home baker – Jellybeans in the City

Yummy homemade apple pie for the apple of your eye

Literary goddess Jane Austen was said to have uttered, “Good apple pies are a considerable part of our domestic happiness.”

I certainly cannot refute the truth behind Ms. Austen’s words.

Apple pies – good ones! – do bring about feelings of happiness and contentment.

This much-loved dessert actually originated in England, influenced by culinary traditions from France, the Netherlands and the Ottoman Empire from as early as the 1390s. It made its way to the New World thanks to the European settlers. It grew in popularity and was eventually included in America’s first cookbook, American Cookery, by Amelia Simmons in 1796.

Over the years, it has become ingrained into American culture, hence the saying “as American as apple pie.”

It has also made its way to this country, where dessert lovers can now enjoy it in the comforts of their own home by ordering from enterprising home bakers.

One such entrepreneur is Mark David Antonio, who started baking apple pies at the start of this year to practice baking and earn a bit of money.

As apple pie is his favorite dessert, he infused it with his favorite elements: a buttery and flaky crust, a sweetly-spiced apple filling and a crumbly streusel topping. Together, these made for an apple pie perfect for any occasion: a show-stopping contribution to a potluck, a delightful gift to a sweet tooth, or a satisfying cap to a wonderful meal.

It’s best served warm from the oven. You will also be treated to the wonderful apple pie aroma wafting to your nostrils as the pie re-heats in the oven, giving you a heady sense anticipation.

You may or may not choose to top it with a dollop of vanilla ice cream to have it ala mode (I didn’t because I couldn’t wait to bite into my slice).

It’s also quite affordable at just Php550, so no need to think twice in treating yourself and the apple of your eye to this decadent delight.

Just order from Mark by texting +63 956 8674914 or +63 921 4813262. You can also send him a message via Facebook. Payments via GCash and BPI are accepted. This can be delivered to anywhere in the metro, with delivery fee shouldered by the buyer.

Let this sweet treat add to your domestic bliss today!

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

Inang Charing’s Cakes and Pastries now offers Strawberry Shortcake

Is it strawberry season in the Philippines already?

Way, waaaay back into my youth, I only got to taste this luscious red fruit when a family member brought home a precious basket as a pasalubong from a Baguio trip.

Due to its scarcity, eating the fruit fresh was considered sosyal… or shala, as the kids say it nowadays.

Thanks to developments in agriculture and transportation, strawberries are more widely available, making it easier for bakers and dessert makers to incorporate this delectable fruit in their creations.

Such is the case with Inang Charing Cakes and Pastries (read my previous post on this enterprising homebaker here), recently launching its newest offering: the Strawberry Shortcake.

Mhai Capili, the baker behind Inang Charing’s Cakes and Pastries, decided to add this dessert to the menu, taking advantage of the fresh Baguio strawberries being sold in the metro. She decided to test out the recipe forming in her head to see if it will work.

The result is a delightful eight-inch diameter confection made with a light spongy cake layered with thick whipped cream and fresh strawberries.

It is a delight to the senses: The spots of bright red made by the fruit against the light-colored cream and sponge cake draw the eyes. The smell of the fresh strawberries whet the appetite. The contrasts in textures in these elements make for an exciting mouthfeel. And, of course, the bursts of fruity sweetness against the sugary cream filling and cake sates any sweet tooth’s craving.

The best part is that this absolute showstopper of a dessert can be yours for just Php985!

Just order via Facebook or Instagram with a three-day lead time and pay via GCash or BPI bank deposit a day before your preferred pickup date.

Thank goodness there’s no need for me to break the bank, nor travel far, for that shala (or sosyal) feeling you get from eating a decadent slice of Strawberry Shortcake.

Disclosure: I got my cake for just Php785 as I chanced upon Inang Charing’s post regarding the sale price for one of its first-ever batch of Strawberry Shortcakes while I was browsing for dessert ideas for my daughter #ExhibitA’s birthday. You could probably say that I just couldn’t resist. Oh, #ExhibitA (and the whole fam) loved it too. 😋

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

Chocoholics’ Dream: Dreamcake Chocolatta by Kitycups

Tin can chocolate cakes, or more commonly called chocolate dream cakes, have definitely gone viral, with more and more suppliers poppin’ up in retail outlets and online.

Chocolate dream cakes are a delectable treat: a dream come true for chocolate lovers because of its several layers of chocolate goodness, from the moist chocolate cake base, the creamy chocolate ganache, the rich chocolate fudge covered by a thin shard of chocolate and sprinkled with cocoa powder.

Being a chocoholic myself, I got intrigued when I first heard about this sweet treat and I’ve been trying it out whenever I can.

When I checked out Meals.ph and saw the Dreamcake Chocolatta by Kitycups, I knew I just had to try it.

I used the Meals.ph app to contact Kitycups owner Kristine Rodriguez. This homebaker’s base of operations is in Las Pinas which is quite a long way from my home in Pasig, but fortunately her products (which also include Nama Chocolates, Premium Beef Tapa and Gourmet Tuyo) can be shipped to anywhere in Metro Manila.

Coincidentally, she was attending a trade fair in SM Megamall at that time so she thought of shipping the item from there.

She accepts payment via BPI so all I had to do was transfer the money using the BPI app and prepare Php100 in cash for the delivery via Lalamove.

In an hour or so, my Dreamcake Chocolatta arrived and it’s every bit as decadent and chocolatey as I imagined!

At only Php350 for a 6-inch x 2-inch cake, it’s already good for three people so it’s quite a bargain.

My kids and I enjoyed it with dollops of vanilla ice cream for a really delectable dessert.

Aside from the Dreamcake Chocolatta, I appreciate Kitycups for being so accommodating, and for trying to find a way to lessen shipping costs for me.

Check out Kitycups’ Kristine Rodriguez’ profile and more intel on Meals.ph and its sellers on this blog post.

To order Kitycups’ products, visit her profile on:

Meals.ph: https://market.meals.ph/en/kitycups
Instagram: http://instagram.com/kitycups
Facebook: Instagram: http://facebook.com/kitycups