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25 Best Desserts 2010

By Vangie Baga-Reyes
Philippine Daily Inquirer

DateFirst Posted 22:05:00 11/04/2010

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To celebrate Inquirer’s 25th anniversary, here are 25 of the tastiest and most ingeniously concocted
sweet little and not too little things from the finest kitchens across the country
IT’S THAT TIME of the year again when Lifestyle comes out with the Best Desserts to whet your appetite and
satisfy your cravings.

It took us a while to come up with the 2010 list because we wanted to make sure you get the best of the best, in
quality and taste.

The list spans the entire country—from Ilocus Sur to Metro Manila, from Cebu to Cagayan de Oro and Davao.

Our Top 25 also commemorates the Inquirer’s 25th anniversary this December.

The list is heavily recommended by culinary experts and foodies. While a few are already well-known and
bestsellers, some are fresh discoveries churned out by home-based bakers.

YEMA CAKE

Come-on: It’s a decadent local version of the classic sans rival, using loads of premium cashew nuts that give the
thin wafers a sweetish, nutty flavor. Everything about this cake is deliciously executed, from the meringue to the
yema filling that spreads evenly and generously through each layer. It looks dangerously sweet, but, on the
contrary, it’s not.

Cost: P400/whole; P110/slice

Creator: “Freska” (chef Pauline Gorriceta-Banusing) 2/F Promenade Mall, Greenhills; tel. 7443446, 0920-
9039603; or e-mail paulineiloilo@yahoo.com. Call five days in advance.

DESSERT PIZZA

Come-on: A good way to satisfy even the weight-watcher’s sweet tooth. It’s a majestic pizza dessert with
Nutella chocolate spread and garnished with plump strawberries, mascarpone, ricotta cheese and dusted with
powdered sugar. It has a nice thin tender crust but holds up well without crumbling.

Cost: P385

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Creator: L’incontro Ristorante Italiano, 207 Nicanor Garcia St., Makati; tel. 8990638, 8990635/09 for dine in
only and pick-up. Available daily.

OLD-FASHIONED CHOCOLATE CAKE

Come-on: Really moist cake oozing with chocolate goodness for chocolate addicts. The recipe was given by a
UP professor in 1978 to Nic Rodriguez, who started baking in Grade 4. The cake boasts of a thick Hershey’s
chocolate icing and capped with cherries. With a great cup of coffee, you’re good to go.

Cost: P500

Creator: Chef Peter Nic Rodriguez, Bistro Candon Restaurant and Catering, Candon, Ilocos Sur; tel. (077)
7425905, 0905-2822524, 0939-3367518, 0919-4152244; e-mail chefpnr peter@yahoo.com or bistro
candon@yahoo.com. Call a week in advance. For pick-up only at 19 Monaco, Loyola Grand Villas, QC, and
19 Castrillo St., Corinthian Gardens, QC.

CARROT CAKE

Come-on: A good carrot cake must be rich, moist and creamy enough to blend well with the grated carrots to
have that real carrot-y taste. This cake matches the description with the extra special feature of carrot tidbits,
walnuts and chocolate chips. A generous amount of cream covers the cake with more nuts on the side. It has a
very light sweetness.

Cost: P590/whole; P52/slice

Creator: Jane-Jane Ong of Leona Cakes and Pastries, 65 Juan Luna Ave., Mabolo, Cebu City, (6332)
4127570, 2330386; Door 5 GQS Plaza, Banilad Road, Cebu City, 2324450; 2/F The Northwing at SM City
Cebu, 2361015. Available everyday.

PINEAPPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Come-on: It looks very pretty, so grab a big slice of this utterly moist pineapple cake, which has been an old
family recipe handed down across the generations. The cake is delightfully dense, with a slight cherry flavor and
the sweetness from caramel and pineapple. It's daintily designed with pineapple rings on top. Though called a
cake, this dish is not sweet at all but is nevertheless really delicious. Ideally, microwave the cake for 30 seconds
before serving.

Cost: P680/round (10-inch); P780/oval

Creator: Butterbelle Bakeshop (Tani Sempio Bautista), No. 8 San Antonio Village, Pasig; and at 538 Tanglaw
Street, Mandaluyong City; tels. 5346359, 5322495 or 0917-5320816. Order two days in advance. For pick-
up and delivery within Pasig (with P200 delivery charge).

BROWNIE WALNUT CLUSTER

Come-on: Delight your senses with these moist chunks of fudge brownies under a blanket of glossy caramel
sauce and studded with walnuts and chocolate ganache that truly melt in your mouth.

Cost: P375/6-inch; P850/9-inch

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Creator: Rina Go of Nic's Bakeshop, No. 16 Brixton Hill, Holy Redeemer Village, Brgy. Santol, QC; tells.
7155831 and 7160321. Free delivery within Makati and Pasig City. For pick-up, too. To ensure freshness, two
days’ advance notice is requested.

MOLTEN VALRHONA CHOCOLATE SOUFFLÉ CAKE

Come-on: Cap off your meal with this melt-in-your-mouth classic, rich, 100-percent pure Valrhona chocolate
soufflé served with either chocolate or vanilla sauce and a bowl of vanilla ice cream. This sweet temptation from
sensual Valrhona offers a dreamy and decadent chocolate experience.

Cost: P365. Wait for 15 minutes to prepare.

Creator: Bizu Patisserie, G/F, Greenbelt 2, Parkside Ayala Center, Makati; tel. 7574749 or 7572498. Other
branches: Alabang Town Center, Glorietta 4 and Greenhills Promenade.

CHERRY WALNUT CHEESECAKE

Come-on: This creamy confection is inspired by the traditional baked cheesecake but given a twist with the
inclusion of white chocolate and Oreo Crumble base. Chopped walnuts are added for that crunchy texture and
topped with cherries and cherry syrup swirls and garnished with mango coulis and cream. It's nicely dense and
heavy on the tummy.

Cost: P950/whole; P165/slice.

Creator: Cravings, 3/L, Eastwood Mall, Libis; tels. 4703500 and 3939164. Free delivery within Eastwood City.
Also available at all Cravings branches. A day in advance is needed for bulk orders.

MANGO BRAVO

Come-on: This tall cake comes with thick, chilled layers of wafers packed with chocolate mousse, cashew,
cream and mango cubes lathered on generously in white mango cream crowned with mango chunks and
chocolate drippings. When you bite into it, your teeth will sink into the gentle crunchiness of a cashew-flavored
wafer.

Cost: P995/regular; P495/mini

Creator: Conti's Pastry Shop and Restaurant, Greenbelt 2, Makati City, 7560327; Trinoma, QC, 9005013;
Serenda, Bonifacio Global City, 8562352; Fox Square Bldg, Connecticut St., Greenhills, 7444184; President's
Avenue, BF Homes Commercial Center, 8073388; Lakeside Evozone, Nuvali Solenad, Tagaytay City, (049)
3026050; Corporate Office, 7720327. Call for reservation or a day in advance for bulk orders.

MACADAMIA SANSRIVAL

Come-on: Many will swear by the goodness of this cake that captures every sweet tooth's fantasy. It’s four
layers of crispy meringue crammed with ground macadamia nuts held together by the creamiest butter and
generously sprayed with macadamia nuts. This is such a great way to dress up a sweet confection that's made
even more interesting by the lingering macadamia cashew flavor. It's best kept frozen before serving.

Cost: Macadamia nuts, P950; Cashew nuts, P700.

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Creator: Gay Vasquez, 35 Firefly Street, Valle Verde 6, QC; tel. 6310125 and 0917-3010615. For pick-up
only. Call two days in advance.

BANOFFEE PIE

Come-on: An all-time favorite since it was first introduced in 2007, this hard-to-resist dessert of caramelized
bananas is clothed in a tender whipped cream laced with peanut brittle and condensed milk under a buttery
Graham Cracker crust. To complete the look, it’s topped with shards of dark chocolate.

Cost: P650/whole; P85/slice

Creator: Banapple Pies and Cheesecakes Bakery Café, 225 Katipunan Avenue, QC, 4392675; 206 Katipunan
Ave. Blue Ridge, QC, 4382675; 2/L, Il Terrazzo, Tomas Morato, South Triangle, QC, 4132675. Available
daily, but it's best to call at least two days in advance during special occasions (especially Christmas, Mother's
Day, Valentine's).

FROZEN CHOCOLATE BRAZO DE MERCEDEZ

Come-on: This is definitely a rich chocolate cake-based cool confection filled with homemade chocolate ice
cream with a gooey layer of yema and topped with chewy meringue. Chill the cake between servings to maintain
its texture and freshness. It's been Davao's ultimate sweet indulgence.

Cost: P 445/box; P275/half box; P 70/slice

Creator: Vincent and Donna Rodriguez, Dulce Vida Confections available at The Tiny Kitchen, Torres and
Mabini Streets, Davao City; tels. (082) 3059232, (082) 2346095; e-mail tinykitchencreations@yahoo.com.

CLOUD 9

Come-on: Here's a rich frozen chocolate confection with creamy custard and a nice film of chocolate ganache on
top. It's almost like a mousse that slides off easily into your mouth.

Cost: P370/whole

Creator: Claudettes (Claudette Liao), G/F, Easton Place, 118 Valero Street, Salcedo Village, Makati; tels.
8433996, 8433965 or 0921-8679303; or e-mail claudette.liao@yahoo.com.

CHILI CHOCOLATE GELATO

Come-on: Surprise your palate with this Italian chocolate gelato with a nice chili kick. It has a velvety smooth and
creamy texture with a lingering chili burn at the end. Actually, the chili factor balances out the lusciousness of the
ice cream. If one's sweet tooth cannot handle the chili-ness, it has other fruity flavors. The cones are made fresh
everyday.

Cost: Piccolo, P95; Grande, P150; and Waffle cone, P160

Creator: Sol Gelato (Kenneth Lim), G/F, The Piazza, McKinley Hills, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City; tels. 7980411
and 0920-9278919.

TRES LECHES

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Come-on: Indulge in this thick layer of sponge cake flavored with vanilla. The cake is soaked in a mixture of
three milk products (carabao’s milk, full cream milk and ganache), making it super moist. Though it looks sinful, it
has the right sweetness, density and “mouth feel.” Resting on top are chocolate shavings. Best eaten either warm
or cold.

Cost: P180/slice

Creator: Upper East Restaurant, G/F, NDC Building, 116 Tordesillas St., Salcedo Village, Makati; tels.
9944437, 8920744 or 8927372. Open only Tuesday to Friday.

LEMON TORTE

Come-on: A refreshing torte with layers of meringue piled high and lemon filling in between layers with walnuts
and covered with non-dairy whipped cream and topped with extra lemon filling. This creamy dessert is truly rich
and a favorite at parties and coffee break.

Cost: P1,800/9-inch round; P1,900/9x13-inch rectangular

Creator: Heny Sison Culinary School, 33 Bonnie Serrano Avenue, Camp Crame, Cubao, QC, 7265316,
4132428, 4127792. Call three days in advance.

STRAWBERRY FIELDS

Come-on: For that sweet experience, this artistically decorated dessert is a sure bet. It’s an assembly of fresh
strawberries with parmesan cheese, golden whipped cream and balsamic syrup sauce combined with puff pastry
biscuit. Typical of a shortcake with macerated strawberry torte, ricotta and mint. A sight to behold that’s worth
every calorie.

Cost: P275/order

Creator: Blackwood Bistro (Jun Jun de Ocampo), 105-106 The Venice Piazza, McKinley Hill, Taguig City; tel.
6594409

SMORESHMALLOW CUPCAKES, RED VELVET DREAM, GOLD MEMBER (FERRERO)

Come-on: The mystique surrounding these cupcakes comes from the sophisticated flavors they offer. Gold
Member cupcake will drive you wild with its über rich chocolate hazelnut cake crowned with pure Nutella
ganache. One gentle bite bares a Ferrero Rocher chocolate inside. Smoreshmallow comes with two layers of
Graham goodness with a gooey, rich marshmallow creme filling, topped with freshly made chocolate ganache, a
toasted marshmallow and piece of Hershey’s milk chocolate. A treat that’s not cloyingly sweet, Red Velvet
Dream is a luscious red velvet cake topped with perfectly piped cream cheese, white chocolate frosting and red
sugar sparkle.

Cost: Gold Member, P100/piece; Smoreshmallow, P75/piece; Red Velvet Dream, P65/piece.

Creator: Sugar Rush Lab. To order, e-mail sugarrushlab@gmail.com; visit sugarrushlab.wordpress.com. Pick-up
points are Ortigas Center, Cainta, Makati and Santolan, QC. Minimum order of 50 cupcakes for delivery. Order
a few days in advance.

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GLADYS’ CHOCOLATE CAKE

Come-on: This plain and simple-looking cake can be deceiving. It offers a rich multi-layer temptation of
chocolatiness—chocolate cream filling and super moist deep dark chocolate cake. The cake is very moist yet
nice and light. The layers of this cake are very soft and velvety, with real melt-in-your-mouth goodness.

Cost: P750 (with chocolate cream filling); P650 (cream filling is replaced with more chocolate glaze)

Creator: Gladys Mallillin, tel. 0917-8248184; e-mail gladmall@thelife youlive.tv. Free delivery within Marikina,
Quezon City and Pasig areas. Order a week in advance.

CHOCOLATE PARFAIT ON PANDAN CREPE

Come-on: Eat and serve chocolate mousse in extraordinary way—wrapped in crepes! Indulge in rich chocolate
mousse enclosed in pandan-flavored crepe drizzled with chocolate sauce and sprinkled with pistachio nuts. A
scoop of vanilla ice cream completes the encounter.

Cost: P95/order

Creator: Uncle Cheffy Brick-Oven BBQ (chef Mauro Arjona Jr.), 2/F Eastwood Mall, Eastwood City,
Cyberpark, QC; tel. 3837215, 2197025, 0917-5071798.

MANGO CREPE FETTUCCINE

Come-on: Here’s an enchanting take on crepes served like fettuccine pasta blended with creme anglaise and
brandy snaps. It’s generously covered with fresh mangoes and garnished with chocolate tuile. Yes, it’s eaten like
real pasta for that unique and “stylish” dining experience.

Cost: P140/order

Creator: Eastwood Café, Eastwood Richmonde Hotel, 17 Orchard Road, Eastwood City, QC; tel. 5707777

SAN MARCO

Come-on: Layers of chiffon cake with pristine sweetness of whipped cream and crowned with caramelized
yema. Quite a light and refreshing dessert you wouldn’t want to miss after a meal.

Cost: P990/whole; P110/slice

Creator: Petra & Pilar, Jaka Center Bldg., Chino Roces Ave., Makati City; tel. 8875168

DURIAN SANSRIVAL

Come-on: Here’s one of Davao City’s best-kept secrets: layers of crisp meringue wafers covered with rich
durian buttercream (made with real durian and not artificial flavoring) and a liberal sprinkling of cashew bits inside
and out. The buttercream has a vibrant durian taste with just the right amount of sweetness to balance it.

Cost: P340/whole

Creator: Melvin E. Aviles, Lachi’s Sans Rival, Atbp., Door 1-H VAL Learning Village, Ruby St., Marfori

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Heights, Davao City; tel. (082) 2245552, 0917-8814476. Available every day.

SAPIN-SAPIN

Come-on: This dessert is remarkable for the way it transforms the lowly ube halaya into a stunning dessert that
looks and tastes extra-wonderful. The elegant dish has thick layers of halayang ube and kamote (sweet potato)
carefully topped by burnt caramelized sugar. A tempting crème brûlée of sorts to fulfill every sweet tooth’s wish.

Cost: P110/order

Creator: Kuse at The Venice Piazza, McKinley Hills, Fort Bonifacio Global City, Taguig; tel. 8364966

CRISPY BANANA WITH LANGKA SAUCE

Come-on: This is saba banana coated with bread crumbs, deep-fried to a crisp, and served with rich and thick
langka caramel sauce. This crunchy warm fritters, at times dusted with sugar, is very satisfying and filling—perfect
with a warm cup of coffee or tea.

Cost: P85 per order, dine in or take out

Creator: VIP Hotel, Apolinar Velez St., Cagayan de Oro City; tel. (8822) 726080; 88-8562505

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6 peop le liked this.

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Kathy Lee 11 hours ago

aren't the pics in the upper right of the article? :)

1 person liked this.

Cynthia Aragona 7 hours ago

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I knew it would be Heny Sison's Lemon Torte.I was craving for it the other day.

Conan Rafada Balaoing 7 hours ago

Oh my goodness. I can't believe C2's Bibinka Souffle isn't here!

Dee Saballa Baquirin 12 hours ago

Sounds delish-but wishing there were pictures too!

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