Back in September 2020, we featured Wunderfolks in our article on home bakers in Singapore.
A year later, their team invited us to pay a visit to their beautiful takeaway outlet at Joo Chiat and do a review of their handmade tarts — of course we said yes!
Given the gorgeous appearance of their tarts, our biggest question was whether they taste as good as they look. Here are our honest thoughts on each flavour!
Disclaimer: The tarts were sponsored. However, this is not a paid review and all opinions are our own.
About Wunderfolks
Started in 2020 as an online business, Wunderfolks is a pastry shop specialising in handmade tarts. Their bestsellers include their Fruitilicious Mixed Fruit Tart, Lemony Meringue Tart, Dark Chocolate Tart and Lychee Tart.
In January 2021, they opened their first brick-and-mortar store at Stirling Road. Now, they can be found among the rustic-looking shophouses of Joo Chiat Road with a bold blue sign featuring their mascot, Barry!
Address: 201 Joo Chiat Road #01-03, Singapore 427472
Opening hours: 10am – 5pm or till sold out (Tues – Sun)
The folks behind Wunderfolks
The folks behind the birth of Wunderfolks are none other than Dale and Vincent (3rd and 4th from the left respectively)!
The 2 founders met in the Navy while serving their National Service. Vincent, who had a career in the insurance industry, found a passion for baking and decided to hone his skills by attending At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy. After graduating, he continued to dive deeper into the world of baking with online videos and pastry books.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Dale and Vincent decided to pursue a business together, giving rise to Wunderfolks!
With Vincent at the steering wheel of the kitchen, Dale handles all the marketing efforts and spreads the word about their delicious bakes.
The menu consists of 6 different flavours — mixed fruit, dark chocolate, lemon meringue, lychee, maple pecan and sesame. These flavours were designed to give customers a feeling of familiarity and comfort. Their bestsellers are the mixed fruit, dark chocolate, lemon meringue and lychee tarts.
The tarts are available in:
• Single items* ($8)
• A box of 4 ($32)
• A box of 6 ($42)
• Whole tarts ($45)
• Duo flavour ($45)
*Only for walk-in customers
Seasonal flavours available during festive occasions
Islandwide delivery at $12
Free delivery for orders above $100
Deliveries from 2pm – 6pm or 6pm – 10pm
Deliveries are done in an air-conditioned car and the tarts are packed into a cooler box with dry ice to maintain their freshness.
We personally recommend opting for delivery unless you stay near Joo Chiat and have a car as the tart fillings can melt very quickly due to Singapore’s heat!
The Tasting Experience: Review of WunderFolks Tarts
Fruitilicious Mixed Fruit Tart
Flavour: Sweet, fruity and creamy
Presentation: Beautiful vibrant colours from the fruits with a shiny clear glaze
Right off the bat, the Fruitilicious Mixed Fruit Tart reminded me of the mixed fruit cakes you often see at bakeries, but better.
The tart was topped with a generous amount of strawberries, blueberries, green grapes and peaches which gave a colourful, vibrant look. The fruits were covered in a shiny clear glaze and the light yellow custard peeked out from underneath the fruits.
Surprisingly, the fruits were sweet with a very light tartness, which I believe came from the green grapes (so those who are typically afraid of sour fruits like me won’t have to worry about that here). The custard was incredibly smooth and wasn’t overly sweet, giving the tart a great balance in terms of taste.
Overall, we thought that this tart was a classic done really well, with nothing to dislike about it! 😋
Valrhona Dark Chocolate Tart
Flavour: Rich, with a good balance of bitterness and sweetness
Presentation: Simple but elegant
This was one of the tarts that I was most excited to try, simply because I love dark chocolate!
The tart had a simple yet elegant look with a streak of gold that ran down the middle and a stunning glaze that further added to its elegant appeal. This is the only item on the menu that comes with a chocolate tart shell to add to the cohesiveness of the dessert, which is already filled entirely with chocolatey goodness.
As I bit into the tart, I was surprised by the balance of bitterness and sweetness in the ganache. Despite having that rich dark chocolate flavour, it wasn’t overly bitter or heavy on the palate. The ganache was smooth and had a clear, distinct glaze over the top. I kept wanting more!
This tart is definitely perfect for a dark chocolate lover like me but those who aren’t a fan of dark chocolate should also give this tart a chance. In fact, this tart is one of my favourites! 😍
Lemony Meringue Tart
Flavour: Zesty and refreshing, with a good balance of sourness and sweetness
Presentation: Bright colours with a shiny lemon curd
Most people have a love-hate relationship with lemon meringue desserts since it all rests on the balance of sweetness and sourness in the lemon curd. For me, I loved this tart, making it my other favourite among the 6 flavours! 🤩
The bright lemon curd was zesty and refreshing on the palate. Though it was a bit more on the sour side, I didn’t mind it! The swiss meringue on the top offered the right amount of sweetness to balance out the tartness of the curd.
By now, I expected nothing less in terms of the smoothness of the curd or meringue and Wunderfolks didn’t disappoint. I also loved the presentation of the dessert, with the lightly toasted meringue piped on one side of the tart to let the glossy lemon curd take centre stage.
On average, Wunderfolks produces and sells up to 500 tarts a day! This is after placing a limit on the quantity sold to ensure that their tarts are baked to perfection.
Lychee Tart
Flavour: Light lychee flavour with a hint of floral notes
Presentation: Dainty and feminine
According to Dale, the lychee tart has a lighter flavour as compared to the rest of the tarts, making it popular among the ladies. Yet, as someone who appreciates stronger flavours, I was slightly disappointed by the lightness of it 😅
The overall flavour was indeed much milder than the other tarts but what I found interesting was how the tart offered different layers of flavour.
At the start, I was greeted with a light floral taste from the rose that later evolved to a sweet and fruity taste of lychee and raspberry. I also got chunks of lychee bits in the mousse, which added some texture and flavour to the dessert.
While the tart was definitely a pretty one to look at especially with edible flowers over the top, it was my least favourite of the 6 tarts. However, I can understand why it’s one of their bestsellers as the light flavour offers some respite from all the big, bold flavours in the box.
Maple Pecan Tart
Flavour: Sweet, fragrant and nutty flavour
Presentation: Rustic with a glossy glaze
The Maple Pecan Tart had a rustic look that was a stark contrast to the elegant-looking chocolate tart. The generous topping of glossy pecans hid a sweet and fragrant maple almond frangipane.
The strong scent of maple honey immediately made my mouth water. Despite its sweet smell, the maple honey wasn’t overpowering but incredibly flavourful. The nutty taste from the crunchy pecans also shone through, giving it another depth of flavour.
I really enjoyed how this tart gave a homey and comforting feeling and could totally imagine having a scoop of vanilla ice cream with it! 😌
Hey Sesame Tart
Flavour: Nutty, savoury and sweet
Presentation: Simple with some sesame seeds in the centre
The Hey Sesame Tart looked the most basic out of all the tarts but I was more curious about the taste. Dale promised the flavour of black sesame paste (芝麻糊), a popular Asian dessert made from toasted black sesame seeds. Well, they sure delivered on that promise!
The black sesame ganache had such complex layers of flavours — it was rich, nutty, fragrant, savoury and sweet all together. It also had a silky and creamy texture, similar to that of a black sesame paste dessert!
In my opinion, this tart was a huge surprise and a big win for me. Being someone who’s very picky when it comes to black sesame paste desserts, I would definitely give this one a thumbs up 👍🏻 However, if you aren’t a fan of sesame, this might not be the tart for you.
Matcha Adzuki Tart
Flavour: Light matcha flavour with a hint of red bean
Presentation: Shades of green with a creamy-looking custard
As a huge fan of matcha, I couldn’t help but get excited at the thought of trying this classic combination of green tea and sweet red bean.
The tart had a simple yet sophisticated look, with a speckled matcha ganache topped with some white chocolate pearls. The custard was a light, pastel green and the tart shell even had a slight tinge of green!
Taking a bite, I found that the custard took a creamier flavour profile rather than a rich one. While I would’ve personally preferred the latter, this tart is definitely great for those who enjoy a more milky taste.
The red bean paste also offered an added depth of flavour to the dessert without being too sweet!
Coffee Hazelnut Tart
Flavour: Rich and decadent
Presentation: Dark, earthy colours with a silky ganache
The Coffee Hazelnut Tart had a bold, sharp look compared to the other tarts in the box. The silky ganache, coupled with the decadent-looking filling, made me eager to dig in 😋
Though I was initially concerned that the coffee would easily overpower the hazelnut, the flavours turned out to be incredibly well-balanced. They worked in perfect harmony with one another to deliver a rich, fragrant treat that kept me going back for more!
I’m not one to typically opt for a coffee dessert, but this tart easily rivals the Valrhona Dark Chocolate Tart as one of my top picks!
Mango Passionfruit Tart
Flavour: Sweet and refreshing
Presentation: Bright and inviting; topped with a generous amount of mango
Like the Mixed Fruit Tart, the Mango Passionfruit Tart was topped with a generous serving of ripe, sweet mango! The smooth, creamy custard carried a sweet and refreshing taste with a subtle hint of passionfruit.
I was slightly disappointed that the passionfruit flavour took a backseat in this tart as it was overpowered by the strong scent of mango. Don’t get me wrong, though — this is still a delicious tart, especially if you’re a mango-lover.
In fact, if you’re craving something fruity and refreshing but aren’t a fan of sour flavours, this tart is a good option for you!
Overall thoughts on Wunderfolks tarts
As a whole, I thought that all the tarts in the box were incredibly impressive and they definitely tasted as good as they looked.
The golden, buttery tart shell was even in thickness and had a nice consistent bake all around. It also had a crumbly texture which went well with all the smooth fillings of the tarts.
To help the tart shell maintain its crumbly texture, a layer of cocoa butter is applied. It provides a layer of protection that prevents the crust from absorbing the moisture from the filling!
Our Visit to Wunderfolks
During our visit to Wunderfolks’ takeaway store at Joo Chiat, we got a little tour around their premises.
The interior of the store had a fun and modern look which contrasted the rustic exterior of the shophouses. Customers who step in are greeted by Barry on the cute display counter.
Separating the front end of the shop from the kitchen is a glass see-through window, where customers can watch their tarts being made from scratch!
The kitchen was much smaller than I had anticipated, given that the production of about 500 tarts takes place here daily!
There were a total of 3 working benches — 1 behind the glass window, another against the wall and the last one in the centre of the kitchen.
The counter in the centre is used for kneading, weighing and rolling out the dough.
The dough is then pressed into thin sheets on the working bench against the wall.
The final bench where the tart shells are cut and assembled is located right behind the window.
When we got to this bench, Vincent offered to teach one of us how to assemble a tart shell. Excited as I was, I jumped on this opportunity! 🙊
He started with a demonstration before letting me have a hand at it.
He pressed the tart mould into the pastry sheet to form the base of the tart and cut strips of the pastry to line the sides. Any excess at the top and sides would be trimmed off.
Sounds simple right?
As it turns out, it isn’t all that easy 😂 I was a little slow so the pastry started to get warmer and became harder to work with. Hence, I had to use another frozen sheet of pastry, which required much more strength to cut.
The assembly seemed easy and fun when done by Vincent but I soon realised that it required both speed and precision to create one that was as beautiful as his (and lots of practice, of course!).
Tasting The Wunder
Making beautiful-looking tarts isn’t easy and nailing both taste and presentation is even tougher. The folks at Wunderfolks have definitely done their tarts justice with great flavours and we would definitely recommend this to our friends and family!
P.S. Their tarts sell out very quickly so make sure to pre-order yours to avoid getting disappointed when you head down to their store 😊
Promo code: Quote “BSWF10” for 10% off their 4 tart box!
Valid till 30 Nov 2021. Not applicable with other promotions and in store purchases.
Delivery
Delivery fee: $12 (Free delivery for orders above $100)
Delivery timings: 2pm – 6pm or 6pm – 10pm
Store details
Address: 201 Joo Chiat Road #01-03, Singapore 427472
Opening hours: 10am – 5pm or till sold out (Tues – Sun)
Contact details
Email: hello@wunderfolks.com
Phone/Whatsapp: +65 9749 7940
Telegram: @wunderfolkstart
Want us to review your product or service? Email us at hello@bumblescoop.com!