Welcome to the 13th episode of Cake Run. While I made it appoint to myself to try as many different bakeries as possible, I cannot help but want to repeat my visit at Dolce Latte. As much as I am tempted to order the Valrhona Crunch once again, I decided to try their Earl Grey Cheesecake.
At first I was hesitant because I have experienced tasting Earl Grey Cheesecakes before twice and concluded that Earl Grey cannot be made into a Cake. However, the sales lady was so persistent and she was the same person who recommended the Valrhona Crunch last time, so I kind of trusted her judgment. Plus, I won’t deny the fact that it was the only cake they serve next to Valrhona Chocolate Crunch that has Valrhona in its name. It is specifically called Valrhona Earl Grey Cheesecake.
For those of you who have not yet read the first part of this entry, I would give you a brief description of what Valrhona is. Yes, it is a type of chocolate planted by the manufacturers themselves which is named Valrhona. The fact that it plants and harvests its own chocolates is a telltale sign that it is truly a quality gourmet type of chocolate. I am not usually the type to get impressed just because a product has a foreign name, but I was able to believe in this brand when my palate got into contact with this fine fine piece of chocolate via the Valrhona Crunch.
Visual: Simply Elegant! Its allure is similar to that of a natural beauty that highlights its two major assets: the Valrhona Chocolate on top and the Cheesecake at the bottom. It does not feel the need to decorate itself with lots of cosmetics or icings in this case to make it look appealing. Although it does not hurt to add an ostentatious white and brown hat on its head---after all, we cannot just rely on being purely simple. Simple with a touch of ostentatious in the right place is equivalent to natural allure.
Taste: Burst of Flavors! It has equal levels of taste which is difficult to achieve as usually one layer dominates the other but in this case, the chocolate and cheese are fighting for dominance with a tinge of orange that serves as a referee, so you get to taste both at one time on your palate. Who would have thought that a cheesecake topped with chocolate can be a perfect match, especially given the cheesecake is of a tea-ish flavor. Good Job, Dolce Latte!
To scrutinize the flavors behind this sweet treat, dividing each layer can be quite challenging given that the cheese portion really sticks to its neighboring layers. The technique is to not fight it but just scoop it up entirely as if you are eating across all layers. Once it sticks to your spoon, you eat it layer by layer. For instance, this one is composed of three layers: Valrhona chocolate on top followed by a white cheesecake then ended with a green cheesecake. So, when you scoop it up with your spoon, the Valrhona is at the back with the green cheesecake at the tip of your utensil. That’s how I divided it.
The topmost layer which is the Valrhona chocolate is already a given gem so I will focus on describing the cheesecakes itself by starting off with the middle portion. The middle portion has a texture similar to your classic cheesecake but has a tinge of tangy taste. It then dawned on me that there are apparently orange flakes on top of the cake which explains the tanginess. At first I thought, it was just one of those candy sprinkles that do not really add value to the overall taste. Boy, was I proven wrong. It is apparently dried orange pulp. How cute! Perhaps, it is meant to oppose the overpowering tastes of the chocolate and the cheesecake. After all, these two pack quite a personality in the world of sweets.
If that has piqued your interest, wait until we reach the bottom green cheese crust. This is actually where it started tasting like tea. I guess this is where the earl grey portion is concentrated. What gave this cake a lasting impression is the sesame bits encrusted within this layer. It reminds me of the kiwi fruit but the taste is definitely a level up to the usual cheesecakes.
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| Left: Valrhona Earl Grey Cheesecake; Right: Valrhona Crunch |
Have a Dolce Sunday! Feel free to share your comments and thoughts. Curious on what is the cake on the right? That my friends, is the Valrhona Crunch.
