Pinoy desserts 2.0!
New York’s M Bakery has put itself on the Metro Manila map for its famous desserts—namely, the Banana Pudding. Last year, M Bakery Philippines decided to reinvent their best-seller with a Filipino twist, showcasing the Choc Nut banana pudding.
With the same Filipino flair, the BGC bakery welcomes the summer with its latest confectionery creations infused with distinctly Filipino flavors. If you loved their classic offerings, you’ll be pleased to try their reinvented local desserts for the new season.
For some citrusy goodness, enjoy their Calamansi Cupcake (₱165/piece) and Calamansi Muffin (₱185/piece). Their zesty Calamansi cupcake is topped with meringue icing. Meanwhile, their Calamansi Muffin is made with rich butter-based batter, fresh calamansi juice, and a pinch of calamansi zest.
Their Mango Jamboree (₱325/slice) also takes the cake—made with pecan shortbread crust, layers of cream cheese, and whipped cream filling. It’s then topped with chunks of sweet Philippine mangoes for an absolutely refreshing summer dessert.
If you’re looking for something similar to their Choc Nut banana pudding hit, you might want to get a load of their Choc Nut cupcake (₱165), too! Filled with Choc Nut spread and topped with Choc Nut buttercream & Choc Nut chunks, M Bakery’s reinvented cupcake will bring back childhood memories.
There’s no denying that the Philippines has so many flavors to offer, which is why we’ll be heading over to M Bakery to indulge in their unique desserts. If anything, we’re excited to see what else they have in store!
For more information on M Bakery Philippines and their latest offerings, check out their Facebook page and Instagram account.
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G/F One Bonifacio High Street, 5th Ave, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig
(02) 8847-9829
Filipino creativity at its finest is what best describes this list. These desserts ultimately aim to offer familiarity with a few surprising touches just to keep us on the edge of our seats and have its own unique identity—one that hopefully resonates well with foodies.
13 of Manila’s Best Reinvented Filipino Desserts
Update: Check out our new Buy 1 Get 1 deals this week!
It’s a hit and miss when it comes to new dishes, but here are a few hybrids that have received enough attention to be noticed. It’s still the classic desserts we’ve all grown up loving but with a unique and delicious twist.
Puto Bumbong
A sought after delicacy during Christmas season, Puto Bumbong is a purple-colored, steamed glutinous rice cooked in bamboo that’s served with muscovado sugar, margarine and shredded coconut.
Puto Bumbong with Buco Jelly – Neil’s Kitchen
One of Neil’s Kitchen’s unique dessert creations is their Puto Bumbong with Buco Jelly and Toasted Coconut.
Also check out: Lia’s Cakes in Season‘s Puto Bumbong Cupcake
Insider tip: Enjoy up to ₱200 off your bill!
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Chocnut
Way back when life was more laid-back and all we had to worry about was doing our homework, we all enjoyed a couple of sweets here and there, and there were a few candies we’re all guilty of buying at the nearest sari-sari stores. Some of these are Choc-Nut, X.O, MikMik, Monami, Butter Ball, Flat Tops, La-La and Haw Haw.
Chocnut Torte – Florabel
Florabel is a Western-Filipino restaurant serving a mix of both cuisines. Both their Quezo de Bola Cheesecake and Chocnut Torte are picture-perfect desserts you’d want to take several photos of for your Instagram feed.
Also check out: Romulo Cafe’s Chocnut Ice Cream, Moonshine PUB’s Chocnut Cheesecake
Insider tip: Enjoy up to ₱200 off your bill!
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G/F Estancia Mall, Capitol Commons, Meralco Ave cor. Shaw Blvd, Kapitolyo, Pasig
(02) 8667-3220; (02) 8638-7527; (0917) 568-1046
Turon
Turon, or also known as Lumpiang Saging, are deep-fried banana or jackfruit rolls, dusted with sugar, and often eaten as merienda or dessert.
Turon con Leche – Locavore
Serving reinvented dishes partnered with French techniques, Locavore prides itself for using mostly organic ingredients in all of their dishes. While you’ve probably seen photos of their mouthwatering Sizzling Sinigang, their Turon con Leche is a must-try dessert.
Also check out: Kanin Club’s Turon KC ala mode, Unit 27 Apartment Bar+Cafe’s Three-way Turon, 7107 Culture+Cuisine’s Chocnut Turon
Insider tip: Enjoy up to ₱200 off your bill!
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Quezo de Bola
Also known as Edam cheese, Quezo de Bola is shaped like a sphere and coated with red wax. It’s very popular during Christmas season, and is a must-have during Noche Buena.
Keso Flan – Sentro 1771
Sentro 1771 is one of the pioneers in the modern Filipino cuisine scene. A favourite and always a must-order when dining here is their Corned Beef Sinigang. For dessert, their twist on the classic Queso de Bola is their Keso Flan, don’t be fooled, it’s actually cheesecake disguised as leche flan; it’s a no crust cheesecake served with queso de bola and red egg.
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Quezo de Bola Cheesecake – Florabel
Florabel is a Western-Filipino restaurant serving a mix of both cuisines. Both their Quezo de Bola Cheesecake and Chocnut Torte are picture-perfect desserts you’d want to take several photos of for your Instagram feed.
Also check out: Crisostomo‘s Narcisa and Corazon Hispano Filipino’s Quezo de Bola Cheesecake
Insider tip: Enjoy up to ₱200 off your bill!
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G/F Estancia Mall, Capitol Commons, Meralco Ave cor. Shaw Blvd, Kapitolyo, Pasig
(02) 8667-3220; (02) 8638-7527; (0917) 568-1046
Buko Pie
A favorite pasalubong from whenever one travels to Laguna or Batangas, this pie is made with custard and coconut meat.
Young Coconut Pie – Wildflour Cafe + Bakery
Wildflour is cafe and bakery serving continental dishes, specialty breads, and pastries. While they’re known to be the pioneer of serving cronuts here in the Philippines, their famous Coconut Pie, topped with coconut flakes and served with a dripping sauce of creme anglaise, is a new take on our traditional buko pie.
Also check out: Sarsa Kitchen + Bar’s Crispy Buko Pie ala Mode
Insider tip: Enjoy up to ₱250 off your original bill!
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Suman
Suman is a rice cake made from glutinous rice, cooked in coconut milk and wrapped in buri palm leaves. There are several types of suman depending on the province of where it came from, but this delicacy is usually eaten with sugar or latik.
Grilled Buttered Suman with Ube, White Chocolate & Goya Ganache – Kanto Freestyle Breakfast
Also check out: Neil’s Kitchen‘s Fried Suman, Mangga, and Chocnut, Manila Creamery‘s Mangga & Suman ice cream, The Red Crab‘s Sizzling Suman with Latik Sauce, Romulo Cafe‘s Suman sa Latik
No reservations accepted
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Suman ala Mode – 1740 Coffee Genesis
1740 Coffee Genesis prides itself on its home-grown handcrafted coffee. Offering a selection of the best Philippine coffee variants, 1740 Coffee Genesis will surely give you a prime coffee experience you won’t forget.
Insider tip: Buy 1 Get 1 Suman ala Mode for just₱280₱140
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4/F Ayala Malls Feliz, Marcos Hwy cor JP Rizal St, Dela Paz, Pasig
(0966) 722-4475
Pastillas
A milk-based candy, Pastillas are made from carabao’s or cow’s milk and then coated with sugar.
Molten Pastillas Lava Cake – 7107 Culture + Cuisine
7107 Culture + Cuisine’s Molten Pastillas Lava Cake (also featured here) is a refreshing break from the classic lava cake we all love. Instead of chocolate ganache, creamy pastillas serves as the liquid center of this sinful cake.
Reservations are accepted
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G/F Treston International College, 32nd St. cor. C5 Rd, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig
(0917) 807-8023
Taho
Taho is a traditional Filipino street food made of silken tofu, arnibal (sweet sugar syrup) and sago pearls. It can be enjoyed both hot and cold, depending on your preference.
Taho Gelato – BONO Gelato
Bono Artisanal Gelato never fails to amaze us with their unique gelato concoctions, and one of those is their Taho Gelato that’s infused with soy milk, sago pearls, and coco syrup. Taste it for yourself and be wowed.
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Hot Taho – Soya Bar
Soya Bar is a healthy outlet that offers soy-based products such as hot taho, soy-infused beverages, and a variety of healthy meals. Perfect for all types of eaters, you’ll definitely enjoy their tasty beverages and snacks!
Insider tip: Enjoy Buy 1 Get 1 Hot Taho for just₱90₱45
Maja Blanca
This traditional Filipino dessert is made from coconut milk, cornstarch, sugar, and corn. It is usually served during special occasions such as Christmas or birthday parties.
Maja Blanca Panna Cotta – 7107 Culture + Cuisine
7107 Culture + Cuisine is a culinary and hospitality food hall that aims to promote the Filipino heritage through art and modern local food. Their Maja Blanca Panna Cotta is a fusion of two popular desserts, where they used Carabao’s Milk for a soft and silky effect, topped with corn and pinipig.
Reservations are accepted
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G/F Treston International College, 32nd St. cor. C5 Rd, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig
(0917) 807-8023
Halo-Halo
Halo-Halo is a popular dessert made from shaved ice, evaporated milk, and various ingredients like leche flan, ube, gulaman, pinipig, langka, sago, and more.
Fiesta Sorbetes Sundae – Sebastian’s Ice Cream
Boasting unique and imaginative ice cream flavors, Sebastian’s Ice Cream is a local and artisanal ice cream shop constantly striving to give customers a new experience with the frozen dessert. With Filipino-inspired flavors like sapin-sapin, mangga’t suman,and champorado at dilis, Sebastian’s has definitely stood out from the rest. Their Fiesta Sorbetes Sundae includes three scoops of ice cream with toppings like ube fudge and latik crunch served on top of an ube brownie.
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Looks like we didn’t just showcase our nation’s creativity, this big number of unique Filipino desserts is proof enough that we’re all victims of sweet tooth cravings.
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Cover image from Sebastian’s Ice Cream.