Cheesecake Mania!!

Nov. 12, 2010 – I went to school at 1:30 for my Oral Communications class. It was supposed to end at 4:30, but then we were able to finish the talks early that our professor called it a day at around 3:40. Since we’ve got extra time, I, together with my boyfriend, decided to pick up my sister in UP.  On the way, I saw a very interesting cafe and restaurant called “banapple” that specializes on pies and pastries. It was a just a small restaurant but then the parking in front was full. The fact that there were many people eating there means something.; that is why I wanted to try the pastries that they have to offer, and besides I also wanted to treat myself for something sweet for a job well done earlier in class. In order to satisfy my curiousness, I asked my boyfriend to stop by that restaurant after we’ve picked up my sister.

Because the place was too full, I just bought a slice of their strawberry amaretto cheesecake and another slice of snicker fudge cheesecake for take-out. By the time we got home, I instantly took my first bite of each cheesecake. Generally, both cakes taste good and they are worth the price at Php 100 each but then there are some itsy bitsy details that I have noticed as I examine the layers one-by-one.



A slice of Strawberry Amaretto Cheesecake



Let us look closer into the strawberry amaretto cheesecake first. Like all other cheesecakes, it has a crust made out of crushed cookies and cream then the cheesecake part topped with strawberry jam and sprinkled with almond flakes. As I have said earlier, the taste was good but then there is nothing unique about it. The strawberry topping was spread over the cheesecake straight from the can when it should have been a lot better if they make their own strawberry jam to put on it. By doing so, their cheesecake will be differentiated from the other strawberry cheesecakes. The cheesecake itself is very dense and has a very smooth texture. There is a right mixture of creaminess and the cheesiness which makes the taste well-balanced.



A slice of Snicker Fudge Cheesecake



We go now to the snicker fudge cheesecake which I chose because I super love Snicker bars. When I took my first bite, I was disappointed because I found no hint of Snickers. I only realized that there actually is Snickers in the bottom when I went for my third or fourth bite. In short, there is not enough Snickers in it. The cheesecakes were quite the same; the only difference is the topping. In this variation, there is some Snicker bits on top of the crust and then the cheesecake with a chocolate ganache topping sprinkled with chopped pecan nuts.  The combination of the chocolate and cheesecake is very good since the sweetness of the chocolate complements the cheesiness of the cake. Another thing that I’ve detected, although it is very minimal, is that there is some sugar granules that is not dissolved properly which I can feel in my mouth.

An array of pies and cheesecakes in "banapple"

Each layer contributes to the taste of the cheesecake and it is the combination that makes it toothsome. The sweetness is just right which will make you eat more but since the cake is so dense, it is quite heavy and filling that you cannot finish a whole slice. Overall, they somewhat satisfied my cravings for sweets but then I did not find something exceptional about them.


My Ratings:
     Strawberry Amaretto Cheesecake    6/10
     Snicker Fudge Cheesecake              6/10


Address:
      225 Katipunan Avenue, Blue Ridge Quezon City
      Tel No. 439-2675