Based in Manila, Philippines, Dessert Comes First is a chronicle of the food-obsessed food writer, Lori Baltazar. This website is all about desserts, restaurants, coffee, and the pleasures of homebaking. Read more about me A Sweetly Successful Saturday
Mon, August 28th of 2006
11:20 am
gotcha!
checking cheesecake
To conduct a baking demo, the presenter (in this case, me) must be three things: organized, concise, and able to keep an eye on three different things baking simultaneously at three different temperatures. It also helps a lot if the presenter displays charisma and a certain rapport with her audience. I think I did pretty well, but it’s impossible to keep track of all those things in the oven while I’m busy conducting a demo up front. Talk about multi-tasking!
audience
It was certainly sweet to have 80 participants attend my demo last Saturday, most of whom are readers of this website. Nestlé’s Julius Maggi Kitchen was abuzz with excited bakers and dessert lovers who watched while I demonstrated how to make my cheesecake, made smooth and creamy with Carnation Condensada, coconut milk crème brulee made with Nestlé Coco Evap, and the most anticipated of all, the scones made with Coco Evap and Nestlé Fresh Milk.
coconut milk creme brulees
making scones
the calm before the dessert storm
lemme at those desserts now!
After the demo, those who had brought dessert introduced themselves and showed off their desserts for all of us to ooh and ogle at. And to make everyone even more hungry, I conducted a “How well do you know Dessert Comes First?” game along with Nina Pascual of Nestlé’s Consumer Services who also held a little quiz about the Nestlé Food Club. Lucky winners went home toting loaded Nestlé gift packs.
dessert carnage
The best part of all was eating the desserts everyone had brought. I talked too much at the demo, so now look at these photos taken by my good friend Kaie, who captured the spirit and sweetness of last Saturday.
me and Nina Pascual of Nestle
My thanks go to all those who made time to attend my baking demo last Saturday. Thank you, thank you so much! And special thanks and appreciation go to Nestlé’s Nina Pasual and Ajie Acorda of Consumer Services as well as Ramon Pendoza, Lhot Amadar, and Val Victoria.
frenzy and soon, fatigue
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Lori, it was worth coming all the way from angeles city.
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Comment by wyatt — August 28, 2006 @ 1:23 pm
Lori, thank you so much. I had such a wonderful time and I must admit I learned a lot from you during the demo. You conducted it perfectly, with the grace of a professional the whole thing flowed as if you’d done it a million times before!
I’m also grateful to all those who brought their own desserts. It was so nice to try other people’s homemade goodies as well. I’d like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Glo who so willingly and happily shared her excellent Apple Crisp recipe with me.
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Comment by christine — August 28, 2006 @ 1:53 pm
Awww man I wish I could go to one of your demos. It looks sooo awesome and delicious and awesome…and tasty and awesome.
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Comment by Robyn — August 28, 2006 @ 3:21 pm
Hello Lori! It was such a wonderful “sweet” Saturday afternoon that me and my good friend didi enjoyed so much! SOOOOOO glad to have been part of it…you were really great =)
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Comment by Jen Tan — August 28, 2006 @ 4:20 pm
Thanks for posting the photos so soon after the event, I see some very familiar faces in the crowd, and they look happy and content, not to mention lining up with anticipation.
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Comment by Mila Tan — August 28, 2006 @ 4:47 pm
hi lori! am sure you had a blast! hopefully, we’ll be present in your next event.
by any chance, will you be sharing the recipes?
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Comment by our awesome planet — August 28, 2006 @ 5:39 pm
amazing!! it’s like tea party all over again.. i’m ecstatic my cookies was all gone =)) now i got this ego boosted to bake more!! thanks lori!!!
unfortunately, i wasn’t able to try the creme brulees… was in a flash!!
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Comment by rizza — August 28, 2006 @ 8:16 pm
I had lots of fun. Lots and lots of fun. Ate a lot. Ate a lot and a lot! Super-sugar high (and crash) happened as a result. Now I need some time to absorb what I ate.
For me, best lesson: Wake up nuts before baking.
~Mahar
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Comment by Anonymous — August 28, 2006 @ 8:56 pm
We had a sugar-overload afternoon last Saturday, but what the heck!!! We love desserts!!!!
Congratulations, Lori, for a really interesting and worthwhile demo. You were really generous with your tips and baking science! I really learned a lot that afternoon.
I loved the scones so much I tried baking it for Sunday afternoon tea and my family loved it!! Am excited to join your tea parties next time
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Comment by Otan — August 28, 2006 @ 9:53 pm
It was truly a fantastic afternoon — both delicious and educational. Thank goodness work didn’t keep me from going! My sister and I really appreciated the baking science tips; she’s been baking for years, but still learned a lot from you. You’re a natural host: knowledgeable, credible and charming, yet with none of the “OA-ness” some hosts tend to put on when facing an audience.
As for the sweet ending to the demo…what a treat it was to taste so many people’s lovingly homemade creations! And I’m endlessly grateful to you for sharing your divine cheesecake (YES, it lived up to the hype!), scrumptious scones (FINALLY, scones that live up to their rep!), and crumb/coffee cake (such a wonderful surprise!).
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Comment by Katrina — August 28, 2006 @ 11:42 pm
hi lori!
when’s the next demo? it certainly looked like a blast, calories be darned!!
p.s. who’s Julius, the kitchen’s other namesake? i’m assuming that Maggi is Tita Maggie, a.k.a. Menchu, wife of the great sportscaster Quinito “,
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Comment by spanx — August 29, 2006 @ 1:01 am
Lori, one thing I learned about you from the demo is that you’re soooo OC, (even if you think you’re not). I can’t help but notice how many times you scraped that bowl of cream cheese! And how many times you wiped the edge of the bowl clean! Haha. But being OC is a virtue among bakers, so it’s a good thing, very good thing. = )
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Comment by Chris — August 29, 2006 @ 2:32 am
Thanks for sharing your skills with us. It was a very rewarding afternoon, both for the mind and for the stomach.
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Comment by Eric — August 29, 2006 @ 6:33 am
How fun! I wish I could have come. Maybe someday? We’ll see!
And that kitchen (well, the set)…I loved it! Loved all the cabinetry.
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Comment by Jennifer — August 29, 2006 @ 7:12 am
Congratulations Lori! Maybe you can do a baking demo for your HK readers in the future!
The Thursday Group gals discuss your blog every week, each of us drooling over your latest entry. I adored the chocolate harvest blog! I think all foodies can relate… we’ve had days of hoarding ingredients and spending a fortune in the process (like kids in a candy store), but our eyes and hands work independently of our minds and wallets, and grab whatever they fancy. Hooray to Rustan’s for having a wonderful variety of chocolates for chocoholics!
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Comment by ragamuffin girl — August 29, 2006 @ 9:11 am
I had a blast! Lori, you are a natural! I really appreciated the knowledge and tips…reading a recipe is one thing, but it helps so much more when you have someone demonstrate in front of you…especially with the added kitchen science behind it, which I really loved! And the scones…PERFECTION.
I ate lunch at the Circles buffet beforehand but only had a teeny bite of dessert (knowing I was going to the demo). No regrets! Eating everyone’s homemade goodies was so much better!
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Comment by joey — August 29, 2006 @ 9:20 am
that is so great!
it sounds like you did a mavelous job too.
congrats on a job well done
Teddy
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Comment by funwithyourfood — August 29, 2006 @ 9:27 am
Spanx, Menchu was the talent who played Tita Maggie, a character created to represent the brand Maggi. Julius Maggi was an inventor and pioneer in powdered soup, seasoning and bouillon cubes. So it’s not surprising Nestle would name their test kitchen after him.
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Comment by Katrina — August 29, 2006 @ 10:04 am
Great demo, Lori! Want to come near you and whispers not only are you a great cook, but may I know your secret in maintaining such great figure? =)But unfortunately, the “makahiya” syndrome caught me. I enjoy every minute of your demo and most especially my favorite part, eating what you bake. So, when will be the next baking demo?
malou see
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Comment by babsie — August 29, 2006 @ 10:12 am
Katrina, thanks for enlightening us on why the Julius Maggi Kitchen (JMK) was named as such. I wonder how you knew about it
Glo and Christine, would you mind sharing the Apple Crisp recipe? I found this dessert so tasty. I also loved the moist and chewy chocolate cookies using yogurt as an ingredient.
Lori, congratulations to a successful baking demo! I took home an appreciation of the work that goes into making every baking event an experience. Cheers.
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Comment by Nina — August 29, 2006 @ 1:44 pm
wow congrats lori! looks like a job well done
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Comment by Marien — August 29, 2006 @ 5:48 pm
that guy who sat in the front row wearing a purple shirt looks hot!
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Comment by lady — August 29, 2006 @ 10:01 pm
Lori,thanks so much! Had a wonderful time. I learned a lot. Hoping you will have more baking demo.
Nina, here’s the Apple Crisp recipe.
Apple Mixture
For the square baking pan that I brought I used:
5-6 fuji apples, peeled & cut into wedges
2/3 C brown sugar
2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Preheat oven at 325F.
Mix & gently toss the apples, sugar,lemon juice, cinnamon & vanilla. Set aside until the apples give off their juices for about 10 mins.
Transfer the mixture to a square baking pan.
Topping:
1 stick butter, unsalted
11/2 C brown sugar
1 tsp salt
11/3 C all purpose flour
In a bowl, mix together the butter, sugar, flour & salt. Don’t overblend. Grab a handful & squeeze tightly to compress into a solid piece. Then crumble it into small pieces on top of the apple mixture. Repeat with the remaining topping.
Bake for 1 hour or until brown. Serve with vanilla ice cream.
Enjoy!
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Comment by globelines — August 30, 2006 @ 9:20 am
Mental note: next time when tummy cannot contain all desserts at Lori’s events, must bring BIG Tupperware container : ) –and a little igloo chest for a pint of Ian’s ice cream, hehe, to go with the cobbler
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Comment by kaie — August 30, 2006 @ 10:54 am
Lori!! I really enjoyed the demo. I HAD A BLAST!!:) and at the same time met some Grrrreat folks! Thanks for imparting to us your tips and expertise. I know there are some who are reluctant in sharing their secrets of the trade – but you were so willing – Thank you so much!! I hope that this will have a sequel!
Hint! Hint! (Calling Nina!!)
Kaie – I agree with you 200%!!
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Comment by canDIshhh — August 30, 2006 @ 11:47 am
Lori, it really was a sweet saturday afternoon. I’m very grateful for the all tips and techniques that you shared. I really had a blast tasting all the desserts. The chocolate cookies with yogurt, were so delicious, can i possibly get a copy of the recipe?
How about a recipe exchange party next time?
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Comment by Aggie — August 30, 2006 @ 12:28 pm
Aggie, yes those cookies were the bomb too!
Hi Glo! Thank you very very much again for sharing the wonderful recipe of your apple crisp!
Kaie, I wish I had a box/tupperware to put the other things I didn’t get to try in. Now we know better.
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Comment by christine — August 30, 2006 @ 6:55 pm
Hi Lori,
Thanks again for inviting us. When you said “go” I made a beeline for the scones–heavenly, madame.
To Aggie, Nina and Christine,
I am glad you liked the cocoa fudge cookies. I love sharing recipes, which I think encourages others to bake. I even used to include them in goodies I sold or gave out. The recipe was posted by Nic here: http://bakingsheet.blogspot.com/2006/03/cocoa-fudge-cookies.html
I stayed true to the recipe, but omitted the cherries for 1/4 cup quartered walnuts and 1/4 cup chocolate chips. I also used a 1/4 cup scooper which changed the yield to 14 cookies. Happy baking.
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Comment by ria — September 1, 2006 @ 7:11 pm
Sorry I missed it. I heard it was lots of fun, the kitchen was gorgeous, the demo masterfully done, and the camaraderie with shared baked goods afterwards fabulous. =)
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Comment by wysgal — September 2, 2006 @ 2:24 pm
hi lori! this may be a bit overdue…but i’m wondering where i may contact the one who brought these very yummy cookies at your demo at JMK. I remember talking to this pretty lady who baked these cookies, but i guess i’m too addicted munching the cookies that i forgot to ask where i can contact her for those little treasures. i believe she even told me the name of the cookies and that she got the recipe in the internet. memory gap, that is! oh, the cookies are fully loaded with nuts and oatmeal. yum-yum! i’m craving for it now
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Comment by Ingrid Mediarito — September 7, 2006 @ 8:49 pm
Lori, glad I found your blog. I’m from the Philippines too and I miss the nestle products that they have over there. Anyway, if you get the chance , visit my food blog. I just made a creme caramel almost similar to creme-brulee. Actually you might even call it a flan….
Veronica’s Test Kitchen – creme caramel
I’m in Richmond,Va by the way.
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Comment by Veron — September 29, 2006 @ 7:14 am