The Sugar Fairy Desserts, Sweets and Everything Nice
Remember the past interview series I did with local enterprises? Well, this time around, I am fortunate enough to come across The Sugar Fairy — a local, stand alone dessert/sweets stall — and the fairy godmother behind its creation, Sera.
Your Desserts Dream Come True
Housed within a coffee shop in the Dover Crescent amongst the housing estates, The Sugar Fairy is but just one of the many stalls fighting for the customers' attention in the tough F&B market. I met Sera, who on the first impression, appeared just like your typical Singaporean hawker, albeit a younger generation of hawker entrepreneurs. Clad in T-shirt and shorts, Sera greeted me with a cheery smile and we sat down for a chat.
I was intrigued by what prompted Sera to set up her own little startup in this heartland coffee shop.
What prompted you to leave your stable career behind?
Ans: In 2013, after 8 years in the educational sector, I decided I no longer wanted to be part of the action but to do something I was really passionate about ─ food and feeding people. Prior to that I had always enjoyed cooking and playing up that perfect host. With baking, I decided to expand my expertise and in sharing my love for baked goods."
Sera had looked into investing in a café but realized it was too huge of an investment with all the setup costs etc. It was a risk she didn’t want to take back then and thus went on to freelance teaching while “testing water” and trying her hands with home-based catering services on weekends. 2 years later, an opportunity came up for her to run a bistro for 7 to 8 months and after learning what she needed, ‘The Sugar Fairy’ was born.
Why In Bouna Vista and this coffee-shop?
Ans: Sentimental values. I had gone schooling in Fairfield Methodist Secondary School and had grown up in this area even if it means having to shuttle to-and-fro from my current location in the Hougang. Of course, there were other factors like how I love the area nestled in an educational zone filled with schools, students and young adults who won’t mind a sweet treat or desserts at my shop. On the practical side, there was no need for a full-fledged investment like in a sit-down cafe."
On The Menu: Sweet Treats
Sera later introduced me to some of the highlights The Sugar Fairy has to offer.
Trilogy $10.50
For the glutton/health-conscious you and I who want a bit of everything and taste the best of what Sugar Fairy has to offer, Trilogy consists of a mini version of the exact full-sized products offered. The set contains choices of mini sundae (comes in 4 flavors. What I had was the vanilla ice cream with brownie crumbs and berry compote ), a mini parfait ( Vanilla Cream Cheese with Berry or Mango compote) and a half-sized waffle ( I had the ‘Far Far Away’ version which consists of caramelized banana, chocolate fudge and chopped nuts.)
Special mention goes to the waffles which were crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Sera had painstakingly taken time to formulate with the right proportions.
The Blondies and Brownies $2.50 Each
Definitely not something commonly found or marketed in Singapore, these Blondies were made mainly with brown sugar and a chewy core and originated from the US.
Definitely, something I enjoyed.
Definitely, something I enjoyed.
Available in Cherry Chocolate and Nutty Fudge Blondie.
The brownies though less sweet, were a tad too drying and hard to my liking.
Available in Nutty and Salted Caramel flavour.
Available in Nutty and Salted Caramel flavour.
Dockyard Coffee Cookies
These cookies were something new that Sera had just introduced together with local coffee supplier Dockyard integrating their coffee grounds to produce these chewy cookies which were also not overly-sweeten.
The Sugar Fairy has only been around for 3 months and is still in its infancy. However, what I saw was Sera’s passion and perseverance in believing in herself, pro-actively making things work and taking things in stride when outcomes don't turn out right. Despite doubts that may surface from time to time, Sera has never regretted her choice in leaving a cushy job in pursuit of her love for food and people. Not one to sit on the fences, Sera is actively seeking ways to increase the branding and profile of The Sugar Fairy and has taken active steps towards an e-commerce shopfront. Sera's story is perhaps what young people like us can learn from.
Items wise, I would say that everyone has their personal preferences and tastes but in general but I love how Sera’s items are packed with the flavours of home. Bake and prepared with love, I have to give her credits for that.
I look forward to seeing more creations from Sera soon!
Don't bother looking for the unit number. Instead, spot the stall inside the only coffee shop under this block.
Visit The Sugar Fairy
28 Dover Cresent #01-97.Don't bother looking for the unit number. Instead, spot the stall inside the only coffee shop under this block.
1 comments
The combo of passion and expertise combined gives off amazing results. I can see in the interview, that she is really a sugar fairy, the baked goods look like a,delicacy. Wish I could try them.
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