A Slice of home-baked goodness

LONG before fast food franchises hit Cebu, the Alvarez family owned Pollo Frito, a fried chicken place and Pan Y Pastelles, a bread and pastries shop. But when they closed, Marisse Sy decided to venture on her own and put up Marisse Patisserie, a home-based business run out of their Montebello Court residence.

“I wanted to provide desserts for people like me who are very particular with having good desserts after a meal,” this wife/entrepreneur says.

Though she has been baking since she was a kid, she added to her knowledge by undergoing a one-week training in Bangkok with a French pastry chef and taking short courses in the Wilton School of Cake Decorating and Confectionery Art in Chicago.

She gives a nod to her Spanish heritage by coming up with catchy names for her desserts using the language.

For instance, she calls their bestseller pecado mortale, which is inspired by enjoying this cake like “sin on a plate.” Two layers of dark chocolate frosting on top and in the middle of the cake has the right mix of sweet and bitter. Its sides are covered with cashew brittle and dusted with cocoa powder on top. The crunch of the nuts, combined with the caramel coating and the chocolate frosting, puts a twist to an old favorite. It is sinfully good!

Another must-try is the frozen brazo de mercedes. This dessert has layer after layer of melt-in-your-mouth goodness starting with a graham crust base, followed by a layer of vanilla or chocolate ice cream, another layer of egg yolk filling and topped with a foamy meringue. No wonder some customers hand-carry it all the way to Manila for pasalubong (bring-home).

Those with an adventurous palate can try their French macaroons, with interesting flavors like wasabi, spicy chocolate and passion fruit. When one bites into the wasabi macaroon, it doesn’t have that kick expected of the Japanese paste, even as one can sniff its strong smell in the filling. The same goes for the spicy chocolate version.

Instead of a stinging heat, a mellow menthol-like feel seeps in one’s mouth. Sticklers for tradition can always fall back on chocolate, which is always a crowd pleaser, if not strawberry or pistachio.

Health buffs can opt for the carrot nut cake, which has grated carrots, crushed pineapple, walnuts, raisins and cinnamon. A refreshing slathering of cream cheese icing makes a slice of this crumbly and crunchy cake unforgettable.

Whatever dessert you choose, it will have that taste of home-baked goodness only mothers know how to make.