Score love points with these V-Day sweets
Is food the sixth love language? I do believe so. It acts as an unspoken and unwritten agent to express our joy, concern, support, and love. And it can be expressed in many ways—from cooking your soon-to-give-birth partner a dish she’s madly craving, to sneakily finding out and buying your boyfriend’s favorite cake as a surprise.
The heartfelt intentions behind the food make them a lot more satisfying. Here are some that can definitely deliver the romance.
Rose Velvet Supreme from Homemade by Roshan
@homemadebyroshan
Popular home baker Roshan Samtani didn’t have to look far for the inspiration behind her Valentine’s cake. Rose is not just an iconic flower for the love month; it’s also a familiar flavor in her Indian heritage, where it can be found in many desserts.
“The key for me is subtlety,” she says. An iteration of one of her bestselling celebration cakes, the Rose Velvet Supreme has a blush pink cheesecake with a hint of rose in between layers of red velvet cake, dressed in a tangy cream cheese frosting in dainty pink and accessorized with little miniatures cupcakes.
White Chocolate Cheesecake from El Born
@elborn.ph
Chef David Ramos recently opened a stall at the grocery level of Mitsukoshi Mall BGC to cater to the growing population of people in love with his cheesecake. No need to go to the restaurant anymore just to have a slice of it. There, diners will find his beloved cheesecake versions including the limited edition one he made especially for Valentine’s Day. It’s flavored with white chocolate and enhanced with raisins and a hint of Pedro Ximenez, a Spanish sherry wine.
Matcha Tiramisu from Cravings
@cravingsphils
In a sea of red-colored desserts, Cravings has two that venture away from the norm to appease matcha cravings. One is the Matcha Tiramisu, a twist on the classic favorite, featuring layers of ladyfingers soaked in marsala, complemented by mascarpone cream, and finished with a dusting of premium green tea. Another is the Strawberry Matcha Cake, a light and irresistibly romantic creation, topped with fresh strawberries and matcha cream.
Red Velvet Cake from 50 Shades of Dough
@50shadesofdough
“When I lived in the Bay Area, I admired a cupcakery called Sibby’s,” said baker Trisha del Rosario Lacson. “She made the best cupcakes, and at a time when finding a good red velvet cupcake wasn’t easy, Sibby’s stood out. Hers was perfectly moist, topped with the most delicious cream cheese frosting.” When she moved back to Manila, she recreated that experience by making the same thing, but in cake form. To elevate her version, she added white chocolate to the cream cheese frosting for a layer of richness.
Mon Amour Cake from Leonisa’s Kitchen
@leonisaskitchen
On the outside the pastry looks like a flower, and when you slice it, you’ll be surprised to find a vertical cake. It was the intention of the brand to produce something that’s both delicious and eye-catching inside and out. Their Valentine offering is composed of mixed berry and ruby chocolate cream, strawberry and raspberry compote, Viennese sponge, and a Speculoos praline crumb base. It’s finished with a white chocolate ring and fresh strawberries.
Rose Cake from Flour Pot
@flourpotph
Rose and lychee are two flavors that have been proven many times to be a great match, such as in the case of the Pierre Hermé Ispahan macaron. Another delicious validation is chef Rhea SyCip’s latest offering, a rose and lychee shortcake composed of rosewater sponge and lychee whipped cream. She took inspiration from the City of Love, Paris. “This cake is the perfect marriage of the East and West,” she says.
Yuzu and Strawberry Tart from Briana Patisserie
@brianapatisserie
Young entrepreneurial baker Bree Javier took inspiration from the classic French pastry Saint Honoré for her Valentine treat—and it happens to be among her favorites, too!
“I’ve always loved making it because of its many components. This, however, is my nontraditional take. Instead of puff pastry, I opted for a tart base, allowing me to put my own creative spin.”
The vanilla pastry tart is topped with an almond sponge cake, followed by a tart yuzu cream, white chocolate and strawberry mousseline, then crowned with cream puffs and caramel.
Chocolate Cake Bites from Nono’s Comfort Kitchen and Bakery
@nonos.ph
Nono’s has a stack of pastries to choose from for Valentine’s, from sugar cookies to six-inch versions of its classic cakes like Sylvia’s Strawberry Shortcake, Ube Indulgence, and Honey Crunch Cake. The latest additions to the lineup are the colorful and light-as-a-feather meringue, which you can pop in your mouth or put on top of desserts like ice cream, and the chocolate cake bites, which are decadent pieces made with crunchy almonds and milk chocolate.
Strawberry Pistachio Paris Brest from Popsie Cakes
@popsiecakes
“My first taste of the combination of strawberry and pistachio flavors in a cake was at my best friend’s wedding in San Francisco back in 2008. It was her wedding cake,” said media executive turned baker Popsie Elegir. “Just like the union of two people, the two flavors—pistachio with its nuttiness and strawberries with their sweet tartness—may be different but when matched together, a new flavor emerges.”
Elegir’s version is made of inverted choux au craquelin filled with chopped fresh strawberries, pistachio praline, and pistachio mousseline.
Valentine’s Ice Cream Collection from Sebastian’s
@sebastiansicecream
This annual selection already has a cult following. Playfully named after what single individuals might be looking for come love month, the selection includes: Matinong Boyfriend, which is all about sophistication and balance of flavors, a California white wine ice cream swirled with Benguet strawberry sorbet; Matinong Girlfriend, which has a more-is-more maximalist aesthetic, banana ice cream loaded with banana cake chunks, crispy banana chips, fresh banana slices, and a banana jam ripple; Closure, a honey-sweetened ginger and lemon-infused black tea ice cream that symbolizes wellness; and Unresolved Issues, aka the flavor that never progresses, in the form of an ampalaya sorbet garnished with candied ampalaya.
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