For those who love to cook and bake, chef Jackie Ang Po is a household name.
The chef, culinary instructor, entrepreneur and competitor for Pastry Alliance of the Philippines confessed that baking was a hobby of hers in her teens, like many young girls.
The first dishes she made were baked spaghetti and a no-bake blueberry cheesecake, both of which, she said with pride, turned out well.
Jackie’s gift is that even as a young girl, she was patient and diligent enough to follow recipes to a T to avoid mistakes, she said.
Jackie Ang Po —CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS
She took up business management at the Ateneo, but remained clueless on what to do after graduating. She worked in a bank for about a year. She opted to change her career path and studied pastry-making in the United States.
Accidental TV personality
Jackie has baked and cooked plenty since, and has also added devoted wife to Mitch Po, mother to Kylie and Joaquin, and accidental TV and social media personality to her slew of roles.
She has chef Heny Sison to thank for her celebrity chef status.
In the early 2000s, Jackie worked on the sidelines for “A Taste of Life” with Heny. “I wasn’t hired to be part of the show. I was like a human prompter.”
One day, the show’s director, Khryss Adalia, told Jackie to go on cam to ask the questions. She did, and the rest is history.
Jackie has starred in various food shows by GMA, like “True Confections,” “Delicioso,” “Amazing Kids” and “Del Monte Kitchenomics.”
She later transitioned to online shows to accommodate the public’s shifting preference for virtual viewing.
Postpandemic, Jackie is busy teaching moms, aficionados, home-based entrepreneurs, small business and restaurant owners how to cook and bake. She also manages her thriving coffee and pastry shop, Fleur de Lys.
Most importantly, she sits tall and mighty as queen of the Po household.
Indeed, life has been good to Jackie.
For those who want to start a home-based business or simply yearn to present something new at the table, Jackie shared a couple of her most requested recipes.
Bottled No-Bake Triple Chocolate Cake
Triple Chocolate Cake
(no bake)
⅔ c Beryl’s bittersweet chocolate coins
½ c Arla Sweet Cream Butter
1 egg
½ c sugar
2 Tbsp Beryl’s cocoa powder
¾ call-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ c evaporated milk
1 Tbsp vanilla extract or flavoring
Melt chocolate coins and butter in a double broiler.
Turn off heat, add sugar, eggs and vanilla.
Sift all dry ingredients together. Alternately add dry ingredients with evaporated milk.
Pour into glass jars and cover with foil. Steam for 20 minutes.
Cool completely.
White and Dark Chocolate Mousse
½ c Beryl’s dark chocolate chunks
1 c Beryl’s white chocolate compound, chopped
2 c Nestle All-Purpose Cream
Melt white chocolate with cream. Chill.
Melt together dark chocolate chunks and cream. Chill.
Beat each one until mousse-like consistency is achieved.
Layer by piping into the jars.
Chill until ready to serve.
Trending Lebanese Chicken with Potato Mash
1 kg chicken leg fillet, deboned
15 ml lemon juice and zest
35 ml olive oil infused with 1 Tbsp achuete seed
8 g garlic
10 g chicken powder
6 g pepper
3 g paprika
2 g turmeric
2 g cinnamon
2 g chili flakes
Potato Mash
100 g US Standard potato flakes
3 c water
50 g butter
5 g salt
Garlic Sauce
125 g Nestle all-purpose cream
30 g mayonnaise
30 g garlic
½ tsp salt
⅛ tsp paprika
½ tsp black pepper
10 g sesame seed, roasted, ground; or tahini
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp oil
Marinate chicken overnight. Bake at 350 F for 45 minutes.
Place potato flakes and water in a pot, cook until they simmer. Add the rest of the ingredients.
For the sauce, mix all ingredients and blend.
If using chicken leg bone-in, bake for 1 hour. INQ
Follow @iamreggieaspiras on Instagram and Facebook; reggieaspiras.com
