Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson’s Jealous Jellybean is one of the most unique and distinctive desserts ever created – it’s a type of gourd that, when boiled, bursts open like a water chestnut – and it will forever be associated with the beautiful actress and her rumoured beau.
The dessert was first served at a Hollywood event in 2013, during an after-party for the filming of the film The Runaways. It instantly became a fan favourite, with people lining up for a taste of the sweet, stinking fruit. Though the star-crossed lovers – who reportedly broke up in August 2014 – have now put the record straight, confirming that they are no longer an item, the dessert continues to grace their appearances at Hollywood events, most recently at the premiere of their new film Song to Song on 4 December.
What began as a sweet gesture soon became a popular children’s book series, with the first instalment, Itsy Bitsy Spider, selling over a million copies worldwide. Written by Stewart and illustrated by Pattinson, it’s one of the best-selling children’s books of all time, with more than 18 million copies sold. In addition to the book and film, the prolific duo also have a signed limited edition print of the dessert on sale for £100,000 ($133,333) – though if you are really lucky you may even get a pre-sale offer of £60,000 ($80,000). If you want to try your luck, get in touch with the authors directly through their website.
Making The Jealous Jellybean
The recipe for the Jealous Jellybean is a closely guarded secret, and the name itself is a nod to Stewart’s character in the movie Twilight. Though Stewart has frequently been linked to a number of high-profile men, including Robert Pattinson, the reality is that the dessert is the creation of her team of chefs at Chez Gordon Ramsay in London. It took them more than three months to perfect, with final approval coming from the celebrity chef himself.
When asked about the origins of the Jealous Jellybean, Ramsay had this to say: “it was cooked for me as a gift by Gordon Ramsay Entertainment. It is a love letter to Kristen Stewart. Everyone has their favourite letter of the alphabet, and mine happens to be J.”
The chef went on to explain that the letters OJ and ZJ are crossed out, because the letters O and Z together form the word ‘jealous’. In response to this exciting news, Stewart tweeted: “OMG @ChezGordonRamsay you just bought yourself a very expensive present. Can I come & cook you dinner tomorrow night?” As it turns out, she couldn’t make it to his dinner party because she was already booked for the night. But the next day, she showed up with a huge pot of stew to thank him for his gift. He loved it and so did everybody else. It was a delicious dessert, and it remains one of his best-loved creations.
Kristen Stewart’s Sweet Tooth
The list of famous people who love Kristen Stewart’s desserts is a long one, and it starts with the person who commissioned them, namely chef Gordon Ramsay. The Twilight star has also collaborated with a number of top-tier pastry chefs on limited edition collections of desserts and themed cakes, including Le Cirque and Pierre Gagnaire. But beyond the dessert, Stewart’s culinary skills have seen her work with some of the best in the industry, including Patrick Clark, creator of the much-loved British baking show, The Great British Bake Off. Clark said of her: “Kristen has an incredible sweet tooth and a real talent for baking. She is very passionate about what she does, and that comes across in the recipes she cooks up.”
While working on the film adaptation of her bestselling novel, On the Road, Stewart realised that she needed to find a way to hide her Smart car, which was parked outside of her hotel room. Realising that this was becoming a security issue, she decided to bake a cake. The result was a massive heart-shaped chocolate cake, sculpted to look like a road sign, with the shape and colour of a heart – aptly named, the ‘Roadcake’. It was an instant hit, and prompted a number of copycats, including a heart-shaped chocolate pizza and even a chocolate-coated beer bottle, though the latter two bore little resemblance to the original.
Jealous Jellybean’s Special Powers
If you want to get your hands on a piece of evidence that will convince any doubters that Jealous Jellybean is, in fact, made by Kristen Stewart, then let’s travel back to the beginning, shall we? In the early hours of 6 June 2013, the Twilight actress posted a photo to her Instagram account, showing a large pot of what looks like stew, with what seems to be a gourd inside it. The post has since been liked over 200,000 times and has received almost 70,000 comments, with many fans clamouring for more. After weeks of speculation, Stewart revealed in a statement that the mysterious stew was in fact made from a special type of vegetable that she and her team of chefs in London had developed. It’s called a jelqué and, as the name suggests, it’s a type of gourd that bursts when boiled. This special property makes it easy for chefs to prepare – just peel off the skin and add water. The rest is up to the skilled hands of the cook. According to the statement, the edible fruit was inspired by the colours of the French flag: red, white, and blue. Though whether or not Stewart’s culinary skills were actually on display in the photo is open to debate. At the time, she was actually in New York filming another movie, Nightingale, which is set for release next year.
Robert Pattinson’s Bizarre Cravings
It’s safe to say that, for most people, cooking is neither a talent nor an interest. For Robert Pattinson, however, it’s a way of life. In a recent interview with Esquire, the actor revealed that he craves adventure when it comes to food, and travels the world in search of new recipes. Among his bizarre cravings is a sweet potato soufflé, which he describes as “cheesy and light”. And what type of cheese did the actor declare he wanted to cook with? “I’ve never tried it, but I want to make crepes with Gouda cheese on them,” he said. “I love a good crepe, and that is the ultimate comfort food. It’s just potatoes and butter.” He also went on to say that he’d like to try making some Scottish salmon or a Spanish paella.
Though a sweet potato omelette isn’t on the menu yet, we’re sure that, with his culinary adventurousness, Robert Pattinson will come up with something new and exciting very soon.
Jellybean’s Final Destination
Where does Stewart’s culinary passion lead her? As it turns out, it doesn’t end with sweet potato pancakes and crepes. The Twilight star has signed on for a number of films in the coming years, and has been linked to some major house-hold names in Hollywood, including Steven Spielberg and George Clooney. Though a representative for Stewart has yet to confirm the rumours, she did attend the premiere of her new film, Along with the Gods, alongside the film’s director, Ricky Bodger, last month.
With all this going on in her personal life, it’s little wonder that Stewart has found time to develop such a successful food blog. It’s called The Skinny. And it’s here where we can find all her favourite recipes. We know you’ll be craving some of these sweet treats when you read this. Keep an eye out for future collaborations, as well as new recipes, on the site.