Cake Run 17: Aristocrat Bakeshop: "Chocolate Velvet"

Welcome to the 17th episode. After finding out how to commute efficiently from my place to Aristocrat, which was a bakeshop I frequent with my family when I was a child, I seem cannot get out of my head the fond memories of their chocolate cake. On my second visit, I was tempted to go for the classic chocolate cake but I resisted and instead opted for another chocolate cake called the Chocolate Velvet just to try something new. After all, we cannot always stick to our comfort zone, right?

Visual: Is that a bonnet with a ribbon? It does appeal to my childhood as I am reminded of one of those fairy tale characters who frequents a bonnet on their regular getup. The character's hair is curled tied into a ponytail while using a large ribbon hairpiece to keep it in place. The ribbon tresses are neatly tied leaving no strands of hair amiss.

Taste: Fabulously Unique! It is chocolate but it is truly one of its kind. It does not taste like your usual classic milk or dark chocolate that is usually used in cakes. Gunned down with a spoon, it is sticky and chewy but smooth like silk to the taste and once swallowed, it never fails to create an impact as it does not melt easily <insert picture>. It is strong till the very end. However, it does not differ from the taste of their classic chocolate cake. I was hoping that naming it "velvet" will spell the difference.

Composed of two layers of chocolate bread held together by the very same chocolate used for its exterior coating, it is indeed a cake that every chocolate lovers must try. You will appreciate that the chocolate bread do taste like one as opposed to other chocolate cakes that has the taste of their breading pale in comparison with the overpowering taste of its own icing or cream. 

Topped with ribbon tresses of swirling whites and blacks, I cannot help but commend for not skimping off the chocolate even with just the ornaments. The so-called tresses is not just made of candy but is also chocolate. 

The chewiness of the chocolate is further emphasized as you try to eat the ribbons separately, the chocolate just sticks to it, leaving you no choice but to eat it at the same time. I really love how clingy and protective the chocolate coating is, as it ensures that for every bite you take, you will not be left wanting with just the bread. Don't you just hate it when you are forced to eat cake that is like only 20% cake and 80% bread? I mean if I am going to eat bread, why would I buy cake in the first place?

The downside however is that the cake itself is too sweet. Usually the ornaments are your usual life saver in contradicting the overpowering taste of the main cake such as adding nuts, sprinkling with really thin swirls of chocolates or just stick with dark chocolate, but for this, the ribbon ornament is even sweeter than the cake itself. Only at this level do I see a slight difference from the classic chocolate cake, the topping or the ornaments for the classic one are roses with green leaves which tasted like chocolate mixed with icing. Perhaps I might do a separate episode for that one. Let's see.

Have an Aristocratic Tuesday. Feel free to share your  comments and insights.

Cake Run 16: Portobello "Red Velvet Cheesecake" Part 2

Welcome to the 16th episode of Cake Run. Another cake from the cute pastry counter in the middle of a bustling mall will be featured in this entry. Since the shop only offers a few selection of cakes, around 4 different kinds to be exact, I cannot shy away from the red velvet once again. 

However, this is a level up to the other red velvets I have tried as it cheesecake. As a cake lover, you cannot not have a special place in your heart for cheesecakes.

Visual: Purity! How can you be so white and yet so red? It reminds me of an office lady who commands the presence of her entire staff via domination of the white blazer and white heels. It really does flash a vivid picture of that kind of lady this cake represents.

In contrast with other red velvets wherein there is only a play of white and red colors, this one poses its identity as being a cheesecake by having its presence sponged in between the reds and the whites. Imagine boss lady coming into work wearing gold bangles around her wrist. Wouldn't that be a delight?

Taste: 3 in 1 package deal. I love it! You have cream, red velvet and cheese...what more can you ask for? The white cream is quite a disappointment. I was expecting it to be cheesy cream but it tasted like ordinary cream with a little after taste. The red velvet has a good texture and has a presence that does not lose with its neighboring layers. Usually, it is quite challenging to bring out the taste of the breading as the cream, icing, cheese, crust and the like tries to dominate your palate but this one was able to stand out amidst its formidable foes. The cheese is quite good with its soft texture but it is sadly ordinary tasting, meaning lots of cheesecakes employs the same type of cheese. Plus, I was looking for the salty factor that usually surprises your taste buds and is a presence in the most revered red velvets.

Have Velvet-y Sunday . Feel free to share your playful comments and insights. For those of you who are into chocolates, you might be interested to check their Chocolate Ganache. 

Cake Run 15: Portobello "Chocolate Ganache" Part 1

Welcome to the 15th episode of Cake Run. Coming across a mini pastry shop in the middle of a bustling mall is quite a feat and a feast to one's eyes. At a glance, you would not get hooked with the pastries but rather with the shelves of designs reminding you of a lady's room. 

It is quite obvious as to which particular market the makers are targeting, which according to my tastes, is quite successful. Before I know it, I was already browsing the cookies, pastries and of course the cakes that this pastry counter has to offer. 

Cake selections are quite few but it has to take more than just quantity as a criteria for me to judge whether a pastry shop is worth a shot.

Chocolate Ganache

Visual: Looks Filling! The thickness of the chocolate ganache almost resembles the chocolate breading. The surface resembles a bed of flower petals, glamoring the cake further enriching its taste through its looks.

Taste: Delightful! The breading has a soft texture but is quite compact so it is very filling. The ganache as expected is creamy and would surely make you want more. However, having tasted lots of chocolate cakes that makes use of ganache, it has to take more than just that for me to consider it special or unique. But given the price and the not so little slice, you can consider it as a chocolate cake worth its name.

Feel free to share your playful comments and insights. Stay tune for Part 2:)

Cake Run 14: Aristocrat Bakeshop: The Checkmate Cake

Welcome to the 14th episode of Cake Run. From a simple family restaurant that expanded its wings to cater to the modern taste of the masses, Aristocrat remains an all-time favorite for family gatherings and special events including Father's, Mother's and even Grandparents' Day. It is a dining option wherein everyone is sure to enjoy given its lifespan of 3 generation (nearing 4 generations) standing of offering one of the best local cuisine.

As a child and even in my later years when my grandmother was still alive, we frequent this restaurant and fond memories of this restaurant made me revisit after a long time to once again have a taste of my childhood.

My all-time favorite is their chocolate cake but after becoming a certified cake lover, I have to expand my horizon and accommodate other flavors and designs. Allow me now to introduce the game of cakes called Check-It-Out.

Visual: Check Mate! No wait, a Rubik's cube perhaps. I cannot help but feel guilty for having to eat it soon as I have this urge to preserve its shape and save it as a decorative ornament in the house. Sadly, I have to focus and think that this is a cake and it is meant to be eaten or disposed of if not eaten after a couple of days. Boy, I do hate food wastage. It just goes against my principle.

Point aside, this cake's appearance reminds me of a chessboard not to mention the makers intent for it to be thought of that way, given how they named it. Instead of black and white like your usual chessboard, it is composed of light brown which I think is mocha and dark brown which looks to be chocolate flavor.

Slice through the outer layer from the top to the bottom until it resembles a fountain, you will end up with more playful alternatives. I then got the idea, "What if I try opening up all four corners and see for myself what colors it would reveal?" It sounded ridiculous but I gave it a shot and turns out, all four corners have different color combination. Each corner is composed of two layers with a brown icing to connect the two layers of bread similar to chiffon.

Outer Corners	Top	Inside Top	Inside Down
2 Dark Browns A	Light Brown	White Bread/Chiffon	Dark Bread/Chiffon
2 Light Browns A	Dark Brown	Dark Bread/Chiffon	White Bread/Chiffon
2 Dark Browns B	Light Brown	Dark Bread/Chiffon	White Bread/Chiffon
2 Light Browns B	Dark Brown	White Bread/Chiffon	Dark Bread/Chiffon

I actually had fun doing this.

Taste: Mmmm....savory and smooth. It is your classic cake that is just pure icing and breading inside. The bread's texture is not dry which is a plus, but the taste pales in comparison due to the sweetness of the icing. The light brown icing is actually mocha and the dark brown is chocolate. 

Delving inside, it is difficult to distinguish if you are eating the chocolate (dark bread) or the mocha (white one) bread as the icing's taste is overpowering. Actually, the sales staff was even saying that the breading is like a play between chocolate and lemon but I just assumed that the white bread is mocha, following the logic that the flavor of the icing is similar to the flavor the breading. I compared it to chess wherein the board is just black and white and the pieces are nothing more, nothing less than that.

  

  

Have an Aristocratic Tuesday. Feel free to share your playful comments and insights

Cake Run 13: Dolce Latte Cafe Gourmet Bakeshop Part 2: Valrhona Earl Grey Cheesecake

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.

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. 

Cake Run 12: Dolce Latte Cafe Gourmet Bakeshop Part 1: Valrhona Chocolate Crunch

Welcome to the 12th episode of Cake Run. Today, we will be talking about a very unique and highly specialized chocolate cake being served at Dolce Latte. True to its name as a hidden gem in a wide selection of cafes and bakeshops sprouting across a dessert loving country, Dolce Latte is a place worth the one and a half long travel. 

The Main Star: "Valrhona Crunch"
I actually thought that Valrhona is a type of chocolate so when I asked the sales staff, she just told me that it is an imported chocolate. I did my research and it apparently is a company that plants their own chocolates in France and processes it for consumption. What pique my interest is not that it is imported but the fact that this brand invests in making its own chocolates which means one thing: they are after quality and uniqueness. You may check their website here.  

The fact that Dolce Latte employed the usage of a premium chocolate is already a telltale signs that quality and taste is already guaranteed. 

Visual: A True Princess! As if seeing it through the glass display is not enticing enough, it has to be served on dark rectangular plate that looks to be made of marble or polished stone. Adorned with chocolate beads and rained by cocoa powder that looks like sequins with a halo at its back, I feel star struck by just being in its presence.

Taste: A True Artisan Chocolate! It is truly unique and specialized with the topmost portion not being your usual chocolate icing but made of true dark chocolate. It is succeeded by a thicker layer of brown chocolate which has similar texture and a slightly lighter taste. The sensation on your palate is akin to that of freshly cooked chocolate that has not yet been molded for any pastry or cake

The base has peanuts embedded on a caramelized chocolate which explains the crunchiness. It tasted like Ferrero Rocher and it is amazing how it was able to preserve the crispiness. I have tasted several Ferrero chocolate cakes but the taste was subpar. It is usually just cake with Ferrero chocolate that has lost its brittleness due to long periods of exposure. For this cake, I do not think that they actually used Ferrero for the base but the taste is similar to that and can actually be a model for makers of Ferrero Cakes. 

If you cannot get enough of Dolce Latte, stay tune for Part 2 with another surprise cake from Dolce Latte which is none other than the Valrhona Earl Grey Cheesecake.

Have a Dolce Thursday! Feel free to share your comments and thoughts.

Cake Run 11: Lucca Bakery

Can’t believe that 11 episodes of Cake Run has been written. Getting to know that there are people out there who share the same passion as you is truly a blessing and a delight. As you spend time browsing on each pictures and liking them, know that you are already making a difference by making us, authors feel appreciated. Without further ado, let’s put on our running shoes and visit what the Lucca Bakery has to offer.

                           

Cake Number 1: Peanut Butter Pie

How many bakeries actually serve peanut butter pie? The name alone is already an eye-catcher so I definitely bought one.

Visual: The wavy peanut butter spread on top reminds me of a shore wherein you can still step foot on the sand beneath the waters. The nuts resemble your corals that serve as a last hint before you get submerged into deep seawater.

Taste: A peanut butter pie indeed! Yes, the pie has peanut butter flavor but you can still taste actual peanut butter spread. As I investigate the layers, I found out that this pastry makes use of two kinds of peanut butter. If you were to base it on looks alone, you can easily assume that the spread on top is peanut butter but no, it is actually chocolate spread. The peanut butter flavor is actually a tiny thin layer sandwiched in between the chocolate spread and the pie itself. You actually have to taste it before concluding that there is peanut butter flavor there

But how were they able to make the taste of peanut butter dominate given its barely noticeable presence?

In the pie itself, there are brown bits encrusted which is what you call peanut butter spread. Yes, it is similar to the one we are using on our bread loaves.

It is then concluded with an Oreo based crust and this cookie says it all. No one could go wrong with Oreo! Also, since the taste of peanut butter and Oreo is quite distinct, I recommend eating it separately for they do not really complement each other; rather they are at war as to which one of them will dominate on your palate.

Cake Number 2: Red Velvet

I don’t know but I have a certain fixation with red velvet pastries just last month. It was triggered when one of my colleagues brought one at the office and since her desk is just right in front of me, I have to pass by it every time I have to go out. Plus, it is RED! I mean if I were not seduced by it before, it definitely has for the last couple of weeks. Talk about visual reminder.

Visual: What a tall tall one you have! When I chose to buy the slice, I did not expect to be gifted with a five layer bread paired with five layers of cream cheese in between. There is a pulverized red crust to give the cake its red appearance when viewed upfront. Other than being tall, it looks like your typical red velvet cake.

Taste: It has more bread than cream. You can barely taste the cream cheese despite it being sandwiched across the five layers. It looks typical and tastes typical but at least it is not too sweet. I kind of dreaded not finishing the slice when it was served but thankfully, it is the not so sweet type of red velvet so it just felt like eating chiffon cake.

Enjoy a Lucrative Friday at Lucca Bakery. Thoughts? Feel free to post a comment below.