SHERRY Yard said it best: “Baking is both an art and a science.”
While cooking doesn’t need proper measurements, baking on the other hand, is a tedious and meticulous process that needs everything in exact measurement—down to the very last milligram.
Research, practice tasting and a lot more practice are the holy trinity in baking and these are also the three steps that made Jenna Estella, winner of Best Brownies in SunStar’s Best of Cebu 2020.
“I started making brownies last year around the end of April or early May. When my son asked me to make some, that was the first time I made brownies that didn't come out of a box from the supermarket. So I delved into Google, YouTube, recipe books and old cooking magazines,” Jenna said.
Similar to a mad scientist in a lab, Jenna worked nonstop in the kitchen. Feedback from her friends also helped her achieve the addictingly delicious brownies.
During the enhanced community quarantine in 2020, Jenna thought about selling the brownies. Of course, this came from a great deal of encouragement from her friends and family. However, there was one major factor that hindered her from blessing Cebu with the best brownies: her son.
“He didn't want to sell it at first since he wanted it all for himself and I’m serious!” Jenna said with a laughing emoji attached to the email.
Thank goodness her son gave her his blessing!
Winning SunStar’s Best of Cebu, Best Brownies 2020 was a pivotal moment for Jenna.
“I couldn't believe it. Me? I won? Really? I cried. Happy tears, I was proud, overwhelmed, shocked, I was pinching myself. Honestly, until today I sometimes stand in disbelief.”
She went on to say it “definitely” made 2020 a year she would never forget.
Jenna’s list of clientele expanded, allowing her to make a lot of new friends and even had strangers convert themselves into “suki” or regulars.
“Personally, every order I now get, especially with new customers, I get butterflies sending their orders to them, hoping that my brownies live up to the expectation of being the best in Cebu. I still ask for feedback with every box I send. I welcome feedback. I still feel we always have room to grow, learn and improve.”
If you’re wondering what makes these brownies perfect, here’s a visual description.
It starts with a thin, delicately crisp layer of brownie on top. It’s actually just the top batter that’s sort of separated during the baking process. When you bite into it, whether immediately or just after a couple of days of it chilling in the fridge, you sink your teeth into these soft, molten yet dense brownies.
As insane as it sounds, each bite starts melts almost like butter but also has a bounce to it every time you chew. There’s nothing else quite like it.
Not convinced? Order yourself a box of Molten Fudge Brownies from Cocina Estella. Taste it to believe it! (RDR)