cheesecake – Jellybeans in the City

Sumptuous snacking at Silverspoon, Tomas Morato

Did you welcome the loosening of quarantine restrictions and the prospect of being able to dine out?

I know I did!

Aside from the assurance that the pandemic is steadily easing its hold on the metro, the added freedom to wander about has allowed me and my friends to meet up for a sumptuous snack at one of my new favorite haunts: Silverspoon.

A cozy and hidden spot in a busy food haven

This little cafe tucked away in a quiet side street near the busy food hotspot Tomas Morato Avenue is the brainchild of young entrepreneur Decie Montefrio, who transitioned her thriving food delivery business during the pandemic into a lovely brick-and-mortar restaurant that serves a combination of Filipino and intercontinental dishes.

I just love its minimalist aesthetic and comfy furnishings, it offers you a bright yet cozy setting for a satisfying meal or a light repast, whether you’re going solo or with friends.

Plus, the place also offers WiFi access so you can enjoy a change of scenery as you study or do some remote work here.

Expanded menu to include snackables

Recently, Decie and her team expanded Silverspoon’s menu to also include lighter dishes, perfect for a quick lunch or snack in between meals.

These include tasty sandwiches accompanied by a side of fries and housemade sauce, as well as mouth-watering appetizers and a kid-friendly pasta dish which can be paired with Silverspoon’s signature handcrafted drinks. Check them out!

Tapa Burger (Php265). Tender slivers of savory cured beef on cucumber and tomato, topped with julienned greens.

Mushroom Burger (Php265). Silverspoon’s vegetarian sandwich option with thin mushroom slivers sauteed in garlic on cucumber and tomato topped with crispy-fried veggies.

Crispy Chicken Sandwich (Php275). Crispy Southern-fried chicken breast fillet on cucumber and tomato topped with crispy onion rings and julienned greens.

Fish Fillet Sandwich (Php290). Crispy fried fillet of fish on cucumber and tomato topped with crispy onion rings and julienned greens

Grilled Sausage Sandwich (Php310). Cheese-filled Hungarian sausage on cucumber and tomatoes topped with crispy-fried veggies.

SS Clubhouse (Php380). Generous layers of bacon, ham and egg with cucumber and tomatoes in between slices of lightly toasted bread served with a side of crunchy potato chips.

Buffalo Chicken Wings (Php250). Juicy fried chicken wing pieces covered in Buffalo glaze (your choice among 3 levels of spiciness) and served with housemade aioli.

Filipino-Style Meatball Spaghetti (Php285). A delight for kids who love sweet-style spaghetti, especially with the giant cheese-filled meatball at the center.

Ube Macapuno Cheesecake (Php245). Two Pinoy dessert flavors – ube and macapuno – combined in one decadent cheesecake.

Brewed Coffee (Php115). Freshly brewed from Arabica beans with Sagada, Kalinga, Barako, Hazelnut and Macadamia variants, available hot or iced.

Chocolate (Php120). Silverspoon’s Signature classic thick and comforting chocolate, available hot or iced.

With such delicious inclusions to Silverspoon’s menu, it’s definitely all-set to be my all-day foodie haunt.

So the next time you crave for some snackables and want to hang out somewhere comforting and cozy, grab a friend or two and drop by Silverspoon to get that spoonful of happiness.

Silverspoon Kitchenette is located at 81 Scout Gandia Street, Barangay Laging Handa, Quezon City, open daily for dine-in, takeout or delivery from 11am to 10pm. For inquiries, reservations or delivery orders, call +63 917 1603327. It also delivers via GrabFood and FoodPanda.

For updates on its latest offers, follow Silverspoon on Facebook or Instagram.

Disclosure: I attended a food-tasting event held at this restaurant. Food items mentioned here were served to facilitate an honest review and were not paid for by the attendees.

Check out my previous posts about Silverspoon:

Silver Spoon PH — ‘Tis the start of the season for fam celebrations with Silverspoon

Silverspoon Kitchenette — 3 reasons to treat your Valentine to a meal at Silverspoon, Tomas Morato

Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf brings childhood indulgence with its Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake

What is it about chocolate chip cookie dough that we can’t just stop ourselves from licking the spoon when our mom whips up a batch of cookies?

Who would have thought that the combination of flour, sugar, butter, vanilla and chocolate would be irresistible, even if the mixture has not yet achieved its final form?

CBTL Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake

Just the scent of a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookie dough is enough to get us salivating, right? What more if we actually get to eat it by the spoonful?

Well, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf heard our hearts’ (or tummies’) cry and came up with Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake!

Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (sometimes affectionately referred to as CBTL) hails all the way from Southern California, where founder Herb Hyman started importing and roasting coffee back in 1963.

Remember those ice-blended drinks we love so much? They actually came about in 1987 when a store manager had a burst of inspiration and mixed coffee, chocolate powder and milk together with ice at CBTL’s Westwood, California store.

Clearly, CBTL is no stranger to bringing new tasty items for its customers to enjoy. Its Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake is no exception.

It is a melt-in-your mouth wonder from its base of crushed chocolate cookie crumbs right under a thick layer of rich vanilla cheesecake with bits of chocolate chip cookie dough and chocolate syrup drizzled on top.

What would make this dessert even better? Pairing it with some of CBTL’s signature drinks such as Ice-Blended Caramel and Ice-Blended Vanilla!

So when you’ve got that craving for good ‘ole cookie dough that brings back memories of childhood, you know that you can always grab a bite and some drinks to go with it at CBTL!

CBTL outlets are located at:

Las Pinas: Evia Lifestyle Center, Sipag Center, SM Southmall and Starmall
Makati: Ayala North Exchange, Ayala Triangle Garden, BDO Tower, Century City Mall, Circuit Lane, Convergys, Four Seasons Salcedo, Glorietta 2, Greenbelt 5, iAcademy, Philamlife Tower, Phinma, Power Plant Rockwell, Rada Street, SM Jazz, Enterprise Tower, The Residences
Manila: Adriatico, Avenue of the Arts, De La Salle University, Laperal Apartments, Midtown Padre Faura, One Archers Place, Robinsons Place Ermita, SM Grand Central, UST Bellagio Residences
Muntinlupa: Alabang Town Center, Asian Hospital, Ayal Malls Southpark, Festival Malls Filinvest
Paranaque: Ayala Malls Manila Bay
Pasay: Double Dragon, NAIA 3, SM MAAX, SM Mall of Asia, SMX Convention Center Manila, Solaire Casino & Resort, Two E-Com, W Mall
Pasig: Ayala Malls Feliz, Ayala Malls The 30th, Citadines Millennium Ortigas, Eastwood Mall, Estancia Capitol Commons, Ortigas Park, Rockwell Business Center, Shangri-la Plaza, SM City East Ortigas, SM Megamall, Victor R Potenciano Hospital
Quezon City: Ayala Malls Cloverleaf, Banawe Lifestyle Center, Batasan Pambansa, Eton Centris, Fairview Terraces Mall, Gateway Cinema, Gateway Mall, Katipunan, M Place, Mezza Residences, Robinson’s Galleria, Robinson’s Magnolia, SM Fairview Expansion Parkway, SM North EDSA, Tomas Morato, Trinoma Mall, UP Town Center, Vertis North
San Juan: Promenade Greenhills
Taguig: Bonifacio High Street, Bonifacio Stopover, Burgos Circle, Central Square Cinema, Every Nation Building, Newport, Resorts World, One Park Drive, Shell C5 Logcom, SM Aura, Starmall Taguig, Uptown Mall, Venice Piazza McKinley Hill

Photo Credits: Chocolate chip cookie flatlay by Georgie Devlin on Pexels and Chocolate chip cookie dough by Pam Menegakis on Unsplash

Jack’s Lemonade serves up fresh takes on a classic drink

With the onset of the rainy season, now is not the time to let up on our Vitamin C intake.

Fortunately, we can get this precious nutrient from many easily accessible sources.

How about lemonade? Being made with lemons, it is good source of Vitamin C. It’s also a wonderful drink to refresh and hydrate our bodies as well as give our immune system a boost.

Its most basic incarnation composed of lemon juice, water and sweetener has been a mainstay in many home and restaurant meals.

However, this seemingly rudimentary beverage actually offers a lot of new and exciting possibilities.

And where better to check out fresh takes on this drink than at Jack’s Lemonade?

Kiosks of this lemonade chain can be spotted in many malls across the metro where, through the creative use of add-ons (such as plum salt, honey, yogurt, basil seeds, coconut jelly, poppers and pudding) and freshly-squeezed lemon juice, they are able to produce drinks according to a family of flavor profiles:

For Jack: the basic lemonades and the Jack’s Specials
For Dad John: the tea lemonades
For Mom Jenny: the herb lemonades
For Sister Julia: the fruit lemonades
For Baby James: the candy lemonades

Being a sweet tooth, it is hardly surprising that I gravitated towards the candy lemonades during my previous visits to these stores prior to the pandemic. These include:

Strawberry Mint with fresh mint leaves and strawberry puree.

Lemon Square with crushed graham crackers.

Strawberry Cheesecake with poppers and yogurt.

You may be wondering: With the metro switching into ECQ once again, will access to these yummy and healthy drinks be limited?

Nope!

I’m happy to share that Jack’s Lemonade delivers so we can enjoy its drinks with our fam right in the safety and comfort of home.

These are delivered with the add-ons packed separately so that you can easily assemble your drinks and enjoy them freshly made!

I was able to enjoy some recently. Check them out:

Strawberry Lemonade with yogurt and basil seeds.

1-liter Lemon Cheesecake with plum salt. Great for sharing!

So load up on Vitamin C and enjoy a delish and refreshing drink while you’re at it!

To have your Jack’s Lemonade delivered where you are in the metro, call +63 917 1587439. You may also course your orders through GrabFood or FoodPanda.

Check out my previous posts about Jack’s Lemonade:

Chef Jessie unveils newest creation: the Summer Berries Light Cheesecake!

If the warm weather is any indication, summer is slowly but surely encroaching upon the metro.

The approach of summer, however, need not be a downer, even when most of us are stuck at home with no way to travel to destinations we dreamed about.

Instead, we can bring the essence of summer right where we are with the newest dessert creation from Chef Jessie – the Summer Berries Light Cheesecake!

Chef Jessie Sincioco began her illustrious career when she won the grand prize in The Great Maya Cookfest in 1983, followed by becoming the first Filipina pastry chef in 1990. She later on set up her own company, JCS Gastronomie Inc. to manage several upscale reataurants.

When His Holiness Pope Francis visited the country in 2015, Chef Jessie was handpicked to cook for him.

This summer, Chef Jessie once again flexed her baking muscles and crafted this beautiful cheesecake.

It’s an eight-inch dessert masterpiece made with alternating layers of strawberry, raspberry, blueberry and blackberry light cheesecake interspersed with slices of fresh berries nestled on a thin cornflake crust with crispy sponge discs and undercoated white chocolate.

It is a show-stopping dessert, fit for any season, but definitely a hit for the summer!

Truth be told: my fam and I polished off the entire cake in less than a day. We just couldn’t resist it!

Want to bite into your own summer sweetness?

Place your order two days in advance for pick up or delivery. Text or call +63 917 8967880, +63 917 8330797 and +63 977 0976649 or email chefjessiesplace@chefjessie.com. Pick up is at Chef Jessie’s Place located at 1997 Pililia St. corner Obrero and Tanay Streets, Makati and is open everyday for pick up and delivery from 9am to 6pm.

For more details on Chef Jessie, visit her website. Follow Chef Jessie’s Restaurants on Facebook and Instagram to get a sneak peek of her latest culinary creations.

Disclosure: A product sample was provided to facilitate my honest feedback.

EATS A CELEBRATION at Italianni’s with 50% off on all pizzas on February 23!

Buon giorno, Italian food lovers!

Your go-to Italian-American restaurant has cooked up something special for you to enjoy on its silver anniversary.

Italianni’s prides itself on giving you good food, conviviality and good service through the years from the opening of its first branch in Greenbelt 1 in 1996 to the present. Despite the restrictions brought about by the pandemic, it still strives to bring its signature blend of tasty Italian-American dishes in servings big enough for sharing, welcoming atmosphere that encourages conversation and bonding, as well as the cheery attention of its crew to its new and loyal clientele.

Even after twenty-five years, discriminating foodies still can’t get enough of its signature dishes such as Spaghetti and Meatballs, Spinach Artichoke Formaggio, Seafood Cioppino, Sicilian Salad, Quattro Staggioni Pizza, Margherita Pizza, Tartuffo Cake and NY Cheesecake.

Italianni’s lives by one of its credos: GRAND to imply “Guest Requests are Never Denied”. The staff go the extra mile to please guests with simple gestures such as providing an extra salad dressing or parmesan cheese, cooking items off the menu, to indulging kids to assemble their own pizza. It is a passion founded on Bistro’s genuine and authentic customer service.

This is why Italianni’s is giving back to everyone who has patronized it for the last quarter century. On February 23, 2021, all pizzas are available at 50% off for dine-in and take-out orders. That means, you can enjoy their Classico, Margherita, Quattro Carne, Truffle Mushroom, Quattro Staggioni, Pepperoni, Tropicale, Shrimp and Mushroom Anchovy, Garlic and Cheese, and Quattro Formaggi pizzas…all at half the price!

This is the restaurant’s way of saying “Grazie!” for sharing twenty five years of wonderful and fulfilling journey and Italianni’s expects many more years of bringing people together. The future is promising and Italianni’s is in this for the long haul.

So celebrate Italianni’s silver anniversary with your loved ones by dropping by one of its branches and sharing a pizza or two, along with your favorite Italian-American food!

Italianni’s branches are located at:

4th Floor, Trinoma Mall, Bagong Pag-Asa, Quezon City
Second Floor, Eastwood Mall, Libis, Quezon City
Level 6, East Wing, Shangri-La Plaza, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City
Third Floor, Uptown Place Mall, 36th Street Corner 9th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City
B5, Bonifacio High Street, 9th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City
Ground Floor, Phase 2, UP Town Center, Katipunan Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City
Ground Floor, Venice Grand Canal Mall, McKinley Hill, Taguig City
Second Floor, Glorietta 4, Ayala Center, Glorietta Complex, Makati City
Level 1, Greenbelt 2, Ayala Center, Greenbelt, Makati City
Ayala North Exchange, Ayala Avenue Corner Amorsolo Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City
Second Floor, Newport Mall, Resorts World Manila, Newport City, Pasay City
Ground Floor, Midtown Wing, Robinsons Place Manila, Ermita, Manila
Level 1, S Maison, Conrad Manila, Seaside Boulevard Corner Coral Way, Mall of Asia Complex (MOA), Pasay City
Corte de Las Palmas, Alabang Town Center, Alabang, Muntinlupa City
Ground Floor, Evia Lifestyle Center, Daang Hari Road, Almanza, Las Piñas City

Promo details provided in a recent press release.

3 reasons to sate your sweet cravings with a Cheesecake Jar from Chi’s Cake

For many of us dessert lovers, biting into a decadent cheesecake is sublime pleasure.

The rich creaminess and the sweet-tart flavor dynamic of the filling, the buttery taste of its graham cracker crust and the flavor accents added by its toppings are enough to get us hooked!

Sometimes, though, we get a craving for cheesecake but buying an entire cake might be more than what our refrigerator or tummy can accommodate.

The perfect solution for those instances?

A cheesecake jar from Chi’s Cake!

This online bakeshop, run by former It business analyst turned full-time mom Siri Andres, had its start by offering uniquely flavored no-bake cheesecakes – as whole cakes or in cups – which have been reviewed as not being too sweet (perfect for those who get overwhelmed too much sweetness in their desserts).

During the quarantine, it introduced a new way to enjoy its sweet creations: in jars!

Here are three reasons why a Chi’s Cake cheesecake jar may just be your kind of sweet treat.

1. It introduces you to new flavors.

Chi’s Cake’s cheesecakes are no run-of-the-mill desserts. These are handcrafted creations that come in unusual variants. Luckily, these variants are also available as handy cheesecake jars.

The Carrot Cinnamon Cheesecake, for example, is Chi’s Cake’s claim to fame. A creamy, melt in your mouth carrot-infused cheesecake on a bed of buttery crust and topped with caramelized walnuts, this confection is what started the business.

The Pecan Pie Cheesecake, on the other hand, is a to-die-for dessert which consist of a crust made with crushed digestive biscuits and a delectable cream filling topped with candied pecans.

Are you craving for a taste right about now?

2. It is sized just right for you.

If you find a whole 9-inch cheesecake too overwhelming (for your ref space or your tummy), then a cheesecake jar fits the bill quite nicely.

At 220 grams, it is just enough to sate your craving, perfect for a quick sweet snack time or for munching on during a Netflix binge.

3. It’s perfect for e-parties.

Zoom parties have taken the place of real-life gatherings due to the pandemic. To have a real party feel, it’s best for everyone to partake of the same food, right?

Why not send everyone a cheesecake jar? And then wait for the compliments to come in.

To order your Chi’s Cake cheesecake jars, fill up this order form. Chi’s Cake delivers within Metro Manila, Pampanga, Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna and Cavite (delivery fee to be shouldered by the buyer). Payments via GCash and Metrobank are accepted.

Check out my blog posts on other small enterprises and startups in the food business:

#TheBistroGroup Trinoma Food Crawl: Italianni’s

Don’t you sometimes miss the experience of dining out with the fam or your pals? I know I do.

It seems that the pandemic has seriously affected many of the things we so enjoyed from our life before it.

Still, while dining out may now be different, given all the restrictions and regulations, it can still be very enjoyable.

Take dining at Italianni’s at Trinoma Mall, for example.

Italianni’s espouses amore di merrier, which denotes the Italian philosophy of having more food to be shared by more people, resulting to more merriment. This is why its signature dishes, all made with the finest ingredients, come to the table in servings large enough to share with family and friends, starting with its signature Tuscan and Focaccia bread served with olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar.

In the Philippines, Italianni’s is part of The Bistro Group, a collection of imported and homegrown hospitality brands.

In response to the need of the times, The Bistro Group has instituted safety protocols for safe dining-in at its restaurants. These include: regular health checks for all its personnel, compliance of all outdoor and indoor seating to physical distancing guidelines, hand sanitizers available at the entrance and on every table, as well as contactless menu ordering and payment.

These protocols require diners to submit to temperature checks, provide contact tracing details and using the hand sanitizers and sanitation mats prior to entering the restaurant premises, as well as wearing their personal protective equipment (PPEs) while inside. Would-be diners who exhibit COVID-19 symptoms or have been exposed to people who do, have underlying health conditions or have concerns about contracting the disease when dining out are advised to stay home and avail of the restaurant’s contactless delivery options.

During an epic #TrinomaFoodCrawl with my foodie friends, I saw these protocols in action in Italianni’s, but still enjoyed our time as we feasted on a hearty spread of sumptuous Italian dishes:

Sicilian Salad (Php595/Php795). A fresh fusion of flavors and textures made with romaine lettuce, mangoes, red grapes, walnuts, creamy anchovy dressing.

Quattro Staggioni (Php795). Four-flavored pizza consisting of Pepperoni, Mushroom & Artichokes, Shrimp & Black Olives and All Cheese

Seafood Cioppino (Php595/Php795). Spaghetti pasta tossed with mussels, shrimps, clams and calamari in white wine, marinara sauce and chili flakes.

New York Cheesecake (Php485). New York-style cheesecake on a bed of strawberry amaretto sauce.

Fruity Drinks (Php175 each): Orange Lemonade, Four Seasons, Peach Mango

Mojitos (Php220 each): Apple and Classic

As I’ve said many times before, good food plus good company equals a great time for everyone!

You can savor more of the tastes of Italy together with your friends, thanks to these awesome deals from Italianni’s:

BFF Bundle (Php1,195): Pepperoni Pizza + Spaghetti Pomodoro + Chicken Italianni’s
BOGO Everyday: Truffle Chicken & Mushroom + Eggplant Parmigiana (Php950), Chicken Italianni’s + Spaghetti Bolognese (Php795), Porkchop Au Poivre + Margherita Pizza (Php895), Burrata + Spinach and Gorgonzola Pasta (Php795)

You can also get great savings with the BFF Card, The Bistro Group’s loyalty program that gives members exclusive perks across 15 restaurant brands such as:

30% off on Mondays
20% off on Tuesdays
Complimentary coffee or hot tea single-serve with entree purchase
Online seats reservation
Six Php250 e-vouchers with minimum purchase of Php1,000 per voucher

This Italianni’s branch is located at 4th Floor, Trinoma Mall, Bagong Pag-Asa, Quezon City, open daily from 11am to 8pm. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 79153582.

Other branches are located at:

Second Floor, Eastwood Mall, Libis, Quezon City
Level 6, East Wing, Shangri-La Plaza, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City
Third Floor, Uptown Place Mall, 36th Street Corner 9th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City
B5, Bonifacio High Street, 9th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City
Ground Floor, Phase 2, UP Town Center, Katipunan Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City
Ground Floor, Venice Grand Canal Mall, McKinley Hill, Taguig City
Second Floor, Glorietta 4, Ayala Center, Glorietta Complex, Makati City
Level 1, Greenbelt 2, Ayala Center, Greenbelt, Makati City
Ayala North Exchange, Ayala Avenue Corner Amorsolo Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City
Second Floor, Newport Mall, Resorts World Manila, Newport City, Pasay City
Ground Floor, Midtown Wing, Robinsons Place Manila, Ermita, Manila
Level 1, S Maison, Conrad Manila, Seaside Boulevard Corner Coral Way, Mall of Asia Complex (MOA), Pasay City
Corte de Las Palmas, Alabang Town Center, Alabang, Muntinlupa City
Ground Floor, Evia Lifestyle Center, Daang Hari Road, Almanza, Las Piñas City

Italianni’s delivers via GrabFood and FoodPanda.

Check out my posts about other restos of The Bistro Group:

TGI Friday’s, Trinoma

#QuarantineCookbook: Basque Burnt Cheesecake Cups

One of the food items that trended during quarantine is the Basque Burnt Cheesecake.

An adaptation of tarta de queso which was popularized by the cafe La Viña located in San Sebastian in the Basque region of northern Spain, it is characterized by its parchment paper wrapping, scorched top that dips into a gooey, almost molten-like, center.

I had my first taste of Burnt Basque Cheesecake last year during lunch with my officemates at Sourdough Cafe and again this year when I had a whole cake delivered to my home from Sweet Samthings for my birthday celebration.

What I love about it is the buttery caramel-like taste of the top layer that gives way to the rich tanginess of the cheesecake filling.

This decadent dessert makes use of easily accessible ingredients: cream cheese (of course!), sugar, eggs, flour and cream.

I’m considering giving some away as gifts to family and friends so I decided to try making this dessert as mini cups.

I also used fresh cage-free eggs for this recipe. This type of eggs are grown in farms that provides environments that allow egg-laying hens to exhibit their natural behaviors unlike those with battery-cage systems which provide no space for the hens to stretch their wings, perch, or forage. Cage-free eggs have been found to be of higher quality and have a healthier nutritional profile than other eggs such as less saturated fat and cholesterol, higher levels of protein, vitamins and omega fatty acids. You can read more about the virtues of cage-free eggs here.

Ingredients:

Two 225g bars of cream cheese
One cup granulated sugar
Three cage-free eggs
Two-and-half tablespoons all purpose flour
One-eight teaspoon of salt
One cup whipping cream
One-fourth teaspoon melted butter

Procedure:

Preheat the oven to 250 deg C.

Using a mixer on medium speed, soften the cream cheese for three minutes then add the sugar until well combined.

Add in the eggs one at a time and beat for a minute until the mixture is smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the salt and continue to beat for another minute until the ingredients are well incorporated into the mixture. Set aside.

Place the flour in a separate bowl and whisk in the whipping cream a little at a time, making sure that there are no flour lumps.

Pour the cream mixture into the cheese mixture while mixing at slow speed.

Line the cups of two muffin pans with cupcake liners (or you can use two square pieces of parchment papers placed on top of each other such that the corners alternate with each other). Brush the liners with a bit of melted butter.

Fill the cups two-thirds of the way, then bake for thirteen to fifteen minutes until the tops are slightly scorched (I prefer that over totally burnt) and the centers are still wobbly.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool up to ten minutes to allow the cakes to set.

Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

I was able to make twenty-four mini cakes and one (thin!) cake in an eight-inch round tin.

These cakes have my kiddos seal of approval, and my mom’s as well, as I sent the tin cake over to her as a present.

So if you’re on the lookout for something new to bring to your Noche Buena table, or to give away as gifts to your nears-and-dears, do give this recipe a try.

Looking for other easy-to-cook dishes to try out while in quarantine? Check out my other kitchen adventures:

#QuarantineCookbook: Lemon Square #SiksikSaSarap Recipes

One of the few bright spots of the community quarantine and being stuck home is the emergence of many a newbie baker’s latent genius in the kitchen.

I’ve been through a baking phase a few years ago but I gradually lost interest due to lack of time and the increasing demands of my job.

When the quarantine was put in place, however, I found myself with more time on my hands and eager to get back into the kitchen to whip up tasty treats for the fam. Being the sweet tooth I am, these dishes tend to be desserts.

I was also recently issued with a challenge: create a snack or dessert using Lemon Square Cheesecake as one of the ingredients.

Lemon Square is a thirty-five-year-old brand that has been serving up real goodness through affordable and nutritious snacks. It has a family of flavors that cater to every personality and snacking quirk in the brood, starting from its flagship variant, Lemon Square Cheesecake, to snack cakes Lemon Square Whatta Tops and Lemon Square Lava Cake, as well as Lemon Square Whatta Flakes crackers and Lemon Square Cookie Bites.

Well, challenge accepted!

Here are – not one, not two, but – three desserts using four of Lemon Square variants. Check them out:

Crema de Fruta with Lemon Square Cheesecake

Ingredients:

1 pack (10 pcs) Lemon Square Cheesecake
1 small can (432 g) of fruit cocktail (drain the fruits and reserve 4 tbsp of its syrup)
1 small can (108g) condensed milk
1 pack (250ml) all purpose cream

Procedure:

In a bowl, mash the Lemon Square Cheesecake pieces until they break apart into small crumbs. Add the reserved fruit cocktail syrup until the crumbs form a loose, streusel-like mixture.

In another bowl, mix together the all purpose cream and condensed milk until well-blended.

In an eight-inch tin can, assemble the crema de fruta in alternating layers of crumbs, sweetened cream and fruit pieces.

Refrigerate overnight to allow the dessert to settle. Serve well-chilled.

Tipsy Chocolate Cake with Lemon Square Lava Cake and Chocolate Cookie Bites

Ingredients:

1 pack Lemon Square Chocolate Cookie Bites
4 pcs Lemon Square Lava Cake
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tbsp Baileys Irish cream
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Procedure:

Crush the Lemon Square Chocolate Cookie Bites until they form a fine powder. Set aside.

In a bowl, mash the Lemon Square Lava Cake until they form into thick crumbs. Press them to the bottom of an eight-inch tin can. Set aside.

To make the tipsy ganache, add the Baileys to the heavy cream in a saucepan. Stirring periodically, heat the mixture over low fire until just before the it begins to boil. Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate until well-combined.

Allow the mixture to cool for three minutes before pouring it on top of the mashed Lava Cake in the prepared tin can.

Using a strainer, dust the top of the ganache with the powdered Chocolate Cookie Bites.

Place the tin can in the refrigerator overnight until the cake is fully set.

Serve chilled.

Note: You can lessen the amount of Baileys you put in or take it out all together to make this dessert more kid-friendly.

Avocado Ice Cream Cake with Whatta Flakes Spanish Bread

Ingredients:

For the crust:

6 packs crushed Lemon Square Whatta Flakes Spanish bread
1 stick of softened butter

For the ice cream:

Three avocados peeled and seeded (equivalent to 2 cups)
1 300ml and 1 108ml cans of condensed milk
4 cups heavy whipping cream

Procedure:

In a bowl, combine the crushed Whatta Flakes Spanish bread with the butter. Press the crumb mixture onto the bottom of five 8-inch cake tins then set aside.

In a blender, puree the avocado while mixing in the condensed milk until well-blended. Set aside.

Whip the heavy cream at high speed until it thickens. Gradually mix in the avocado puree until well-blended.

Transfer the mixture into the prepared tin cans, gently pressing the mixture into the containers and smoothing out the top using a spatula.

Freeze for at least six hours or overnight. Serve frozen.

Note: This is an update of the Avocado Ice Cream Cake recipe I published a few months ago, incorporating some improvements I discovered after making this dessert quite a number of times.

There you have it: three #LemonSquareSiksikSaSarap dessert recipes that you can easily whip up to experience real goodness at home.

Product samples were provided to facilitate the recipes.

Looking for other easy-to-cook dishes to try out while in quarantine? Check out my other kitchen adventures:

Making memorable snacking moments with Lemon Square

Remember simpler times when you were younger – spending sunny afternoons with your friends sharing yummy snacks lovingly prepared by your mom?

Playing outside may not be advisable nowadays, but you can still create memorable snacking moments with your kids and Lemon Square.

For thirty-five years, Lemon Square has been a part of every Filipino household, serving up real goodness through affordable and nutritious snack cakes. Its flagship brand – Lemon Square Cheesecake – has carved its place in every millennial’s childhood as the ultimate comfort merienda that is both tasty and filling.

Mothers also love Lemon Square products for its affordability, accessibility, and nutritional value.

Lemon Square also makes snacking more exciting with its family of brands that cater to every personality and quirk in the family:

Lemon Square Cheesecake: the classic favorite that is siksik with the real goodness of fresh eggs and milk
Lemon Square Whatta Tops: whatta cake, whatta topping, whatta filling! Make snacking more exciting with its moist cake, exciting toppings and creamy filling
Lemon Square Lava Cake: a moist, cream-filled snack bar made with real chocolate and oozing with home-baked quality goodness
Lemon Square Whatta Flakes: light and crisp crackers with a kakaibang feel in the mouth and kakaibang flavors
Lemon Square Cookie Bites: light, crispy, bite-sized, melt-in-your mouth cookies bursting with Lemon Square’s classic flavors: Cheesecake and Chocolate, it will make your quirky kids jump around in joy

So stay home and let Lemon Square be your family’s perfect snacking companion.

Experience Real Goodness, Always.

Feast on Father’s Day at home ala Chef Jessie

Celebrate Father’s Day at home with Chef Jessie’s uniquely delicious offerings.

Have an appetizer of Smoked Salmon Caviar Pie with Croutons and follow it up with Caesar Salad in the Classic Way. Soup choices are Creamy Shrimp Bisque, Cream of Fresh Mushroom, Cream of Carrot and Pumpkin and Seafood and Corn Chowder.

Every Dad would love a Grilled Prime Black Angus Beef Tenderloin or Grilled Prime Black Angus Rib Eye with a choice of sauces like Béarnaise, Bordelaise, Bourguignon, Wild Mushroom, Goose Liver and Creamy Pepper. Other meat dishes include US Black Angus Beef Tenderloin Tips Salpicao, US Beef Cheeks and Mushroom Ragout and Iberian Chestnut Pork Barbeque.

Seafood lovers can order Grilled Chilean Sea Bass in Mariner Sauce, Baked Chilean Sea Bass in Miso Sauce, Grilled Salmon in Berlinoise Sauce, Grilled Tiger Prawns in Lemon Butter Sauce.

Also on the menu are Grilled Duck à L’orange and Chicken Cordon Bleu with Homemade Potato Chips.

Enjoy the meal with a bottle of Menhir Salento Numero Zero Negroamaro (N°0), Pope Francis’ favorite wine. The rosato is of a ruby hue with purple highlights with a bouquet of strawberry, blackberry and raspberry with a taste that is fresh, vinous and slightly astringent.

If you want something light, there are pastas like A La Jessie, A la Créme with Truffle, Pomodoro with Seafood, Bolognese, Carbonara or Putanesca. Choose from Spaghetti, Linguine or Penne. Another popular menu item is Wild Rice Vegetable Risotto.

Sandwiches to go with the pastas can be Club Classic, Grilled Ham and Cheese, Smoked Salmon and Trio Pandesal with Chicken Adobo, Corned Beef and Sardines.

Whole cakes will satisfy the whole family’s sweet tooth with the mango sponge cake classic My Tita’s Special Treat, the buttercream, meringue and pistachio layered Princess Carmen, Chef Jessie’s Baked Cheesecake with Cherry, Blueberry and Mango Toppings, Chocolate Gateau ala Teddy and Sugar Free Decadence Cake. End the meal with Chef Jessie’s Premium Roast Coffee.

Chef Jessie can prepare your favorites even if they are not on the menu as long as the ingredients are available.

To order, text or call ‪+63 917 8967880‬, ‪+63 917 8330797‬ and ‪+63 977 0976649‬ or email chefjessiesplace@chefjessie.com. Chef Jessie’s Place is at ‪1997 Pililia St.‬ corner Obrero and Tanay Streets, Makati and is open everyday for pick up and delivery ‪from 9am to 4pm‬.

Details and images provided by Chef Jessie in a recent press release.

Extra special Mother’s Day at home with The Manila Hotel

Mother’s Day is a yearly reminder to cherish our relationship with our moms. Given this year’s unique circumstances, many of us will be celebrating this special day at home or even away from the special women in our lives—mom, grandmas, and aunts. Still, even when fancy dinners are impossible, Mother’s Day doesn’t have to be canceled. With some creativity and preparation, you can still give the most special woman in your life the Mother’s Day she deserves.

The Manila Hotel pulls all the stops for you to still be able to give her a memorable Mother’s Day. This home celebration will have a five-star hotel feel and The Manila Hotel will make sure it gets close to a real feast.

The Manila Hotel’s Mother’s Day Surprise gives you discounts when you choose to order the food-and-cake bundle and pay online on or before May 8, 2020 (Friday). You may choose items from the A La Carte Menu or Home Buffet sets (Filipino, Italian, Korean, Japanese, and Chinese favotires, as well as Certified Halal items) and get a 20% discount on your food bill, and a 10% discount on the cake of your choice.

Because mothers deserve the only the best, you can choose from our awesome selection: our decadent Opera Cake; Ohaina Chocolate Gateau, a Lifestyle Inquirer Best Dessert Winner; the mouthwatering Trio of Chocolate Mousse, and our amazing Mango Cheesecake.

To order or for more information, please call 8527 0011 or message 0998-9501912.

Product images and details provided by The Manila Hotel in a recent press release.

Cute Cheesecake-in-a-Jar from Sugar Salt Cakes & Pastries

Staying at home for the next month or so need not be the punishment we sometimes think it is.

We can stave off the dreaded cabin fever by injecting some sweetness in our lives, like the cute cheesecake-in-a-jar from SugarSalt Cakes & Pastries.

This operation started when thirty-year-old Carmela Aprecio decided to quit her job as a web developer and devote herself towards something she loves: baking cheesecakes!

What began as a hobby that provided sweets for herself, her husband and their friends became a new concept in dessert delivery.

Each SugarSalt cheesecake comes in a 120-gram jar, contains milk, cheese and sugar and costs Php75 per piece. Each cheesecake-in-a-jar should be kept refrigerated and will keep for six days from the time it was baked.

I was able to sample the best-selling Turtle Pie Cheesecake made with dark chocolate, caramel kisses, caramel fudge and pecan nuts over freshly baked cheesecake in a crushed graham cracker crust.

I loved SugarSalt’s cheesecake filling: it’s mildly sweet and richly cheesy, not too stiff and not too soggy. With every spoonful, the chocolate and caramel chips as well as the pecans add texture and flavor. The jar’s serving size is just right for one person… assuming that person is not a dessert addict like me.

I can imagine going through two to three jars of these yummies all by my lonesome.

(Okay, fine! I’ll share some with Hubby and the kids…)

Other cheesecake-in-a-jar variants available are Almond Matcha (made with almond nuts and graham powder on a crushed graham cracker crust) and Oreo (made with Oreo filling on a crushed Oreo cookie crust), both at Php75 per jar.

If you’re in the mood for variety, why don’t you go for a SugarSalt Original Set which has all three variants for only Php225?

Planning a party? SugarSalt accepts bulk orders and can accommodate personalized jar labels. Just email sugarsaltph@gmail.com.

To order your own SugarSalt cheesecake-in-a-jar, fill up this form, and make your payments via BPI, BDO, GCash or Paypal.

SugarSalt delivers only within Mandaluyong, Makati, Pasig, San Juan, Quezon City, Manila, Pateros and Taguig via Grab (requires additional Php59 to Php129 delivery fee depending on recipient’s location). Pick up at its store near MRT Boni Station may be arranged.

Disclosure: Product sample was provided to enable an honest review.

Check out my blog posts on other small enterprises and startups in the food business:

Craving for a cheesecake? Go for a Chi’s Cake!

We all need some sweetness in our lives: that burst of sugary flavor on your tongue that signals the happiness that is sure to follow.

Sure, eating sweets may not be so healthy, may be even be self-indulgent, but, really, it’s more than just a capping a meal with dessert or satisfying a craving during your coffee break. In times of stress or sadness, it envelopes you in that feeling of comfort and happiness. In times of elation and success, it underscores the joy.

For me, cheesecakes bring on that feeling of happiness more than any other dessert: the buttery and sugary graham cracker crust, the richness of the cream filling and the lovely surprise of whatever topping is put on it.

Well, what if you can enjoy this little piece of heaven while not going overboard with the sugar?

Chi’s Cake, an online dessert shop operated by Siri Andres, specializes in no-bake cheesecakes. Compared to their baked counterparts, no-bake cheesecakes are lighter and airier, due to the folding in of stiff whipped cream into the other combined ingredients, resulting into the mousse-like texture of the dessert. And the cheesecakes from Chi’s Cake are known for not being to sweet.

Siri formerly worked as an IT business analyst but has transitioned into a full-time stay-at-home mom. Leveraging her love for whipping up sweet treats to give to friends and family into a potential business, she started by creating her own brand of no-bake cheesecake flavors which soon generated multiple orders.

Last week, I was able to sample some of her no-bake cheesecake creations such as:

Carrot Cinnamon Cheescake (Php650 for 7-inch cake | Php900 for 9-inch cake | Php450 for a box of 12 cheesecake cups). Are you a fan of carrot cakes? The hearty and tangy taste of shredded carrots underscored by the warm spicy sweetness of cinnamon? Well, imagine those in a smooth and creamy cheesecake that is not too sweet. The sweetness comes from its generous topping of caramelized chopped walnuts! This cheesecake is her first and signature creation.

Oreo Strawberry Creme (Php1,150 for 7-inch cake | Php1,400 for 9-inch cake | Php700 for a box of 12 cheesecake cups). This cheesecake variant features the unbeatable combo of chocolate and strawberries, perfect for lovers during Valentine season and beyond. Bits of fresh strawberries incorporated into the cheesecake filling on top of a crust of crushed Oreo cookies and topped with a slice of strawberry smothered in syrup. I would imagine hearts fluttered over this dessert!

So go ahead and indulge with no worry of being overcome with sweetness, just the joy that comes from these treats.

To get your hands on these lovely cheesecake creations, call +63 945 4968265 or email siriangeline.amurao@gmail.com at least two days before delivery date. For more details on other cheesecake variants available, check out Chi’s Cake’s Facebook page or Instagram account.

Payments are accepted via BDO, Unionbank, PalEx, GCash and LBC.

Disclosure: Product samples were provided to enable an honest review.

Check out my blog posts on other small enterprises and startups in the food business:

Sweets to the sweet from Inang Charing

Everyone who knows me is probably already familiar with my sweet tooth.

I’ve always had a strong affinity for desserts: cakes, cookies and creams. My belief is that there’s always room for dessert. In fact, the dessert at the end is what I usually look forward during meal time.

And the sweet treats from Inang Charing’s are definitely worth the anticipation.

Former BPO employee Mylene Capili had a love for sweets and a skill for baking. Dreaming of having her own cafe someday, she studied Hotel and Restaurant Management in college.

When she was gifted with an oven, her passion for baking was rekindled.

Her first foray into the baking business began in 2013 under the name Dress Up Brownies, with her lucky BPO coworkers as her first customers. They were the first to get a taste her revel bars and brownies. In a burst of inspiration, Mylene and her partner offered dressed-up brownies, bars custom-decorated similar to cupcakes according to their customers’ request.

Her drive for both her job and her side business was challenged a year later when her grandmother, who raised her and her siblings, passed away. She resigned from her job to focus on Dress Up Brownies but her grief over her grandmother’s passing contributed to her business going on hiatus for two years.

A big order for her mini chocolate chip cookies for her sister’s high school reunion in 2018 spurred her to revive her business.

Wanting to pay tribute to her beloved grandmother, she rebranded her business, adopting the name her grandmother was called by neighbors when she was growing up: Inang Charing.

Thus, Inang Charing’s Cakes and Pastries came into being.

With her grandmother serving as her inspiration, she was motivated to create more baked goods for people to love.

Today, she operates Inang Charing’s Cakes and Pastries with her partner, Bem, who oversees sales, marketing and procurement of ingredients, while she handles the baking and pricing of the finished products.

They expanded their product line from brownies, revel bars and custom pastries to include cookies, cakes and cheesecakes, some of which I was able to sample.

The Triple-Flavored Cheesecake (Php785) presents three mouth-watering toppings on a three-inch tall cheesecake. The cheesecake itself is rich and compact, mildly sweet with a smooth and creamy mouthfeel. Its toppings of Mango, Blueberry and Nutella add different dimensions to the dessert. Also available are single-flavor (Php735) and double-flavor (Php755) variants.

The Chocolate Truffle Liquor Cake (Php265), on the other hand, is a decadent 5-inch diameter confection of layers upon layers of chocolate goodness. A moist chocolate cake flavored with chocolate liquor serves as the base layer covered by a thick and creamy ganache and a generous sprinkling with cocoa powder.

Lastly, the Salted White Chocolate Almond Cookies (Php50/pc) are delightful treats with complex flavors and textures owing to the white chocolate chips and toasted almonds scattered on top of moist and chewy cookies.

So if you’re looking for a showstopping cake for your party or just want to stock up on desserts to give your meals a wonderful ending, check out Inang Charing’s Cakes and Pastries.

Many thanks to Mylene for these scrumptious sweets.

To get your hands on these and more from Inang Charing’s, course your orders through its Facebook page or Instagram account with a three-day lead time and pay via BPI bank deposit a day before the delivery.

Disclosure: Product samples were provided to enable an honest review.

Check out my blog posts on other small enterprises and startups in the food business: