It's impossible not to want to pick up Abi Balingat's debut cookbook based solely on the cover alone. Featuring a slice of the baker's impossibly fluffy halo-halo baked Alaska — made by layering coconut sponge cake, an evaporated milk granita, ube ice cream and whimsical Swiss meringue — against an acid green backsplash, the book really exudes a sense of "hey, we could have a lot of fun together."
Without a doubt, "Mayumu: Filipino American Desserts Remixed" is one of the most fun dessert cookbooks from which I've ever baked, packed with playful mashups like ube skillet cookies and confetti pianono that reflect Balingat's identity and invite you to let go of what is possible in both Filipino and American desserts.
