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The Little Chef

So today I’m going to write about cakes. Because I love cakes. If they weren’t bad for me, I’ll eat cakes by the truckload. Especially cheesecakes, because they’re made of cheese, and cake (not exactly accurate). To be precise, I’m writing about a cake baker—otherwise known as a pastry chef—I encountered quite by chance.

the pastry chef

Lara dela Torre is the Little Chef, and is a personal friend of Nina. In my mind, she’s what I call a bona fide pastry chef, and is one of the reasons why I remain fat. I have had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of some of her creations, and I can say I am quite impressed.

And by making the acquaintance, I mean demolishing them. Just last week, she sent over a solo choco caramel cheesecake, and I think I devoured at least half of the cake by myself in one sitting. I’d post a photo, but I don’t have any decent shots of the cake before Hurricane Martin happened. But I can tell you this: it is, hands down, my favorite cake to date. I love a good cheesecake that’s not too thick, but has a dense, creamy consistency and a nice Graham crust. It gives a bit of a fight when you cut into it—but not too much that it makes eating it a struggle. The chocolate and caramel toppings of this particular cheesecake were—fittingly—the icing to the cake; it could have just been a normal cheesecake, and I would have been perfectly happy.

She also makes great carrot cakes that’re a bit different from the ones that you’re used to. I don’t now if this was by design, but the mini carrot streusel cupcakes (because they looked like cupcakes; they could just be plain miniature cakes) had a moist, mushy interior that went really great with the toasted exterior. I enjoyed it immensely with my morning coffee, and the streusel, although messy, was a neat addition to the texture of each forkful.

Nina swears by her mango cheesecake (pictured below), although her personal favorite is Lara’s brownie cheesecake, which I have yet to try. Meanwhile, I am looking forward to trying more of her cream puffs later this weekend. I am also interested in what looks like a leche flan cake (I forget what it was called), which is also pictured below. Whatever the case, (or, in this case, whichever the cake), though, I know one thing: the Little Chef is a treat for my personal sweet tooth, and I know I won’t stop buying whatever it is Lara has to offer.

If you’re interested in inquiring about her cakes and prices, her contact details are in the calling card I posted earlier on this post. Meanwhile, you may see more photos of her pastries after the jump.

littlechef_cupcakes

Cupcakes, by The Little Chef

 
littlechef_mangocheesecake

Mango Cheesecake by The Little Chef

 
littlechef_lecheflancake

Leche Flan Cake by The Little Chef

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