Sour Power: This New Lemon Dessert Is Literally (and Figuratively) Brilliant
Think lemon-meringue tart with a satisfying sourness, but made light and lush.
Chef Chele's Kitchen
G/F The Podium, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City
Facebook: www.facebook.com/chefcheleskitchen
(SPOT.ph) Sour desserts are a curious case. Some might argue that dessert is, by nature, meant to deliver pure pleasure. That is, they're designed to be enjoyable from start to finish sans any tension to get in the way. Sourness, if you think about it, carries some notion of pain—the kind that makes your face wince when as it strikes the palate with its brightness. But—at least for the sour-loving or masochistic among us—we ironically seek that tension, especially when it's followed through with sweetness as a pleasing resolution.
Confections with lemon are especially popular, the fruit being known for its telltale tartness as well as its zesty character. Love lemons like we do? One new confection to bookmark for gift-giving slash for your holiday parties—heck, just for your personal enjoyment—is the new Tarta de Limon from Chef Chele's Kitchen, now available at their new retail boutique at The Podium.
Also read: These Are the Best Gifts for All the Food Lovers on Your Christmas List
Chef Chele's Kitchen has a lemony new baby at their new The Podium pastry shop:
Chef Chele Gonzalez' namesake dessert leg first caught our eyes (and taste buds) with their Basque burnt cheesecake—a soufflé-like and distinctly creamy version of the trendy confection, with a molten center—that came out in 2020. Since then they've churned out variations of the dessert that are equally dreamy; think Strawberry & Chocolate and Salted Caramel & Macadamia.
With the opening of their new boutique at The Podium (located right next to their other recently opened baby, Deli by Chele), they're also expanding their lineup to include what they call Family Pies, involving the special recipes of members of Gonzalez' family. Well worth a try in our book is the Tarta de Limon (P300/slice, P1,800/8.5 inches).
The name translates to "lemon pie"; on paper this is essentially a lemon-meringue tart with its combo of lemon filling and meringue topping. But it's also so much more than that. Said to be a specialty of Chele's sister Amparo, Chef Chele's Kitchen's Tarta de Limon immediately differs from other versions of the aforementioned dessert with its more rustic presentation, being wrapped in wax paper and tied with twine and all. But its (perhaps, deliberate) imperfection lends it a distinct charm.
Curiously, the box tag suggests the dessert be consumed ASAP at room temperature. There's a reason for that, though, that you'll find as you slice in and pull out a wedge.
This is dreamy stuff alright. There's the crust, for starters: a crumbly base (seemingly of crushed graham crackers) that's on the thin side—which works to the dessert's advantage as there's just enough to support the next element. That next element would be the lemon filling—a cream-curd hybrid of sorts that's potent in sourness, yet light and billowy in structure and velvety on the tongue. Its face-puckering tartness is perfectly balanced by the airy meringue topping, which amazingly isn't too sweet. All in all? An intriguing confection that juxtaposes formidable impact in flavor with a most ethereal texture. It's hard not to fall head over heels for this treat, especially with a good cup of joe on the side.
There's more to love from Chef Chele's Kitchen's new lineup; also high up on our swoon lists is the Tarta de Chocolate (P290/slice, P1,750/9.5 inches). This sleek dessert takes the nostalgic pairing of chocolate and banana to the adult realm with its bittersweet dose of dark chocolate, in the form of a dark ganache filling that's then crowned with caramelized slices of the fruit. Also peddled at the new shop are cookies from Chele's partner Teri—including Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies (P105/piece, P395/box of four) that are on the deep and dusky side of chocolatey, and spiced and aromatic Ginger and Cinnamon Butter Cookies (P60/piece, P350/box of six) just for the holidays.
Can't drop by the Podium outlet? These bakes can also be ordered online for pickup; just fill out Chef Chele's Kitchen's order form at least 24 hours in advance to get your fix.
Chef Chele's Kitchen is at G/F The Podium, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City. For delivery orders, fill out Chef Chele's Kitchen's order form. For more information, check out Chef Chele's Kitchen's Facebook page.
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