Cat got your tongue?

When baking, follow directions. When cooking, go by your own taste. — Laiko Bahrs

“...smell and taste are in fact but a single composite sense, whose laboratory is the mouth and its chimney the nose....” — Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

A few weeks ago I wrote an article on chocolate crinkles, a perfect gift for the holidays. Since it is homemade, it’s a more personalized gift that comes from the heart, giving it more meaning. When I checked my e-mail, I was surprised to discover more requests for recipes that are excellent giveaways, either to share with loved ones or to sell at bazaars or as a sideline business at home. I was ecstatic to see the positive response and comments, so as an early Christmas gift to our readers, here are two of my favorite treats for the yuletide season — the lengua de gato and frozen mango cake.

Lengua de gato literally means cats’ tongue because of it size and shape. It was first introduced by Spanish pastry shops like La Cibeles and Dulcinea although the French also lay claim to it calling it langue de chat. Filipinos, on the other hand, have lengua de gato a lucrative home business for pasalubongs.

I would always order a whole jar from Good Shepherd in Baguio and eat it while watching TV or during recess in Brent. Even at this moment, while writing this article, I’m munching on some lengua de gato. It was one of the first recipes that I made on my own. The ingredients are readily available, the process is simple and straight-forward, and the cookies can be made in abundance. The most important part is to make sure the eggs are cold to easily separate the egg yolks from the egg whites, ensuring that no egg yolk will go to the mixture so it will remain firm and crispy. After mixing all ingredients, use a piping bag and follow the size written on the recipe below. Bake and let cool using parchment/bake paper for easy removal, which by the way is reusable.

For the mango frozen cake, this pudding type dessert is one of my favorites because of my love for mangoes. Mangoes are rich in vitamins and pectin, a soluble fiber, which aids in your blood cholesterol level. Like papaya it is sometimes used as meat tenderizer. Use sweet breads to enhance the flavor, and for the custard filling mix well before adding to ensure smooth texture. Adding sugar on top and torching gives it a glazed finish though this is optional.

Lengua De Gato

1) Pre-heat (turn on oven) at 350 F or 175 C 15 minutes before baking.

2) Prepare two cookie sheets lined with bake/parchment papers so cookies will not stick. One plastic 12 to14-inch disposable piping bag (available in baking house ware section of SM Megamall). Snip a 1/2 inch wide hole with scissors when bag is half filled.

3) Beat with a wooden spoon or hand mixer: 1 cup softened Magnolia Gold butter salted, 1/ cup granulated sugar (white sugar), 1/2 cup egg whites (about 4 egg whites), 1 tsp. vanilla (note: other flavors like pandan, ube, etc. can be used). Lastly, add 1 cup all-purpose flour. When blended, place in piping bag. Pipe 2 inches long, 2 inches apart on prepared trays. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until sides are brown. Remove from pans. Cool. Store in cookie jars while warm with a paper napkin at the bottom to prevent spoilage. Makes 80 to 100 pieces.

4) Note: you may pipe into rounds, put choco sprinkles, serve with coffee.

Mango Frozen Cake

1) Pre-heat oven to 350 F or 175 C. Grease one 8x8x2-inch aluminum foil pan with (bottom and sides) softened Magnolia Gold butter.

2) Prepare 12 pieces honey sweet bread or 12 pieces tasty bread. Arrange 4 pieces on prepared pan, overlapping slightly. Top with mango slices, 1/3 of custard filling. Repeat two more times. Bake 45 minutes. Note: If oven is unavailable, cover top tightly with foil and steam for 45 minutes. Cool then freeze.

3) Top with 1/4 cup white (granulated) sugar. Blow torch to brown. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream if desired.

4) Filling: 3 ripe mangoes. Peel and sliced thinly lengthwise.

5) Custard: Mix in a Pyrex bowl with wire whisk: 1/2 cup melted Magnolia Gold butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup eggs (4 eggs), 1 1/2 cups Magnolia fresh milk, 1 tsp. cinnamon.

6) Note: Bananas and other fruits may also be used

Discovery of the Week

Hossein Restaurant has one of the best lamb curry and various meat kebabs in the city. Must-try is the roti and the various rice dishes, which are good for three persons per serving. Located at the second floor of Serendra, the restaurant is value for money and highly recommended. For reservations, call 856-0632 or 856-1278.

Visit www.sylviareynosogala.com for more recipes and class schedule.