Indulgence Redefined with Milkmaid

I am a fan of Chef Miko Aspiras, one of the most brilliant pastry chefs in Manila, and probably in Asia and the world. Known for his refreshing take in sweet treats, you might remember him with the quirky and quite revolutionary ice cream flavor ketchup and mayo. And this time around, Milkmaid, the premium condensed milk that we grew to love and perhaps get addicted to, has challenged the young innovative chef to come up with desserts that would redefine how we describe the word indulgence. 

Indulgence has always been defined as an excess of something and there's a saying that anything in excess is bad. But Chef Miko wanted to use the word to depict treating one's self to something good, or even great. 

Inspired by professional shopper Mika Lagdameo and world traveler Maggie Wilson, Chef Miko whipped up two great desserts that represent these two ladies. 

Chai Tea Floral Tres Leches Cake was Chef Miko's delectable interpretation of Maggie's fondness for Europe. He beautifully blended Italian, Japanese and Moorish elements and came up with a tres leches chiffon cake with layer after layer of different flavors from candied pistachio and Japanese toragashi then topped with mascarpone whipped cream and infused with chai tea (in droppers). 

I fell in love with this cake's complexities. Each bite was bursting with various flavors yet none overpower the rest. It was a marvelous harmony of tastes from East to West.

Mika Lagdameo's passion for shopping and fashion in particular inspired Chef Miko to come up with Tropical Fruit Pastillas Cheesecake. 

Its familiar local flavor made it an instant favorite to many. The strong taste of milky sweet pastillas complemented by the zesty lemon cheesecake and fruits like watermelon and lychee made this dessert classic yet dynamic, something we see a lot in the retail world. 

Both made with Milkmaid as a core ingredient, expect to be transported back to the good ol' days with its delectable sweet creamy and milky taste!

These two desserts sure inspired me to come up with my own dessert. Perhaps not as intricate as Chef Miko's picturesque cakes but I could always start with something simple like yema and add a bit of edge to it (which I have yet think about). 

These two cakes are available until September 30, 2018, Sunday at Le Petit Souffle, Century City Mall. So hurry!