A PIECE OF CAKE

As the cover promises, APieceof Cake is “A guide to new classics and modern desserts for home bakers and pastry chefs.” What you'll find within: 50 concepts. Two executions each. 100 reasons to get started with your next dessert masterpiece. Plain and simple (but genius!), that is the sweet collaborative pitch of chefs Miko Aspiras and Aileen Anastacio’s dessert cookbook, which is already on its second print run.

Anastacio took on the classics, applying a modern take to beginnerfriendly classic desserts for everyday bites and special occasions;

Aspiras went with the experimental, developing pastries that call for an advanced skill set and seasoned tastes. “We started with a base recipe in mind and made sure that those components for each dessert were present in both recipes,” explained Aspiras, adding,

“My idea was to feature recipes in two executions: homey and approachable, and the other, modern and avant-garde.”

While it might have been tough trimming town the yummy options to just 50, as per Anastacio, “We were able to narrow it down to both our personal favourites, what we learnt from school,

what we created through years of experience, and we also added a lot of Filipino dessert favourites since the book is also all-Filipino made.”

And what of their favourites? “I love the coconut cake, lemon meringue pie, and s’mores pie recipes,” reveals Anastacio. “I have a lot,” Aspiras jumps in, adding, “But my top three would be the New York cheesecake, tiramisu, and canonigo. As for Filipino dessert lovers, “Some of the Pinoy favourites we included are the sansrival, dayap cake, polvoron, leche flan, and we also featured a recipe for ensaymada with a twist using manchego instead of regular cheddar cheese and we added some jamónserrano.

Miko made his ensaymada with squid ink, cheese filling, and bacon mashed potatoes,” shares Anastacio.

The now Sydney-based Aspiras is the executive pastry chef at the Hilton and remains a partner of the Tasteless Food Group responsible for Scout’s Honor, Le Petit Soufflé, Freezer Burn, Poison, and The Workshop and in

2018 was T.Dining’s Best Pastry Chef. Anastacio manages her companies C’est Si Bon, Corp. and Marmalade Kitchen,

Inc., and is the published author of Home Café and Home-made for the Holidays.

In this collectible volume, you’ll find the winning combination of their seasoned and distinct styles in baking masterfully translated into foolproof recipes, tips, and tricks that are sure to guide you in making your new favourite dessert. A slice of sansrival, perhaps?