Piaya with Muscovado Filling
Muscovado sugar is the center of attention in piaya, enclosed in thin dough and melted on the griddle. A little flour joins the filling to help contain it, while moderate heat lets the pastry blister without leaving the sugar center behind.
Hopia Monggo: Flaky Mung Bean Pastry
Hopia monggo puts smooth sweet mung bean paste inside a crust made from two doughs. Enclosing the flour-and-fat paste in the water dough, then rolling and coiling, builds the layers that distinguish these small pastries from a simple filled cookie.
Pan de Coco: Filipino Coconut Buns
Pan de coco hides its sweetest part inside: grated coconut cooked with brown sugar, coconut milk, and butter until thick enough to spoon. The soft yeast dough wraps around that filling, with a glossy egg-washed top and optional fine breadcrumbs.
Filipino Hawaiian Pizza with Ham, Pineapple, and Banana Ketchup Glaze
Banana ketchup gives ham-and-pineapple pizza a different kind of sweet-tangy sauce, sharpened with vinegar and a little soy. Some glaze bakes beneath the mozzarella; the rest goes on afterward. Dry toppings and a fully heated baking surface keep all that fruit from weighing down the crust.
Four-Cheese Kesong Puti Pizza
Kesong puti brings soft, creamy pockets to this four-cheese pizza, with mozzarella, cheddar, and Parmesan filling out the topping. The white sauce is deliberately thinly spread: between fresh cheese and milk-based sauce, a crisp center depends on keeping moisture under control.
Filipino BBQ Chicken Pizza
Banana ketchup gives this chicken pizza a sweet barbecue base, with calamansi, soy sauce, and garlic keeping it sharp. The chicken is cooked before topping the dough, and a light layer of mozzarella, onion, and green pepper lets the crust bake crisp.
Longganisa Pizza with Mozzarella and Red Onion
Sweet, garlicky longganisa makes a substantial pizza topping, so thin slices and a tangy sauce matter. Mozzarella supplies the melt, a little cheddar adds sharpness, and red onion keeps each bite from being only sausage and cheese.
Garden Vegetable Pizza with Calamansi-Chile Finish
The calamansi-chile finish belongs on this pizza after baking, where it can cut through the mozzarella without disappearing into the sauce. Mushrooms, zucchini, pepper, onion, and corn get a brief skillet cook first so the generous vegetable topping does not waterlog the crust.
Filipino-American Margherita Pizza with Pandesal-Style Crust
A breadcrumb-coated rim gives this tomato, mozzarella, and basil pizza its pandesal connection. Milk powder, butter, and a little sugar enrich the dough without turning it into a sweet roll. Keep the topping light so the thin center can bake beneath the fresh cheese.
Cassava Cake with Latik
Grated cassava gives this cake a dense, chewy crumb that is quite different from a flour cake. Coconut milk and condensed milk make it rich, while latik curds add a toasted coconut finish above the egg-yolk topping. Small, cooled squares suit that richness.