Warning: This pastry can be habit-forming!
While light, airy, and melt-in-your-mouth pastries are always a win, dense and decadent ones are sure to satiate your need for a rich dessert. Now, if you're a fan of the latter type, we've found a treat for you.
Hailing from New York City bake shops, crack pie—name derived from the addictive nature of the sweet treat—is the latest pastry everyone must try. Not your ordinary grandma's bakes, crack pie is made of buttery pastry that rests on an oatmeal crust. And now, you can have a taste of it here in the Philippines thanks to Gabriel Mendoza, a former airline pilot-turned-home bake, and his brand Crack.ph pie.
"I’ve always connected good food with great experiences," Gabriel says. "The Crack.Ph pie, for me, is something that is warm, welcoming, and homey. It is not something that comes across as complicated, it is a pie that is meant to be savored and shared."
After watching a food documentary at home one day, Gabriel set out to make his version of the pastry. It took several attempts before he was satisfied with his product. The resulting pastry was his version of the rich, gooey concoction that sparked joy with every bite.
Gabriel soon found himself with request orders from friends. He has since started accepting orders through the Instagram account @Crack.ph, where he sends out the pies in a box that bears a pink and yellow logo that is inspired by his knack for attaching colors and sounds to his food creations.
“I believe that each meal should come as an experience, and with Crack.Ph pies, I want to be able to deliver happiness in a box,” he says.