Banana Loaf

Makes 2 to 3 (8x4-inch) loaves

Prep Time 30 minutes
Baking Time 35 to 40 minutes

1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
2 cups mashed sweet ripe bananas
1/2 cup crushed pineapple
1/2 to 3/4 cup chopped walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Prepare 2 or 3 (8x4-inch) loaf pans.
2. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and whisk until thoroughly combined. Transfer
to a large sheet of parchment paper.
3. Using an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, combine the two sugars and mix at low speed.
4. Add butter and slowly increase speed to medium; continue beating until light and airy.
5. Add vanilla extract, and then add the eggs one at a time.
6. At the lowest speed, add flour mixture slowly.
7. Increase speed to medium and beat for about 3 to 5 minutes.
8. Fold in bananas, pineapples, and walnuts. Pour into prepared pans until three-fourths full.
9. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until top center springs back when lightly touched.

Banana S'mores

Serves 4
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cooking Time 10 minutes

4 pieces graham crackers, cut into squares
3 ripe bananas (lacatan), sliced diagonally
6 large marshmallows, sliced in half
1 dark chocolate bar, melted
(or cut into small pieces for topping)


1. Preheat oven to 400F (broil setting).
2. Place graham cracker squares on a baking sheet, and top each with a sliced banana and a
marshmallow.
3. Broil with the oven door ajar until marshmallows turn slightly golden brown, about 45 seconds
to 1 minute.
4. Remove from oven and drizzle with melted dark chocolate. If desired, you can do as we did and
place a piece of chocolate on top of each marshmallow, then broil for about a minute or until
chocolate melts. Serve while hot.
Choco-melting tip: You can melt dark chocolate in a microwave. Just place it in a microwave-
safe bowl and zap on medium for 1 minute.


Basic Sweet Crepes

Makes 12 to 14 (10-inch) crepes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cooking Time 30 to 40 minutes

3/4 cup cold water
3/4 cup cold milk
2 tablespoons liqueur (such as rum, Grand Marnier, or
Cointreau)
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon sugar
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
5 tablespoons melted butter, plus extra for brushing pan

1. Combine all liquid ingredients in a blender. Add dry ingredients and melted butter; mix on high.
2. Strain batter. Let rest for 30 minutes.\
3. Heat a nonstick 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Brush bottom and sides of pan with
melted butter.
4. Ladle 1/4 cup batter into skillet and swirl to coat bottom evenly. Cook until bottom is lightly
browned, about 1 to 2 minutes. Using a spatula or your fingers, flip crepe and cook until other
side is lightly browned, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
5. Transfer crepe to a platter. Layer crepes over each other with parchment paper in between.

Storing tip: You can store crepes stacked, with parchment paper between each layer, and the
whole stack covered with plastic wrap in a refrigerator for up to two days or in the freezer for up
to one month.

Bibingka

Makes about 8 cakes
Prep Time 20 minutes, plus 24 hours resting time
Cooking Time 25 minutes
200 grams instant gata powder
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon instant yeast
10 tablespoons baking powder
1 1/4 cups of water
2 1/2 cups rice flour
2 1/2 cups glutinous rice flour
3 3/4 cups white sugar
2 1/2 cups milk

1. In a bowl, mix instant gata powder, all-purpose flour, instant yeast, and baking powder. Set
aside.
2. Mix water with rice flour in a bowl and with glutinous rice flour in another bowl. Combine flour
mixtures together with white sugar and milk in a mixing bowl and whisk with a mixer until well
incorporated.
3. Add the mixed dry ingredients and mix until combined. Strain mixture into a mixing bowl then
return batter to the mixer and whisk again for a few minutes to incorporate more air. Transfer
batter to a covered container and let it rest inside the refrigerator for 24 hours.
4. Prepare the bibingka oven palayok (a claypot gadget) available in wet marketsby lining the
clay pan with banana leaf and putting live coals underneath and above the oven.
5. To cook bibingka, get 1 cup of the refrigerated batter and place into a stainless bowl with 2
whole eggs.
6. Whisk mixture 50 times (to incorporate more air) then pour into the banana leaf-lined bibingka
clay pan. Bake until half cooked. Lift the cover of the bibingka oven then arrange sliced salted
egg and sliced white cheese on top of the cake.
7. Top with grated cheddar cheese or queso de bola. Continue cooking until done. Lift with a metal
spatula and transfer to serving dish. Brush with butter before serving.

Blueberry Cake Pops

Makes 48

1 pack cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin
3 tablespoons hot water

1 cup all-purpose cream
2 cups canned blueberry filling
ice cream
graham cracker crumbs

1. Cream together cream cheese and sugar in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
2. In a separate bowl, dissolve unflavored gelatin in hot water. Add the dissolved gelatin into the
cream cheese mixture and continue mixing.
3. Meanwhile, whip cream until stiff peak, and add it to the cream cheese. Lastly, add blueberry
filling. Scoop with a mini ice cream scoop and place on a sheet pan with parchment paper.
4. Refrigerate for 12 hours or until cream cheese has set. Coat with graham cracker crumbs and
insert a stick at the bottom of the cream cheese pop.

Chocolate Chip Clouds

Makes about 24 cookies
Prep Time 20 to 30 minutes
Baking Time about 2 hours

3 egg whites
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 200F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar with a mixer at high speed until frothy. Add sugar a little at
a time, beating until egg whites are stiff. Add vanilla extract. Fold chocolate chips into the egg
whites.
3. Drop heaping teaspoons of mixture onto cookie sheets. Bake for about 2 hours. Turn off oven
and let cookies cool inside the oven. Store cookies in airtight containers.
Egg-handling: When handling egg whites, make sure your hands and all the utensils are
completely grease-free. Otherwise, the egg whites wont whip.

Chocolate-covered Polvoron
Makes about 2 dozen

1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 cup full-cream powdered milk
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
250 grams milk, white, or dark chocolate, chopped
polvoron molder


1. In a pan, toast flour until light brown, stirring constantly so the flour browns evenly. Transfer
the toasted flour to a medium-sized mixing bowl.
2. Add the powdered milk and sugar, and blend well. Add the softened butter and mix well.
3. Shape powdered mixture using a polvoron molder. Place formed pieces in a tray. Chill for 20
minutes or until firm.
4. When almost ready, melt chocolate over a hot water bath or in the microwave for about 20
seconds.
5. Using a fork, carefully plunge polvoron pieces in melted chocolate and cover completely.
6. Carefully lift coated polvoron and slide onto a baking sheet lined with wax paper or foil. Chill
briefly to set.
7. Once set, wrap in Japanese paper or colored cellophane. Makes about 2 dozen.

Double dipping tip: Heres another yummy option: Dip the polvoron in two kinds of
chocolate. Dip just half of the polvoron in the chocolate (of your choice), allow to set, and then
do the same with the other half using a different kind of chocolate.

Chocolate Mallow Walnut Log
Makes 12 slices

12 chocolate-covered marshmallows (we used Nabisco
Chocolate Mallows for this recipe)
or large white or colored marshmallows
1 cup dark chocolate chips
1 cup toasted chopped walnuts

1. Cut marshmallows into quarters; place in a bowl.
2. Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler or zap in the microwave until melted. Pour melted
chocolate into the bowl; mix with the cut-up marshmallow pieces.
3. Using wax paper or plastic wrap, roll and shape the mixture into a 6-inch-long log, about 2
inches in diameter. Refrigerate for 15 minutes or until set. Unwrap the log and roll in walnuts.
Using a sharp knife, cut into 1/3-inch slices and serve.


Christmas tree Brownies
Makes 8 to 10
2 cups caster sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups plus 2 teaspoons all-purpose fl our
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1/3 cup dark chocolate chunks (optional)
1/3 cup white chocolate chunks (optional)
1/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

For decorating
peppermint sticks or pretzel sticks for the
trunks
homemade royal icing (see tip below)
candy sprinkles

For the homemade royal icing
1/3 cup egg whites
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon lemon extract
red food coloring
green food coloring

1. In a bowl, mix together sugar, cocoa powder, fl our, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl,
mix butter, vanilla extracts, and eggs. Add to fl our mixture; mix. Add chocolate chunks and
walnuts, if using.
2. Pour mixture into an 8x8-inch greased and floured baking pan.
3. Bake at 350F for 20 to 25 minutes.
4. Let cookies cool completely on a cooling rack.
5. Cut brownies into uniform triangles to make trees. This will make 8 to 10 triangles.
6. Frost and decorate as desired. Insert peppermint or pretzel sticks into the base of each triangle.
7. Make the homemade royal icing: Using an electric mixer on medium speed, mix egg whites
with confectioners' sugar and lemon extract for 10 minutes or until soft peaks form. Divide into
3 parts. Add red food coloring to 1 part, green food coloring to 1 part, and leave the last one as
is.
8. Use a piping bag with a star or plain tip to decorate. You can also use your favorite store-bought
brownie mix for this recipe. Remember to ask for an adult's help for Step 5.

Cotton Candy Sugar Mix

Makes about 12 sticks
Prep Time 15 minutes



2 cups sugar
food coloring paste in the color of your choice
Flavoring extract of your choice


1. Place the sugar in a bowl. With your hands, mix in the food coloring paste (adding a toothpick
portion at a time) until you achieve your desired color. The sugar should be darker than your
desired color, because it lightens once you make the sugar floss.
2. Also with your hands, mix in your desired flavoring extract.
3. Heat the machine for 5 minutes then turn off the machine.
4. Place a tablespoon or a tablespoon and a half of your colored and flavored sugar then turn the
machine on.
5. After a few minutes, you will start smelling the cotton candy smell then the machine will start
creating the cotton candy floss. Start collecting the strands with rolled paper cones, BBQ sticks,
or chopsticks until you reach your desired size.
Sugar tip Instead of flavoring extract mixed in with the sugar, you can also use flavored sugar.
Combine vanilla beans and sugar in a jar and leave for at least a week or two to make vanilla
sugar.

Fried Suman with Butter, Panucha and Queso de Bola

Serves 2
Prep Time 30 minutes


vegetable oil
4 white suman
1/2 cup grated queso de bola
1/2 cup melted butter
3/4 cup panucha or muscovado sugar
honeycured ham slices (optional)

1. In a frying pan, heat a little vegetable oil.
2. Place the suman in the pan, and fry each side until it turns golden brown.
3. Transfer the suman to a plate. Top with melted butter, panucha, or muscovado sugar. Then top
with grated queso de bola and set honeycured ham on the side. Serve warm.
Tips:
Instead of melted butter and muscovado sugar, you can drizzle heated cocojam or latik on top of
the fried suman.
For a touch of Asian fusion, drizzle warm gata then place ripe mango slices on top a la sticky
rice and mango.
You can also use flavored suman to add variety to the dish.

Frozen Banana Boos

Bananas
white chocolate
milk chocolate or candy covered chocolate

1. Peel some bananas and stick them in the freezer.
2. Melt the white chocolate and dip the frozen
bananas to fully coat them. Insert a barbecue
stick or Popsicle stick before putting them back
in the freezer to set.
3. Before serving, draw eyes and an open mouth with the chocolate. Stick on Styrofoam to serve
these ghouls.
Make ahead tip: You can freeze your bananas days in advance. Simply cut one end of the
banana and skewer one end with a Popsicle stick without removing the peel to prevent it from
darkening. Coat with chocolate on Halloween day itself.

Frozen Banana Pops
Makes 12 banana pops

6 bananas
1/2 cup candy sprinkles
1/2 cup chopped nuts
12 popsicle sticks

For the chocolate dipping sauce
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/8 cup margarine or vegetable shortening
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1. Cut bananas in half crosswise. Insert a Popsicle stick into each base. Freeze overnight.
2. Make the chocolate dipping sauce: In a pan over low heat, melt ingredients. Keep warm.
3. Peel frozen bananas. Dip in chocolate dipping sauce. Dress with candy sprinkles and chopped
nuts. Allow to set.
Prepping tip: Speed is required for this project! Make sure to work fast when dipping the
bananas in the chocolate sauce because it sets quickly.
Substitution tip: White chocolate chips can also be used in place of chocolate chips.

Gingerbread Man
Makes 12 to 16 cookies
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsulphured molasses (available at Sweet
craft and Chocolate Lovers)
1 egg

For the royal icing
4 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
6 tablespoons warm water
3 tablespoons meringue powder
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. In a bowl, sift flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves; mix. Set aside.
3. Melt butter and shortening in a medium saucepan over low heat just until melted. Add sugar,
molasses, and egg; mix well. Cool slightly then add half of the dry ingredients; mix well.
4. Turn mixture onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in remaining dry ingredients by hand. Add a
little more flour, if necessary, to make a firm dough.
5. Roll dough in a baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper. Roll dough to about 1/8-inch
thickness.
6. Cut dough using a gingerbread man-shaped cookie cutter.
7. Bake for about 10 to 20 minutes or until done. Cool.
8. Keep cookies in an airtight container after cooling.
9. Make royal icing: Beat all ingredients in a mixer on low speed for about 7 to 10 minutes. Place
in a covered container when not in use (refrigerate and use within two weeks).
10. Color (with food coloring) as desired and pipe away!
Grilled Pineapple with Vanilla Sugar Cream

Serves 2 to 3
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cooking Time 5 minutes


1 vanilla bean
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose cream
1 whole pineapple, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch
rounds


1. In a food processor, add vanilla bean and sugar and pulse until the vanilla bean has been fully
incorporated into the sugar.
2. In a separate bowl, whip the cream until light and frothy, then fold in 3 tablespoons of vanilla
sugar. Keep chilled until ready to serve.
3. Heat the grill pan. Grill the pineapple slices for about 2 minutes per side. Serve with whipped
cream and vanilla sugar on the side.

Homemade Popsicles


1 pack of your favorite powdered fruit juice
popsicle sticks


1. Mix powdered fruit juice with water in a plastic
cup.
2. Place a popsicle stick (we covered the top of our cup with foil and poked the stick through the
center), and pop in the freezer for a few hours.
Flavoring tips
Want to make a more adult treat? Try a root beer popsicle! Place a scoop of ice cream in a
plastic cup, pour root beer over it, place a popsicle stick, then freeze.
Try Strawberry, Pineapple, Grape, Orange

Layered Chocolate-Cracker Bars
Makes 18 bars

For the butter mixture
1 cup butter
2 cups crushed graham crackers
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar

18 pieces (6 packs) soda crackers (we used Sky
Flakes)

For the choco-milk mixture
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup condensed milk

1. In a saucepan, heat together butter, graham crackers, brown sugar, and white sugar. Set aside.
2. In another saucepan, heat chocolate chips and condensed milk over low fire. Set aside.
3. To assemble, place 6 whole crackers on an 8-inch pan. Spread 1/3 of butter mixture on top.
Spread 1/3 of chocolate-milk mixture. Repeat layering, ending with chocolate-milk mixture.
4. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until set.
5. Cut into bars and serve.

Lemongrass-Lychee Coconut Ice Cream
Makes 2 pints

1 cup coconut milk
2 cups whipping cream
1/2 cup sugar
7 lemongrass stalks, smashed
a pinch of salt
5 egg yolks
1 cup of the warm cream
1 (565-gram) can lychees, drained well, chopped
chopped cashews (optional)

1. In a saucepan, combine coconut milk, whipping cream, sugar, lemongrass, and salt. Bring to a
simmer, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 1 hour.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks until frothy. Add warm cream and whisk into the yolks.
Pour the yolk mixture into the cream and return to heat. Cook until the mixture is thick enough
to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Take it off the heat, strain, and pour into a container.
Refrigerate overnight.
3. Pour the thoroughly chilled mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to
manufacturer's instructions. After churning, fold in lychees. Transfer to a container, cover with
cling wrap, and freeze for several hours before serving. Top with cashews, if desired.

Sisig Triangles

Makes 20 pieces
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cooking Time 10 minutes

1 160-gram pack ready-to-cook sisig
1/3 cup chopped onions
20 pieces large wanton wrapper
egg white from 1 egg
oil for deep-frying

1. In a pan, saut sisig for 1 minute. Add onions and continue to cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Let cool.
2. Place a spoonful of sisig in the middle of the wanton wrapper.
3. Brush sides of the wrapper with egg white.
4. Fold in half to make a triangle.
5. Heat oil and deep-fry triangles until wanton is golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve with
chili-vinegar as dipping sauce.

Watermelon-Lemon Sorbet

Serves 5
Prep Time 15 minutes
Freezing Time 6 hours or overnight

1/2 cup cold water
1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin
3/4 cup refined sugar
3 cups fresh watermelon pure (from about 1/2
large watermelon)
4 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons grenadine syrup
fresh mint leaves for garnish (optional)

1. Place water in a small saucepan. Sprinkle gelatin and let bloom for 10 minutes. Over low heat,
stir until gelatin dissolves.
2. In a blender, blend gelatin mixture and all remaining ingredients together until sugar is
completely dissolved. Pour into stainless steel pan and freeze for 6 hours to overnight. Stir
mixture every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours.
3. When set, remove pan from freezer. Scrape sorbet with a fork and divide among serving glasses
or bowls. Garnish with fresh mint leaves.

Witch's Brooms
Makes 12 to 16 pieces
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cake flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
12 to 16 pretzel sticks for decorating

For the buttercream icing
3/4 cup shortening or butter
2 cups confectioners sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
orange food coloring
green food coloring

1. In a bowl, combine flours, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda.
2. In another bowl, combine vegetable oil, milk, vanilla, and egg. 3 Mix dry and wet mixtures
together just until combined. Pour into your desired mold for the broom head (see tip below)
and bake at 350F or until cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
3. Make the butter cream icing: Beat all ingredients together until smooth and creamy. Divide
icing. Color three-fourths of the icing with orange food coloring, and one-fourth with green food
coloring.
4. To decorate: Insert a pretzel stick into each cake. Using a small star tip, pipe orange-colored
icing on the cake. Use a plain tip to pipe a ribbon on the bristles using green icing.
Baking tip: We used a Wilton Silicone Brownie Pop Mold for this recipe. Mini muffin or cupcake
molds are good alternatives too.