by Lori Baltazar
Manila’s 10 Best Desserts, 2007: Part 1
6. Ube Cheesecake at The French Corner
If you’ve ever thought that the color purple is no good for food, this dessert will make you change your mind. For good. Made from the vividly-hued tuber that’s anything but lowly, this cheesecake is its perfect partner. Out it comes with its halo of golden spun sugar being hailed in a bliss pool of pandan cream and strawberry slices. And there in the center it sits: ube cheesecake!
Its crust is surprisingly, fresh-from-the-box cornflakes, a most unlikely but willing partner. Conveying none of its characteristic crunch, it’s been crushed to a smooth paste until it takes on almost the same texture as the custard it carries. Expressing surprise at the avant-garde use of this native crop, I marvel at its exquisite smoothness and coo over its delicate flavor. It’s like eating crème brulee. A dessert that stands up to deep exploration in mind and on tongue, this dessert is an exceptional tour de force of legendary chef Billy King.
The French Corner
Commerce Avenue corner Filinvest Avenue
Westgate Center, Filinvest Corporate City
Alabang, Muntinlupa City
771-2345
7. Trio of Frozen Brazos from Karen Young
I’m amazed at how the frozen brazo went from being an innovation on a classical dessert to one that’s teetering on the brink of entering the mainstream. Correct me if I’m wrong but Dimpy Camara of San Lorenzo Village may have been the first home baker to offer this frozen delight to the public late last year. Other home bakers have followed suit and I’ve tried those but I’ve yet to try the original, which is Dimpy’s.
Meantime, one of my favorite home bakers and friend, Karen Young, has come out with yet another twist on the frozen brazo: flavored variations in strawberry and green tea. Imaginative, yes? She also offers the original frozen brazo ”“ graham cracker crust, yema custard filling, mantecado ice cream, and swathes of meringue that she’s whimsically dubbed “Manila Vanilla.” Her Green Tea Frozen Brazo has its separate components steeped in green tea to infuse flavor and color thus, a green tea chiffon cake, green tea yema, green tea ice cream, and meringue. The green tea flavor rings through, its sharpness rounded out by the creaminess of the yema.
The Strawberry Frozen Brazo has a piquant strawberry taste that’s a true-to-the-fruit flavor that perks me up quite nicely. With its profusion of color in brown, yellow, pink, red, and white, it’s indeed a striking dessert. I have my doubts however, as to whether the chocolate cake bottom layer fights or flows with the strawberry, but you be the judge. A caveat: let frozen brazos defrost at room temperature for a few minutes to facilitate slicing. Lesser knives have been known to break and wrists strained while attempting to “saw” through.
Karen’s Kitchen (KEY Specialty Foods)
428 Adalla St. Palm Village, Makati
632.8982280
8. Chocolate Fudge Cake of Gina Lopez
Every time I eat Gina’s Chocolate Fudge Cake, I feel that all is right with the world. A plump and pleasing 8-inch affair, its thick and buttery batter bakes up into a cake with an open crumb that focuses solely on chocolate, its frosting even more so –waves of fudge stroked into almost flouncy curls, an unceasing reverie of butter, cocoa, and sugar stroked with vanilla. Such is its potency for pleasure. Gina makes phenomenal crinkles and carrot cake too, but her chocolate cake is one of those desserts where every bite is an affirmation of how good it is.
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it looks so adorable just laying there
Paisley Pastry by Gina J. Lopez
850-9917
0920-9280528
9. Cookie Dough Cheesecake of Chelsea
I have a pressing attraction for cookie dough, raw or cooked. When I make chocolate chip cookies, a large part of the batter goes into my mouth, never even making it onto the baking sheet. Apparently, it runs in the family since Boo likes it too. And don’t get me started on cookie dough ice cream, Ben & Jerry’s or Sebastian’s only, please.
My elation is unparalleled when I discover that Chelsea’s cookie dough cheesecake is as good as it looks. In the past, desserts like these are an insult to both cheesecake and chocolate chip cookies, two stalwarts in the dessert pantheon, so I’m momentarily put-off by the concept. But Chelsea’s take on this very 90’s dessert is the way it’s meant to be.
The custard itself is relatively pristine, its top liberally strewn with cookie dough that bake up into these mini chocolate chip cookies when done. The whole bounty rests on a cookie dough crust speckled with mini chocolate chips. Sweet, crunchy, creamy, smooth, there’s enough going on here that make me feel like I’m getting two desserts in one, and that’s never a bad thing.
Chelsea Market & Café
Bonifacio High Street, Serendra,
Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
909-7011 / 909-7012
10. Cheesecake of Jill Sandique
There can be no humbler name or more beautiful cheesecake than that of of Jill Sandique’s. And I, a former full-time cheesecake maker know that to be the gospel truth.
Possessing a shadow of a crust ”“ almost an afterthought, really ”“ it’s the perfect foil to the gently-baked custard. So soft is it that it almost quivers in its lusciousness, brought on by a mixture of whole eggs and egg yolks married with cream cheese and just enough sugar. Long, slow cooking ”“ most probably in a waterbath ”“ ensures a surface that is unblemished, unequalled, umarred. This cheesecake is, in a word, utopia.
Jill Sandique of Dèlize
33 Sunrise Drive, Cubao, Quezon City
721-7022 (ask for Lea, Mimi, or Vangie)
Allow a minimum of 2-3 days for your order(s).
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hi lori! great post as usual 🙂
that glorious cheesecake reminded me of something i’ve been meaning to ask you — what’s your take on (1) packed crushed grahams, like the ones available in supermarkets? and (2) adding/substituting digestives for grahams for the cheesecake crust?
i know you’re uber busy but i thought i’d take a chance and ask anyway 🙂 thanks in any case!
This is a FABULOUS list, Lori. There are some I am dying to try. Thank you for coming out with a great list this year. Truly a great big favor to sugar addicts like me.
How about the 10 best native desserts next time? Or the 10 best breads? Ooooh, can’t wait to see your list for that too!
hi lori! great post as usual 🙂
that glorious cheesecake reminded me of something i’ve been meaning to ask you — what’s your take on packed crushed grahams, like the ones available in supermarkets?
i know you’re uber busy but i thought i’d take a chance and ask anyway 🙂 thanks in any case!
I am definitely behind – I’ve never heard of Brazo! But it looks delicious 🙂
I’ve tried Dimpy Camara’s Frozen Brazo, and it was a revelation. I’d love to know the story behind it — did she invent it? If so, how’d she come up with the idea of merging Brazo de Mercedes with an ice box cake? Karen Young’s flavored Frozen Brazos sound interesting, too. I like the combination of chocolate and strawberry, so I’m curious to try it. Good for me that her bakeshop is in Makati! 🙂
I was disappointed with Chelsea’s Cookie Dough Cheesecake when I tried it — it wasn’t bad at all, just sort of dry and not memorable. But after your review, I’ll give it another chance. I love cheesecakes and cookie dough, too, so I’m very willing to try it again. Maybe the slice I ate was not fresh, and so had dried out. (Though Chelsea should prevent that from happening. I tried their supposedly delicious Toblerone Torte, and because it was the last slice, it had probably been in the chiller too long and therefore tasted far from yummy.)
I tried Karen Young’s frozen brazo and was not pleasantly surprised. I highly recommend this for someting new to give away this Christmas to friends and family. It’s also affordable. You would think that Green Tea with Brazo is strange, but the green tea taste is just subtle. It’s a nice complement to the yema filling which makes it taste wonderful! I also liked the strawberry brazo but found it just too sweet. Again, Highly recommend this as a great alternative to Dimpy’s frozen brazo which I always have.
I tried Karen Young’s frozen brazo and was pleasantly surprised. I highly recommend this for someting new to give away this Christmas to friends and family. It’s also affordable. You would think that Green Tea with Brazo is strange, but the green tea taste is just subtle. My husband who isn’t a green tea fan actually enjoyed this. It’s a nice complement to the yema filling which makes it taste wonderful! I also liked the strawberry brazo but found it just too sweet. Again, Highly recommend this as a great alternative to Dimpy’s frozen brazo which I always have.
LORI, I’M SO GLAD YOU HAVE THIS LIST! IT’S SOMETHING I LOOK FORWARD TO AND MAKES MY CHRISTMAS SHOPPING MUCH EASIER!!!
I want to try ALL these desserts. It’s time for TEA PARTY 2: THE RETURN! 😀
The green tea and strawberry frozen brazo are perfect for the holidays. Thanks for sharing this Lori!
hooray for a new list of manila’s 10 best desserts! i look forward to your recommendations every year as my guide on what’s yummy to order out there Ãœ thanks lori!!
Oh wow…the desserts all look scrumptious! Never thought there was a chocolate chip dough cheesecake here! Yummm…
Thanks for the rundown, Lori! You sure made a lot of people hanker for must-try desserts again. Haha!
Oh my gosh! That was a sensational food trip without the calories! I’ll be going home for the holidays and will definitely try some of these desserts.
You just gave me a perfect guide of where to go if I even visit Manila,
All of them looked so good,
Ahhhhh,
Manila…..wait for me!
hi lori,
i’m a new visitor to your site. my sis in law said you are really into chocolate and cheese cakes. however, a friend would like to receive a fruit cake for christmas! how odd! 🙂
would you have any suggestions?
thanks,
irene
I tried a frozen brazo cake during a mini food bazaar at the rockwell. It’s good. But i still prefer the ice cream cakes that Five Cows offer at Trinoma, especially their Rocky Almond and Turon Torte. Heavenly!
chef jill sandique really makes the best cheesecake in town. fortunately for me– i’ve attended her cheesecake classes before and i learned a lot from her. btw, for the best fruitcake, try cfa fruitcake. i bought mine at unimart grocery. it’s yummy and affordable.
Lori: Spectacular photos, as always!
That cookie dough cheesecake is next on my must-try list. I heart cheesecake.
Have you ever tried the Tres Leches Cake of Dessert Du Jour by Mara de la Rama? It’s a vanilla genoise soaked with three different kinds of milk and topped with cinnamon whipped cream. I love it! And if you are a dessert lover, I think you will too. Just wanted to share. Mara has a booth at the Salcedo Village Market. You can also order from her at 09223875682. She bakes other things and I placed my Christmas orders from her. Her cakes are beautifully packaged in pink boxes with black trim.
Hi Lori,
I recently tried the frozen brazo of Karen’s kitchen and it really was just ok. Plus she’s kinda’ pricey for a full size. Dimpy Camara’s is really excellent, hands down the best I’ve tasted and much cheaper.
out of all the cakes in this dessert pageant posted in this forum, i can say that Chef Jill Sandique’s Cheesecake is the most beautiful of all the contestants. It’s supreme egg-yellow beauty highlights the event. For me, the simplest of all is the most beautiful 🙂 i love a “clean-as-a-slate” cheesecakes 🙂
I’ve tried Karen’s frozen brazo in Vanilla. It’s really good! 🙂 Sweet and decadent. I bet it packs a whole lot of calories. Hehehe. I bought mine at the Rockwell Baker’s Fair.
please put up the recipie of how to make the choc fudge cake!
I love the cheesecake 🙂 Nyum nyum 🙂
try mccafe’s blueberry cheesecake, it’s no compare
wow cool delicious naman loooooooks cooooooool nagugu tum na ako
hi lori,
i too am a dessert lover…my meals are not complete without dessert….
can you please give the contact info of Dimpy’s? i need to try their cakes, and i need to buy some for my birthday which is on feb 9 =)
thanks!
kate
hi1 i am a budding homebaker … does ms dimpy offer baking class?
Hi Lori!
I found this list quite useful in the past and I’m wondering if you will be coming out with an updated list soon? Would love it if you could come up with a 10 Best Desserts list of 2011 🙂
Love your blog!
Bona