Cheesecake hits: Four delectable twists on a staple sweet

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Whether it is light and fluffy or soft and creamy, the cheesecake has become a staple dessert in many restaurants and cafes. Last month on “Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho,” the team sought out unique variants of this sweet.

The basic ingredients may be the same – cheese, sugar, and eggs – but adding a different fruit or using Pinoy cheese makes for an exciting twist to the classic dessert.

KMJS’ search took the team all over Metro Manila and even reached the seaside town of Balayan, Batangas for several noteworthy takes on the sweet dish.

Sweet and salty



Although he trained in the renowned Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and interned in New York, Chef Gregory Guy wanted to highlight traditional Filipino flavors in his dishes when he returned to the country. The result is a cheesecake using the star of the Noche Buena – queso de bola.

“We have a queso de bola, ube, chocnut, dulce de leche and barako coffee cheesecake, and among all five, the queso is the bestseller,” explained Chef Gregory.

While his cheesecake is soft and light, the queso de bola gives a salty snap to your palate – a contrast that meshes really well.

It also helps that Chef Gregory is generous with the queso de bola, making sure that it is evenly combined with the cream cheese.

Combining the sweet with the salty, he says, is popular nowadays because it helps bring out the natural flavors of the ingredients.

“Normally ang cheesecake ay matamis. So ang queso de bola [cheesecake] matamis siya pero kasi may buo-buo siyang keso sa loob. So sa kada kagat mo may matamis at may maalat. It's a perfect balance of sweet and salty,” he said.

And with the holidays fast approaching, Chef Gregory’s queso de bola cheesecake makes for a lovely Christmas present, with a whole nine-inch cake worth P1,200. Order one at Cheesecakes by Guy, Chef Gregory’s cheesecake joint, at the second floor of Eastwood Mall.

Triple berries



Chef Hasset Go, meanwhile, decided to use different kinds of berries for his French restaurant Le Jardin’s signature dessert – the mixed berries cheesecake.

Instead of serving blueberry cheesecake common in every coffee shop and restaurant, Chef Hasset incorporates strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries in his creations.

“Nangyari na ‘yung French partner namin, sabi niya, marami raw sa kanila sa France na mga raspberry, blackberry or strawberry,” said Chef Hasset. ”So, sabi ko, sige, baka gagawa na lang ako ng isang cheesecake na halo-halo lahat ‘yung mga klase ng berries na ‘yun.”

To make the recipe more special, Chef Hasset doesn’t use cream cheese from the grocery. Instead, he makes his own from scratch. This makes the mixed berries cheesecake rich and sweet with each berry’s flavor subtly manifesting with every bite.

“Parang festive ‘yung dating, parang nagpa-party sila sa bibig mo once na natikman mo,” explained Chef Hasset.

Each slice of the mixed berries cheesecake costs P160, while a whole cake will set you P1,500. Sample one at Le Jardin, located at the Penthouse level of the W Fifth Avenue Building at Bonifacio Global City.

Affordability at its best



Everyone who grew up in Balayan, Batangas has probably eaten at Agot’s at one point in their lives. While the crispy pata, kare-kare, and fried chicken are their bestsellers, it is the restaurant’s simple blueberry cheesecake that has been making customers return to Agot’s.

According to Catherine Pegenia, the restaurant's owner, she and her husband deliberately priced their dessert at just P35 per slice.

“Noong una po, ang reaction ng mga tao sa P35 ay hindi masarap kasi napakamurang halaga. Pero nung na-try po nila ‘yung cheesecake namin, nasabi nila na, ay ‘yung P35 sobrang sulit kasi medyo ka-level nung mga cheesecake sa Manila,” she said.

It took Catherine 15 tries, however, to perfect the current recipe that she learned from a friend.

“Nag-aral ako mag-bake. Tapos ako na gumagawa ng mga cake namin for all occasions. And then naisip kong mag-bake din ng something na pwedeng i-offer every day,” she explained.

The final recipe has resulted in a blueberry cheesecake that’s sweet and thick and yet light on the tummy. Grab a slice at 168 Palikpikan Street corner Paz Street, Balayan, Batangas.

Sweet solution



But if you’re the type who can’t finish a whole slice of cheesecake, Cupcakes by Gremlin along Maginhawa Street has formulated a sweet solution for you.

Instead of baking full-sized cakes, Cupcakes by Gremlins’ owner Ogilvy Cruz developed a version that is literally the size of cupcakes.

“Hindi namin nauubos before kasi ‘yung isang malaking cheesecake so natitira lang siya, nai-spoil lang,” explained Ogilvy. “[Kaya] gumawa kami ng maliliit na [version], cupcake-style.”

The cheesecake cupcakes come in different flavors: blueberry, dulce de leche, and Oreo.

You can also get one with no toppings or you can be adventurous with the Bailey’s-infused variety.

At P60 each, these sweet, little treats will surely satisfy your cravings while not being too heavy on the tummy.

Cupcakes by Gremlins is located at 100 Maginhawa Street, Teacher’s Village, Quezon City.---BMS/ARP