragile confidence, represented by the white chocolate topping. As Nina becomes obsessed with proving herself, the pressures take their toll. Just as cracks form in the white chocolate, her grip on reality starts to slip. By the final performance, Nina has fully lost herself in her dual role and her mental state shatters completely.

5. The Revenant’s Black Forest Cake

Black Forest Cake represents the endless and neverending snowscape of The Revenant, on which Hugh Glass (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) undertakes a harrowing ordeal in his quest for vengeance. The layers of moist chocolate cake and cherries symbolize his journey through the uncharted wilderness, sustaining life-threatening injuries from the brutal bear attack. Just as the cherries are mixed into the rich cake, Glass endures hardships and personal losses. Driven by grief and vengeance, Glass utilized his survival skills to push through the snowy terrain and tracked the man who betrayed him, much like the sweet yet dense Black Forest Cake is able to bring together contrasting flavors into one satisfying dessert.