Haven’t finished your Christmas shopping? You’re not alone. If buying presents in a pandemic world has you feeling overwhelmed, go the no-fail way by giving edible gifts. Food gifts are great because you’ll never get the wrong size, you don’t have to worry about duplicates, and they can be shared with the whole family. And the most important tip? Choose gifts that are so delicious, you’ll be forgiven for being late. Here are some of our picks.
Chocolate-covered Strawberries by ChocoBerry MNL
Chocolate-covered strawberries are a luxurious, delicious treat. ChocoBerry MNL uses juicy king berries from Baguio and imported Belgian chocolate to make their version. You can also add mini chocolate bars, chocolate letters, edible gold and more. They also do a fun breakable heart chocolate surprise which comes with a hammer. But the strawberries are our top choice. (@chocberry.mnl on Facebook and Instagram)
Cheese Pimiento and Spinach Artichoke Dip by No. 9 Manila
We’re cheese pimiento snobs at home. Our mother makes a good one, our grandma makes a good one and so we’re pretty picky when it comes to this spread. No. 9 Manila’s version is so good we wiped out almost the entire jar in one go. I ended up ordering two more jars to make sure we wouldn’t run out. Love their Spinach Artichoke Dip, too—they’re perfect with Tostitos chips. And No. 9 Manila wraps the jars really nicely, making giving them as gifts a breeze. (Viber 0917-8822317, 0919-9947706;@no9manila on Instagram)
Cheese Rolls and Ube Rolls from Lagunabakers.ph
That butter and sugar combination on top of Lagunabakers.ph’s rolls makes our taste buds sing. Add to that the pillowy soft bread that hides either cheese or ube halaya, and you get a treat that everyone—from grandparents to kids—can enjoy. (Tel. 0906-2703216; @lagunabakers.ph on Facebook and Instagram)
Strawberry Tres Leches by Cloudé
The Cloudé experience doesn’t begin at first bite. It begins when your recipient unwraps the tres leches cake that has been elegantly swaddled with silk furoshiki-style. And inside is a treat worthy of the fanfare—super light sponge cake soaked in three kinds of milk and topped with fresh whipped cream and organic strawberries. It really does feel like you’re eating clouds, if clouds were that delicious.
The high demand for Cloudé’s tres leches (they do classic and torrija versions, too) means there might be a bit of a wait but believe me, it’s worth it. (Email [email protected]; @thecloudeconcept on Instagram)
Carrot Walnut Cake with Cream Cheese, Kani Bun, Mochi Bread and Baguette in Nero by The Baikery
Ailen Tan has been running The Baikery since 2013. Because of the challenges of the pandemic, they’ve haven’t been able to reopen their store, but they continue to sell their many offerings online.
“It is a small bakery, but our mission has always been to provide unique, good tasting, high quality bread, pastries and cakes while providing more jobs and a better future for our employees,” Tan said.
The pandemic hasn’t changed that. “We sell our products online to sustain operations and to continue providing jobs for our employees, especially during these trying times.”
The Baikery promises to use only quality ingredients, with products made from scratch every day. “No shortcuts, no scrimping,” Tan said.
For Christmas, they have gift bundles and special packaging. You can even personalize the design of your greeting.
The Carrot Walnut Cake with Cream Cheese is The Baikery’s biggest hit. We also really love the Kani Bun, Pizza, Baguette in Nero and the Mochi Bread. Other signature and bestselling products are Nori Loaf, JLoaf, Walnut Cranberry Oatbread, Cinnamon Cream Cheese Bread Pie, Ube Cheese Slippers and Longganisa Bread. (Tel. 0917-8555828, 0917-5285828; @thebaikeryph on Facebook and Instagram)
Mochi Ice Cream by Mochiko
One source of joy for us this year has been the return of Mochiko’s mochi ice cream. Share that joy with the people on your list. Love the Cookie Flavors Box (Oreos and milk, cookie dough and cereal milk) and the Japanese Flavors Box (green tea, black sesame, azuki). Love the seasonal flavor Potato Chip Chocolate mochi, too. (Facebook.com/mochikomochi;@hellomochikomochi on Instagram)
Baby Cheesecakes by Sugar Mommah PH
Sugar Mommah PH makes all kind of bakes—from savory to sweet. Her adorable baby cheesecakes are perfect for gifting. Love the Belgian Tableya one—it’s rich and decadent. (Tel. 0917-7537804; @SugarMommahPH on Facebook and Instagram)Banoffee Pie, Banana Pudding and more from Cocoa & Co.
Banana and chocolate lovers will find plenty to enjoy from Cocoa & Co. There’s the Banoffee Pie in a tin, Banana Pudding in three flavors (Oreo, Biscoff, Chocnut), Banana Loaf and Signature Chocolate Cake (choose between dark and milk). They’re ready for gifting too, with their pretty ribbons and holiday tags. (@cocoacompany.mnl on Instagram)
Home-baked Focaccia by Candishhh Bakes
What started as a fun kitchen experiment has turned into a pandemic-born business for Didi T. She’s discovered a passion for baking focaccia and, after friends and family members fell in love with her baked goods, she decided to make them available for everyone to enjoy. Her focaccia comes in different flavors: Rosemary Tomato & Olives, Garlic Olive + Bagel Seasoning, Caramelized Onions + Garlic, Caramelized Onions + Feta and Plain Classic Rosemary. She also has Malunggay Infused Rosemary Focaccia, Focaccia Bites and gluten free variants. Each focaccia comes with a bag and tag for your gifting needs. (Tel. 0917-5267718;@candishhhbakes on Instagram)
