Cake Run 10: Love Desserts: Unlimited Desserts Part 3

Welcome to the last of the 3 part series of Love Desserts. It would not be fair if I just featured cakes when the shop has so much more to offer than just that. So here goes nothing.

Dessert Number 1: Black Forest Roll

Visual: Let me catch my breath. This one is quite the sensory overload. It reminds me of a dark tunnel on a snowy day. At the same time, it also reminds me of a mountain wherein the trees have its stems untrimmed and the roots scattered everywhere like a dangerous place for skiers. It is only the red cherry on top that snapped me back to reality that this is dessert treat and not some unknown wilderness that will suck you in with all that swirling darkness.

Taste: Yummy indeed but could have been better. The bread is ordinary tasting but at least it is not dry. Given its black complexion, I expected to taste even just a flavorful of chocolate. The snowy cream and the chocolate flakes kind of made up for the entire taste of the cake. Eaten separately, the chocolate flakes do not taste much but coupled with the cream, they somehow complemented and amplified the taste of each other. The taste reminded me of milk chocolate and how that is my type.

Dessert Number 2: Shot Glass Desserts

We actually have to search for the name of this dessert as we are getting frustrated describing and explaining which dessert treat we are referring to.

                                     “Please get me one of those in the small cup.”

                                                “What cup? The cupcake?”

                                                     You get the point.

Visual: Reminds me of little princesses. Absolutely adorable! Should I go for the red, the yellow or the golden one? Whatever you decide your highness, as long as you maintain your dress white and pristine as a pure soul. Sorry, cannot help but gush.

Taste: As a princess, you are not satisfied with just one but you just have to try them all or if you are into Pokemon, why not catch them all?

The red one is berry but it is artificial so I did not favor it much. If it were not for the cream, I would not have finished it because as much as I am into sweets, I do not fancy eating pure artificial sweets.

The yellow one is mango which I surprisingly liked because I am usually biased when it comes to mangoes. Living in a tropical country where mangoes can already pass as mango ice cream, my standards for this fruit are already at the critical level. I do not really fancy wherein mangoes are literally sugarcoated in mousses or cakes but this one kind of surprised me. I think it has something to do with the mango bits floating on the pudding instead of being submerged into the entire mousse. The mango bits used are of the natural type and the one I usually eat here in my country.

The gold one is quite disappointing to say the least. The graham on top is already soggy and if you do not know what graham tastes like, you will not be able to know it by eating this one. Cream is so-so. Even with the swirl of chocolate encircling the cream, I did not taste anything more than just cream.

Dessert Number 3: Rainbow Cake

Visual: Flamboyant! It can be the official cake of the Pride. It was the first one I have noticed when I visited the buffet table. However, appearance is not everything. I have a certain bias for super colorful desserts that these are usually made of artificial coloring or colored sugar or worst, both. Plus, how can cream be blue? It however is visually appealing so when I did not take a slice, chances are some of my friends would get and true enough, there it is on the plate beside mine and even across mine. 

Taste: And Yes. I ended up taking a bite. Different from what I expected. By the way this is actually the first time I ate a Rainbow Cake given my bias against multi-colored sweets. I expected it to be super sweet with each layer of flavoring fighting for dominance which would just end up chaotically on my taste buds.

So it was not sweet but it is surprisingly bland. I mean it tastes just like your regular cake bread. The sky blue cream also tastes like regular cream. In essence it is just regular cake bread covered with regular cream and somebody was given crayons to color them.

I’m not really in the authority to judge whether this cake is good or not since this is my first time but it definitely awakened my desire to try on a rainbow cake the next time I see one. Who knows I might find the one wherein the taste is a perfect representation of its appealing appearance.

I meant for this post to be humorous to give you guys a boost this lovely Sunday evening in preparation for Monday.

Since the unlimited dessert is quite an experience, I divided the posts into three (3) parts. You may click on the links below for Parts 1 and 2:

Cake Run 8: Love Desserts: Your Unlimited Source of Cakes and other Desserts Part 1
Cake Run 9: Love Desserts: Unlimited Cakes Part 2

Thoughts? Feel free to post a comment below.

Cake Run 9: Love Desserts: Unlimited Cakes Part 2

Welcome to the second part of Love Desserts, your unlimited source of cakes and other desserts. For this entry, I will be doing my usual review of my other romance which are cakes. So let us proceed with our 3 contestants.

Cake Number 1: Cheesecake

Visual: A true sight for sore eyes. Look at how white and creamy this cake is as it is being topped and bottomed by two browns, adding further to its allure. The top brown which are your walnuts are held together by caramel sauce to the point that my tongue is already enjoying the anticipation of biting into this treat.

Taste: Finally, the long wait has come to an end. If you would consider the less than a minute walk from the buffet table to our seating area, a long wait.

First bite and it tastes the way it looks like. Creamy and Alluring that once I finished, I have to get another slice even when I vowed not to get a second serving of the same viand so that I can try everything on the buffet table.

I did not bother separating the layers as I usually do since this cake barely has any save for the dark brown cheese crust below and the white cheesecake itself. All I can say is that the taste did justice to its looks.

Cake Number 2: Mango Cream

Visual: Appealing yes but not that different from how other mango cream cakes look like. It is topped with mango slices and cherry bits covered by gelatin, giving it an illusion of looking through a glass which reminds me of a frozen lake. Surrounded by whip cream at the top and at the bottom layer, made me gave it a chance to try it out since I kind of have a soft spot for creams if you noticed on my posts. Cream plays a heavy role when I judge cakes:)

Taste: Nothing special but yes, it is creamy and reminds me of the mango cream pie that my mom usually buys from Red Ribbon when I was a child. Although it is worth mentioning that the cake itself has a soft texture with a zest of mango flavor. It is something unique about this dessert whereas the usual mango cream I have tasted are either you taste mango or you taste cream but not a combination of both.

Cake Number 3: Bread Pudding

Visual: Initially, I did not really plan on taking a slice but outer coating reminds me of Nutella and that basically sealed the deal for me.

Compared to other cakes served on the buffet table, its appearance pales in comparison and is easily negligible. However, despite its less colorful physique, I still took out my camera and gave it the same celebrity shot I usually give my other cakes.

Taste: Surprisingly good and satisfying. It is yummy yes but does not wow you immediately. You would only get to appreciate its beautiful taste when you savor it slowly. I recommend eating this one slowly and preferably, layer by layer. Reason is because it is made of several layers of thin crepe which have chocolate spread on them so as to make the layers stick together. The chocolate spread apparently is not only limited to the external coating but also evenly distribute across the pudding’s multi layered design.

If you just eat it all at the same time, your palate will just get confused or worst, label it as a bland tasting treat. This was actually my first impression when I had my first bite but since I am into separating cakes, pastries, sandwiches etc into layers when eating them, I discovered a new perspective and a better way of eating this pudding. A pity though that not everyone had the same discovery as mine, judging from the slow refill rate it has in comparison with the other cakes, for the pudding has so much hidden potential; but I guess that is how it is in life. You cannot expect people to take time and unravel your hidden talent, you have to be the aggressive one and make sure that you stand out among the cheesecakes and the mango creams out there. Okay, Lyndsay enough with the drama;)

Since the unlimited dessert is quite an experience, I divided the posts into three (3) parts. You may click on the links below for Parts 1 and 3:

Cake Run 8: Love Desserts: Your Unlimited Source of Cakes and other Desserts Part 1
Cake Run 10: Love Desserts: Unlimited Desserts Part 3

Thoughts? Feel free to share them this Lovely Tuesday Evening. If you feel like philosophizing just like I did in the last sentence, go ahead and share or e-mail me at ultimatelyndsay@gmail.com

Cake Run 8: Love Desserts: Your Unlimited Source of Cakes and other Desserts Part 1

Welcome to another episode of Cake Run. Before we start, let me ask you guys first. What can you buy using your Php200 or USD4? Well, turns out you can treat yourself for a 2 hour eat-all-you-can dessert.

I have so much to share with you guys about this shop that I cannot spill it on one entry so I will do three series part wherein I will first introduce the shop then I will do my usual pure cake review and capped off by a review of their other desserts.

Located in a not so prominent area with a not so modern signage (it still makes use of a panaflex type instead of the modern cut-out LED kind), Love Desserts is one of those hole in the wall establishments that just calls to your adventurous spirit. It definitely leveled up the playing field by offering a unique experience to food lovers out there. 

Concept-Wise: I definitely would give it an all-star rating for its uniqueness. Sure, there are lots of restaurants that offer eat-all-you-can but it is not every day wherein you encounter an eat-all-you-can dessert. 

Value for Money: It has a wide selection of your favorite desserts ranging from the local ones to the worldly renowned types. From your ube (purple yams), kakanin (rice cakes) to your classic cinnamon rolls, cupcakes and colorful cakes, this place is really a must-go for sweet lovers like you and me. For just 4 bucks, need I say more?

More than anything else, I would like to commend the courage and boldness of the owners for venturing into this kind of business idea. Being immersed with a business mindset every now and then, given my family and corporate background, I cannot help but ask the following questions when the reservation lady mentioned that the bill is only Php199 per head: 1) How can you offer so many selections (breads, cakes and ice creams) for such an affordable price? 2) How much should be the volume of people per day or per month for the business to earn profit? 3) Cheaper ingredients perhaps? which can spell the difference in terms of taste

As a customer and avid fan of all things sweet, I can only watch and observe to get a tip of the iceberg information on their business strategy. With my years of tasting different treats, my eyes and tongue can be quite discerning when it comes to determining a good pastry from a bad one. 

While waiting for our turn to be seated, I went around and visually absorbed the dessert buffet just like any first timers would do. I have noticed that most of the pastries like the mini cinnamon rolls, cream puffs and brownies are quite dry looking while the cookies look lanky and lacking. I am not sure if it is because of the ingredients or maybe it has been out in the open for a long time. 

 

However, the cakes and shot glass desserts do not look bad but I would not be too quick to judge until I actually get to taste it. I will do a separate review on the next episode of Cake Run for the cakes that I find delightfully pleasing given that I only have to pay 4 bucks wherein normally, I have to spend 2 to 3 bucks per slice. 

Experience: Not so bad given that you only have to pay peanuts. I am not expecting a 5-star service but the least they can do is to satisfy the basics.  For one, the tables and chairs are too close to each other that it is difficult to move around especially when queuing for the desserts. Second, the utensils are quite old which brought some unfavorable images to mind but I chose to ignore it and focused on enjoying the buffet. Third, there are NO labels on each dessert. I mean, really? For a dessert fan like me, I would definitely not let it pass me to taste something and not know what it is. While my companions did not bother asking, I was a different story. I have to develop a thick skin and ask one of the service ladies who turned out to have a bubbly attitude despite having to attend to many things, much to my relief.

So far, only these three things bothered me slightly but I was actually more focused in experiencing the desserts on my plate and on the buffet table. 

I like the fact that the owners did not scrimp off and provided a full selection of what comprises a complete dessert. Aside from the main course like your pastries and cakes, they also serve unlimited ice cream paired with unlimited toppings of your choice plus bottomless drinks.

Nachos, dynamites (chili cheese sticks) and empanadas (stuffed bread) were served to comfort our palates when the sweetness is just too overwhelming to be quelled by water and tea. I find this very thoughtful of them since normally, buffet operators prefer if customers get fed up faster but in this case, they actually serve light snacks that are mostly salty and spicy to cancel out the sweetness and restarts your appetite to eat more desserts.

Since the unlimited dessert is quite an experience, I divided the posts into three (3) parts. You may click on the links below for Parts 2 and 3:

Cake Run 9: Love Desserts: Unlimited Cakes Part 2
Cake Run 10: Love Desserts: Unlimited Desserts Part 3

Thoughts? What do you think of unlimited desserts?

Have a Lovely Sunday Evening!

Cake Run 7: Xocolat: Red Velvet and Hot Chocolate Cake

Welcome to the 7th episode of Cake Run. For those of you who are a big fan of chocolates, you are in for a treat. The name itself alone spells excitement for chocolate enthusiasts like me that I did not even spare it a second thought to try it out. Everyone deserves a break after attending a six hour long workshop.

Cake Number 1: Red Velvet Cake named “This Red”.

Visual: Typical red velvet with the red breading topped and sandwiched by anything white which is usually cream cheese. I love the red circles on top, making it look like a polka dot in white and red colors.

Taste: I love that there is a tinge of saltiness in it. As I dissect each layer to determine its contribution to the overall taste, I discovered that the white cream on top is actually cream cheese which causes the slight saltiness. Red velvet as a dessert normally is quite sweet so I applaud the makers in using cream cheese to counteract the sweetness. There is also an extra something located on top of the white cream cheese which is a roundish red confectionery. White it is aesthetically attractive, it does not really add value to the overall taste.  

At a glance, you would only think that it is just made of white cream cheese and red velvet bread. As you eat it layer by layer, there is apparently a darkish red cream sandwiched in between the cream cheese and the red bread. It is similar to custard but only harder or it could also be melted chocolate. Overall, it contributed significantly to the perfect blend of saltiness, creaminess and fullness in each bite.

Cake Number 2: That Xocolat Cake. If this is red velvet then that is chocolate (an allusion to Cake Number 1)

Visual: Typical. Chocolate bread topped and coated with dark chocolate cream. It has a white weird line on top but it is apparently, a part of the “X” sign that is designed on top of the cake when you buy the entire thing. Since I only brought a slice, I only got a portion of that “X”, which kind of looks weird.

Taste: It is what its description says, “For the Absolute Chocoholic”. The chocolate on top is not just a simple layer of icing; rather, it is melted dark chocolate judging by its thickness in terms of texture and taste. The chocolate bread is not soft but it is compact.  I can already sense that this treat is an overwhelming mix of chocolate goodness as I feel my teaspoon encountering resistance from the melted chocolate on top down to the chocolate bread.

When I tried dividing the layers, it was easy to do so given the compactness of the bread and the thickness of the melted chocolate in the middle. After successfully separating the layers, I was more than delighted to find out that the middle portion is also made of the same melted chocolate as the one on top of the cake.

Wow, isn’t that just grand for us chocoholics? 

Have a Chocolate-y Sunday! Feel free to comment and share your thoughts on the comment box below. 

Cake Run 6: Mary Grace Café “Unboxing Chocolate Truffle”, the Black Twin

Welcome to the 6th episode of Cake Run. This is the Part 2 of the "Unboxing" series for Mary Grace Cafe. Having the same appearance and same design in which only the color differs, one cannot help but notice the other. So after buying the Black Velvet, I decided right then and there that I would purchase its twin, the Chocolate Truffle, the next time round.

Visual: It looks like a king fully clothed with a lighter brown thick silky cream around its body with the dark brown swirls serving as his crown. I just can't wait to slice it open and see what's inside its regal appearance.

The inside is a play of light and dark brown wherein the light is the truffle and the dark is the chocolate bread. 

Taste: Chocolate-y High! It is bursting with chocolate flavor as you can feel the thickness of the truffle sliding down your palate. Despite the thickness of its cream, you do not experience it sticking at unwanted places inside your mouth. There is just something about the ingredients that Mary Grace uses. 

The horns on top are also made of thick chocolate cream similar to its twin, the Black Velvet. I actually had fun eating the horns as I remove them one by one to savor them better. Eat it together from top to bottom, is like an overload of goodness as you get to experience the taste of three different chocolates: thick chocolate creaminess of the horns, light truffle cream and the chocolate flavored bread.

The Box: The logo embossed on the mini box reminds me of a Mother who enjoys baking and takes pleasure in seeing the alighted faces of her family as they taste her homemade pastries and cakes. The paper bag makes use of a classic tone down brown color that reminds me of soft wood, giving it a feeling of homeliness that we rarely experience at this time. Most of the packaging I encounter are flashy and uses hot colors that literally scream for attention. This one on the other hand, catches your attention as it reminds you of the warmness of home. 

For more pastries and cakes from Mary Grace, see links below:p
Pastry Run 1: Mary Grace Cafe: Ensaymadas and Cheese Rolls
Cake Run 5: Mary Grace Café “Unboxing Black Velvet”, the White Twin
The Experience (Cake Run 25): Mary Grace Dining Experience

Have a Mary Day! Feel free to comment and share your thoughts on the comment box below. 

Cake Run 5: Mary Grace Café “Unboxing Black Velvet”, the White Twin

Welcome to another episode of Cake Run. Today, I will be unboxing one of my favorite cakes from a favorite café of mine called Mary Grace. I previously did a review of Mary Grace in Pastry Run 1, which focuses on their special pastries: the ensaymada and the cheese rolls. After tasting their cakes, I want to do it justice by sharing my tasting experience to fellow cake lovers. 

Visual: Wow, would you look at that white expanse of smoothness. It is like a thick white veil that fully encompasses the entire cake topped with chocolate horns of younglings. Upon closer inspection, the tiny horns are quite lustrous which means that it is composed of heavy chocolate cream. The sight alone is mouthwatering. The Black Velvet reminds me of Snow White with her ivory skin and ebony hair. It is a simple design that is already filling the senses.

The Box: Composed of a red covering with a transparent plastic at the center, it gives a sneak preview of what is inside the box and builds anticipation. The paper bag on the other hand is designed to be simple yet classy due to its tone down brown coloring as opposed to red and gives a warm feeling of homeliness as it reminds me one of those ancestral homes wherein wood is the main component.

Even before enjoying this treat, you can already experience a certain feeling of warmness from the packaging alone.

Taste: If Snow White is the fairest of them all, Black Velvet would surely be the fairest of all of its kind. The white thick veil is apparently cream cheese! I thought it was simple cream all this time which explains the resilience it has from melting since it has been out of the freezer for almost 3 hours after buying it. The cream cheese was unexpected but a pleasant surprise. Since it is dairy, it is quite heavy as opposed to the usual entre of Mary Grace, so it is not for those who are after a light, hearty meal.

Look at the inside, it apparently is composed of chocolate bread which explains why it is called Black Velvet. The wonderful surprise here is the fact that the cream cheese is not just an outside coating but extends all the way in, like it is seeping through each layer of the chocolate breading and solidifying its presence there, giving the cake its full and filling taste.

Plus, you get your money’s worth as the makers did not skimped off the cream cheese and even gave its customers more than what is expected.

This one will really make you feel full given that dairy products are heavy and tough on the stomach. Nevertheless, it tasted heavenly; just don’t forget to share for you definitely cannot eat it in one sitting. I’ve tried and I only get to finish half of it.

For more pastries and cakes from Mary Grace, see links below:p
Pastry Run 1: Mary Grace Cafe: Ensaymadas and Cheese Rolls
Cake Run 6: Mary Grace Café “Unboxing Chocolate Truffle”, the Black Twin
The Experience (Cake Run 25): Mary Grace Dining Experience

Have a Mary Day! Feel free to comment and share your thoughts on the comment box below. 

Cake Run 4: Icing's Bakery and Cafe

Welcome to the 4th episode of Cake Run. For this wonderful Sunday evening, I shall give my two cents on a cake shop called Icing's. For someone like me who is a cream lover, hearing the word "icing" is already a red flag for me to march inside the shop and gaze upon the different selection of cakes.

As my usual dilemma, there are just so many cakes to choose from and I do not want to single handedly pick one and risk not trying out the others so I opted for two different slices. Out of whim, I decided to go for black and pink.

Cake Number 1: Pretty in Pink

Visual: Make no mistake. Contrary to its appearance, pretty in pink can actually be mistaken for a chocolate or a variety of that given the chocolate cream layer on top with matching black and white candy swirl. I think this is actually a marketing scheme of the makers to make one really take a second look at this creation and wonder, where is the pink?

Turns out it is just right below the black blanket of cream. At a glance, the layers are quite diversified. There’s your chocolate on top followed by cream which is then succeeded by strawberry bread, chocolate bread, chocolate cream and concluded by another strawberry breading. So in total, there are just two layers of pink out of the six and yet the pink really comes out in contrast of all the darker colors. Don’t you just love it when creators pull out a stunt like that just to catch your attention twice?

Reminds me of a debut I once attended wherein the color scheme is black and pink which seems strange since the color scheme of girls at my time who are about to come of age is usually pink and purple. Times are changing and eventually, I now prefer black and pink as a combination over pink and purple.

Taste: The taste of chocolate dominated. You have to eat it layer by layer to actually have a better appreciation of the strawberries that pale in taste when eaten altogether with the chocolate. As I delicately separate each level with my teaspoon, I cannot help but feel slightly pity that the creative effort put into making this confection will be put to waste if the taster is not the type who will eat their cake deliberately. The light taste of strawberry flavored bread can easily be ignored while missing out on the custard hidden in between the strawberry and the chocolate bread. What’s more the hidden custard has another hidden secret. It has strawberry bits and how cool is that?

After finishing the cake while taking turns eating the layers altogether and eating it layer by layer, I wished for this cake to have stood out better for its name. It should be obvious that having pretty in pink as a name, the taste should have been focused on the pink parts of the cake which in this case are the strawberries. The taste of the chocolate is not bad at all but I was expecting a perfect blend of black and pink not just in appearance but also in taste.

Cake Number 2: Guiltless Strawberry. We are still talking about pink even in this second cake, given that this one is mainly focused on the strawberry as its primary ingredient.

Visual: The pink cream with red laces that blankets this cake reminds me of one of those Disney princesses when they are wearing their royal gowns. Layer-wise, it is mainly composed your classic strawberries (bread) and cream which is simply repeated creating a total of five layers.

Taste: So, is it really guiltless? I believe it is. It is like eating soft strawberry bread mixed with cream as a filling. It is not filling and you will barely feel full after eating a slice.

Eat the layers at the same time, the taste of the cream dominates. There are two kinds of creams in this cake. The first is the strawberry cream on top and the second one is the regular cream which serves as a layering.

I am not exactly a fan of the strawberry cream given its artificial taste. Even the strawberry bread tasted differently from the one in Pretty in Pink. I think it is because they made use of an artificial sweetener. However, the layers of cream tasted good and are even better than the cream used in Pretty in Pink.

The surprise is not found in the layers. The hidden factor is found on top of the strawberry cream itself. Based on past experiences, red laces on top of cakes are usually made of syrup but for this one, it is made of an extremely thin jelly which could pass off as a line of syrup at a glance.  

The cake may be guiltless but it sacrificed the natural taste of the strawberries. I mean yes, being healthy requires that we eat less sugar but it also means that we eat more natural food and this one needs to improve on that aspect.

May your days be filled with the fullness of Icing! Feel free to comment and share your thoughts on the comment box below. 

Pastry Run 1: Mary Grace Cafe: Ensaymadas and Cheese Rolls

Hello and Welcome to Pastry Run. After having taken trips and side trips to different bakeries, it is almost inevitable to deviate a little from our cakes and be curious once in a while to sink in our sweet tooth in those freshly baked breads/pastries that is equally mouthwatering. This is the first episode for pastry run and the first of the many entries, so stay tune;)

For today’s mouthwatering treat, I will talk about a simple and classic pastry called the ensaymada. An ensaymada is your typical round bread or brioche but topped with butter cream, grated cheese and sugar :-P.

While there are numerous bakeries that sell this classic pastry treat, I decided to commend this café called Mary Grace for leveling up the playing field in terms of taste and quality of the ensaymada.

Visual: Ensaymadas technically do not differ in terms of appearance unlike your cakes and cupcakes but usually it can be differentiated through the design of the grated cheese on top. Some design their cheese in stripes just like the ones used in pasta and some less prominently as shown in the picture above, which makes use yellow roundish bits.

Taste: Heaven of all ensaymadas I have tried so far. The bread texture is soft, fluffy and not dry. The cheese, oh my, is salted and blended well with the bread as it slides down your tongue. I still can’t forget my first bite;-P

It is also the perfect example wherein taste meets quality. By quality, I mean, the maker does not only focus on the taste but also on the impact it has. After eating one, I did not even feel stuffed as the usual case whenever I eat this pastry. It is grilled and light which means that it does not have detrimental effects to your health. What’s more, due to it being surprisingly light, it does not ruin your appetite for dinner, making it a perfect afternoon treat.

Paired with the Classic Hot Chocolate is like an unexpected bonus to your taste buds. Just when you thought that you are already pampered by the yumminess of the ensaymada, you would be surprised for being blessed with the creaminess of the hot chocolate. I just can’t figure out how they do it. An ensaymada and a hot chocolate that is not sweet but tasted exactly as what its name implies, meaning the maker did not skimp on the main ingredients and used less additives such as sugar, cream etc.

Since Mary Grace’s ensaymada does not make you feel full, you can still opt to try their other specialty pastry called the cheese roll.

Visual: Just like their ensaymada, it does not really differ much from any cheese roll that we see. Although, I love the packaging; makes it look classy as you unravel the golden bread from its white skin with Mary Grace embossed on top. Even if you are not in the mood for pastries, the wrapper provides enough excitement to whet your appetite.

Taste: Light, airy with feathery texture similar to the ensaymada. I guess the bread base is similar for both but it’s not so far the best I have tried mainly because I was expecting the taste of the bread to be different from the ensaymada. However, it definitely is also A Grade quality as it does not make use of additives but rather concentrates on main ingredients which are the bread texture and the strip of cheese at the base. I really enjoyed that cheese base.

For more pastries and cakes from Mary Grace, see links below:p
Cake Run 5: Mary Grace Café “Unboxing Black Velvet”, the White Twin
Cake Run 6: Mary Grace Café “Unboxing Chocolate Truffle”, the Black Twin
The Experience (Cake Run 25): Mary Grace Dining Experience

Have a Mary Day! Feel free to comment and share your thoughts on the comment box below.

Cake Run 3: Conti’s Choco Almond Sansrival and Choco Tiramisu

Welcome to another episode of Cake Run. For today’s treat, I will revisit one of the classic bakeries in existent here in my locality. After all, who says that only modern bakeries deserve a chance to get featured in online media?

The Bakeshop is well known for its Mango Bravo which up to now, I still think is the best mango crème sansrival I have ever tasted. But for this entry, I will tackle their other cakes which are quite good but garners less attention in comparison with the Mango Bravo.

Cake Number 1: Choco Almond Sansrival

Visual: Normal looking cake with bread and cream on top but still looks delightful as it gives a soft appearance from the topmost layer to the bottom. The Almonds reminds me of grated cheese on top of an entree of your favorite pasta.

Taste: Almonds are crispy and I just love the combination with the chocolate cream coating. The light brown top layer is soft, creamy and not too sweet. Bottom layer is composed of a sweet yellow pastry filling which you will only notice upon tasting, and tastes similar to the fillings used in éclairs and cream puffs.

However, I have yet to find a sansrival out there wherein the crispiness texture is preserved despite the layers of cream.

Cake Number 2: Chocolate Tiramisu

Visual: I love the brownish round thorns sprinkled with cocoa powder. It kind of reminds you of someone with tough looking personality but who has a soft spot deep down. Layering is divided into components: cream and coffee breading. 

Taste: Breading is soft as expected from all tiramisus but I like that the taste of the breading does not differ across all layers. From past experience, I have encountered tiramisus especially when it was just making its debut into the regular bakeshops, wherein the breading on top is soft and just have the right amount of light sweetness then once you reach the bottom, the texture becomes soggy and too sweet. X-(

Powder coffee is nice but quite normal for all tiramisus. The powder however, provides quite a treat to the taste of the cream that holds the cake structure together.

The three layers of cream and coffee flavored breading made me choose between eating it daintily or shoving it roughly in large amounts. Whatever your preference is, you still get a complete taste of this soft treat whether you eat it in small amounts or large chunks as the first layer of cream and coffee is just being repeated on the latter two layers.

Have a Sweet Day! Feel free to comment and share your thoughts on the comment box below.