There’s a thriving new industry of online stores that I have only begun to uncover. The past few weeks, I’ve been noticing a lot more sponsored ads on my social media — a variety of eats all at the tips of my fingers (literally). From someone’s grandma’s homemade ensaymada to beautifully decorated cakes from haute patisseries, it’s no wonder I’ve begun to put on some (winter) weight.

My most recent discovery is this new online bakery called The Good Baker. And yes, they most certainly are good. A startup by two entrepreneurial sisters, The Good Baker has been a project long in the making. Their humble beginnings took root when the two sisters, Rosemary and Tina, were just teenagers, learning, for the first time, the explorative joys of baking. Today, they both have their own families, their own lives, but have managed to stay connected through their kitchens. Over a bowl of cake batter, or through the glass windows of their humble oven, Rosemary and Tina work to bring their customers a slice of what their families and friends have been enjoying for years.

My first bite was from a slice of their mango shortcake. It’s made of two layers of rich, buttery, vanilla cake — moist and dense. In between and on top are spreads of fresh cream and cubes of ripe Philippine mangoes (the best kind). The minute I opened the container, I could smell right away the sweetness of it all.

The week after, I had to go back. This time for their flavoured frozen brazo de mercedes. I’ve always been a fan of brazo, having put it right up there next to sisig as one of my favourite Filipino foods. The best part about The Good Baker’s brazo is that there’s a flavour for everybody. You have your Original, and you also have your Original Lite, which uses the same classic recipe but with half the sugar. There’s also Matcha, Cookie Butter, and Mango brazo, which are all strokes of genius.

The Matcha brazo would have to be my favorite, just because I’m a huge green tea fan. A thick layer of fluffy meringue sits atop a frozen yellow custard and matcha ice cream. At the bottom is a thin crust made from Oreo cookies. I’m in love, and especially with the depth of flavour that comes with combining custard and real matcha ice cream. The Cookie Butter is a little more indulgent, but generally a must-try for people who love Biscoff. The meringue is sprinkled with powdered sugar and sits atop a cookie butter custard and vanilla ice cream. The crust — also made of Biscoff cookies — sandwiches all these nicely. It’s a sweet bite with a familiar flavour we all know and love.

The Good Baker: 09177152128 or 09431382232

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