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Jump To Recipe Jump To Video This dish came about because I still had a block of silken tofu sitting in the fridge after making the Cantonese version, and you know me, once I start exploring an ingredient, I cannot stop at just one style. Instead of going delicate and clean again, I wanted to lean into something bolder. Something warming, nutty, spicy, and a little numbing. That is how this Sichuan-style tofu pudding happened, using pantry ingredients and homemade chili oil already on hand. In Sichuan cuisine, this dish is inspired by douhua (豆花), or tofu pudding, which can be served either sweet or savory. The savory version is especially popular in regions like Chengdu and Chongqing, where it is dressed with soy sauce, vinegar, chili oil, preserved vegetables, and that unmistakable málà profile from Sichuan peppercorns. Unlike mapo tofu, which is cooked and thickened, douhua is all about contrast. Ultra-soft tofu is gently warmed and then topped with intensely flavored condiments. It is comfort food, street food, and home cooking all at once. What I love about this dish is how little effort it takes to create something that feels so layered. You are not really cooking the tofu, just coaxing it into warmth and letting the toppings do the talking. If you have only ever had tofu in stir-fries, this is a completely different experience. Try it once, especially on a cool evening, and you will understand why this humble bowl has been loved for generations. Ingredients: (Serve 2) Silken Tofu, 1 Block Vegetable Stock Homemade , 120ml Light Soy Sauce, 1 TSBP White Pepper, Pinch Black Vinegar, 1 TSP Chili Oil Homemade , 1/2 TBSP Adjust To Preference Sesame Oil, 1 TSP Sesame Paste, 1/2 TBSP Rapeseed / Sunflower / Canola / Peanut Oil, 2 TBSP Peanuts, A Handful Sichuan Peppercorns, 1/2 TBSP Adjust To Preference ZhaCai (Chinese Pickled Mustard) Finely Chopped, 1 TBSP Or Pickled Radish Scallions Coarsely Chopped, A Handful Coriander Coarsely Chopped, A Handful Equipment: Sauce Pot Directions: Please visit my " How To Make Vegetable Stock " page for the recipe. Please visit my " How To Make Chili Oil " page for the recipe. Prepare the tofu Drain off excess liquid from the tofu packaging. Gently scoop the silken tofu into a serving bowl using a large spoon. Do not cut it neatly. Let it fall in soft, rustic curds. This is the traditional texture. Warm the seasoning broth Heat the vegetable stock, soy sauce, and white pepper in a small pot over medium heat until hot but not boiling. Add black vinegar, chili oil, sesame oil, and sesame paste. Stir continuously until the sesame paste fully dissolves and the mixture looks smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking. Gently warm the tofu Pour the hot mixture over the tofu. Let it sit for a minute or two. This gently poaches and warms the tofu. Prepare the topping In the same pot, heat some oil. Add the peanuts and cook until lightly toasted. Add Sichuan peppercorns and zhacai or pickled radish. Stir-fry briefly until fragrant. You should smell the nutty and citrusy aroma. Assemble Spoon this hot topping over the tofu. Finish with scallions and coriander. Serve immediately while warm. Nourishing.... Hearty... Recipe Video:

Jump To Recipe Jump To Video There is something incredibly comforting about dishes like this. After all the rich, heavy cooking we sometimes do, this is the kind of food that brings you back to center. Soft silken tofu, lightly seasoned, gently steamed, and finished with aromatics and hot oil. It is simple, honest, and deeply satisfying. This is the kind of dish you will find in many Cantonese homes, not because it is fancy, but because it lets the ingredients speak for themselves. Cantonese cuisine has long celebrated freshness and restraint. Unlike heavily spiced regional styles, Cantonese cooking focuses on drawing out natural flavors through techniques like steaming, poaching, and quick finishing with hot oil. Steamed tofu is a classic example of this philosophy. It is commonly served as part of a family-style meal, alongside rice, vegetables, and perhaps a fish dish. The goal is balance, not complexity. This version is the kind of dish you can make anytime you want something warm, light, and nourishing without spending hours in the kitchen. It also proves that tofu is not bland when treated properly. If you think tofu is boring, try this once. The contrast of silky tofu, savory sauce, sharp ginger, and that final sizzling oil completely changes the experience. Ingredients: (Serve 2) Silken Tofu, 1 Block Light Soy Sauce, 2 TBSP ShaoXing / Hua Tiew Wine, 1 TBSP Toasted Sesame Oil, 1/2 TBSP White Pepper, Pinch Ginger Julienned, 2" Garlic Finely Minced, 1 Clove Scallions Coarsely Chopped, A Handful Coriander Coarsely Chopped, A Handful Rapeseed / Sunflower / Canola / Peanut Oil, 2 TBSP Equipment: Sauce Pot Steamer Directions: Prepare the tofu Gently slide the silken tofu out of the package onto a heatproof plate. Let the excess liquid drain off naturally. Do not press it or it will break. Steam the tofu Place the plate into a steamer over boiling water. Steam on high heat until the tofu is heated through and releases more liquid. Carefully remove and pour away the excess water collected on the plate. Slice and arrange Using a knife, slice the tofu crosswise as evenly as humanly can. Do not worry, it doesn't have to be perfect. Gently nudge the slices so they lean slightly, like dominoes. This helps the sauce seep between the layers. Prepare the sauce Mix the soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, and white pepper until combined. Drizzle this evenly over the tofu so it soaks into the cuts. Add aromatics Scatter the julienned ginger, minced garlic, scallions, and coriander over the top. Finish with hot oil Heat neutral oil in a small pot until very hot, just before smoking. Carefully pour the hot oil over the aromatics. You should hear an immediate sizzle that releases their fragrance. Serve immediately while warm. Silky smooth... Light and yummilicious... Recipe Video:

Jump To Recipe Jump To Video This recipe is lovingly passed down from my grandmother, whose patience and craft made kue lapis a family tradition. Kue lapis has quietly become a yearly ritual in my home during Lunar New Year, sitting right alongside bak kwa as something we simply must make. This particular recipe was passed down from my grandma, and every time I make it, I am reminded of how much patience and care she put into her cooking. Just outta the oven... There is something meditative about building it layer by layer. You cannot rush it. Each sheet needs attention, and just a bit of trust that all those thin layers will come together into something special. This year, I decided to be a little extra and folded in cognac-flambéed prunes for a deeper, festive richness. Kue lapis, also known as lapis legit or spekkoek, traces its roots to Indonesia during the Dutch colonial period, when European butter cakes met Southeast Asian spice traditions. The result is a dessert that is incredibly rich, aromatic, and painstakingly layered. Historically, it was considered a celebratory cake because ingredients like butter, eggs, and spices were expensive luxuries. The many layers came to symbolize patience, prosperity, and longevity, which is why it remains closely tied to festive occasions today. Adding prunes is not traditional, but it works beautifully with the warm cookie spices and buttery crumb. The fruit brings a gentle sweetness and slight tang that balances the richness while still respecting the spirit of the cake my grandma used to make. If you have never made kue lapis before, this is one of those bakes that rewards your time with something you truly cannot replicate any other way. Give it a try at least once. It might just become your own tradition, too. Ingredients: (Make one 8 X 8 square inch cake) Pitted Prunes Halfed, A Handful Cognac, 1/4 Cup Egg Whites, 8 Sea Salt, Pinch Granulated Sugar, 120g High Quality Unsalted Butter Softened Preferably Grass Fed, 550g + More For Greasing & Brushing Demerara Sugar, 125g Full Cream Condensed Milk, 60g High Quality Egg Yolks, 20 Spiced Rum, 2 TBSP or Pure Vanilla Paste, 1 TSP Cake Flour, 90g Cookie Spice Blend Homemade , 2 TSP Almond Meal, 30g Equipment: Oven 8 X 8 Inch Square Cake Pan Stand Mixer / Hand Mixer Sauce Pot Cake Smoother Directions: Please visit my " Cookie Spice Blend " page for the recipe. Prepare the prunes Place the prunes in a small pot with the cognac or rum. Warm over medium heat and carefully flambé to burn off the alcohol. Let the flame die naturally, then set the prunes aside to cool. Prepare the pan and oven Grease the cake pan generously with butter and line the bottom with parchment. Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F using top heat or broil setting only. Place the empty pan in the oven to heat before the first layer goes in. Make the egg white mixture Whisk egg whites with a pinch of salt until soft peaks form. Add sugar gradually and continue whisking until glossy soft peaks form. Set aside. Make the butter base Cream butter until smooth and spreadable, almost like mayonnaise. Add demerara sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Mix in condensed milk and rum or vanilla. Add egg yolks and beat until fully incorporated. Combine the batter Mix in cake flour, cookie spice blend, almond meal, and salt. Fold the whipped egg whites into the batter in batches until smooth and even. Start layering the cake Remove the hot pan from the oven. Spread 120g of batter evenly across the base. Swirl for even distribution. Return to the oven and bake until golden brown. This takes about 2 to 3 minutes. Watch closely. Remove and gently press the layer to compact it with a cake smoother, then brush lightly with butter. Repeat the layering process Add 100g of batter. The heat of the pan helps it spread. Bake again until golden, press gently, and brush with butter. Repeat until all batter is used. Place 9 prunes every fourth layer, spacing them evenly. Finish the final layer with 12 prunes on top. Finish and cool Bake the final layer, press gently to compact, and brush generously with butter. Allow the cake to cool completely before unmolding. Flip carefully onto a serving plate. Let the cake rest overnight before slicing for the best flavor and texture. Storage Kue lapis keeps well at cool room temperature for up to 5 days. The flavor actually improves after a day as the spices settle and deepen. Never disappoint... Recipe Video:

Jump To Video I really wanted to like blue matcha. The color is stunning. That deep, electric blue from butterfly pea flowers looks almost unreal in a glass. I whisked it the traditional way with hot water, frothed some milk, poured it over ice, and expected something with the same presence as green matcha. Instead, it tasted… flat. Very light, almost like tinted water. Beautiful, yes. Bold, not quite. Only for visual, tastes kinda flat... So I stopped treating it like matcha and started treating it like an ingredient that needed support. That meant building body and aroma around it rather than expecting it to carry the drink on its own. Coconut milk gave it richness, gula melaka added that deep caramel note, and a touch of vanilla and salt rounded everything out. Then came the espresso. Now the drink had structure. The blue matcha became more of a visual layer, while the coconut coffee did the heavy lifting in flavor. This is why I call it a Dirty Blue Matcha. Not traditional, not pretending to be. It is a layered drink where earthy espresso meets creamy coconut and smoky palm sugar, with that dramatic blue swirl turning the whole thing into something you would never get from a café menu. Sometimes an ingredient is not meant to shout. It is meant to set the stage. Ingredients: (Serve 1) Blue Matcha Layer: Blue Matcha (Butterfly Pea Powder), 1 TSP Hot Water (About 80 To 85°C), 40G Coconut Base: Coconut Milk, 200 g Gula Melaka Syrup, 1 TBSP Pure Vanilla Paste, Dash Sea Salt, Pinch Coffee: Espresso, Double Shot Or Moka Pot Coffee To Serve: Ice, For Serving Very Simple Steps: Prepare the Blue Matcha Add blue matcha powder into a bowl or chawan. Pour in the hot water. Whisk using a matcha whisk until fully dissolved, smooth, and foamy. Set aside. The color should be a deep vivid blue. Build the Coconut Body Stir in gula melaka syrup, vanilla paste, and a pinch of salt into the coconut milk. Warm the coconut milk mixture gently. Do not boil. Just heat until warm to the touch. Assemble the Drink Fill a serving glass with ice. Pour in the warm coconut milk mixture. Gently add the prepared blue matcha. You will start to see natural layering. Slowly pour the double shot of espresso over the top to create a gradient effect. Finish Lightly dust the surface with a little blue matcha powder if desired. Serve immediately and stir before drinking to combine all the layers. This is not something I would drink every day, but as an occasional treat or when you want coffee to feel playful, it is absolutely worth trying. And honestly, Cinnamon Toast Crunch might be doing most of the heavy lifting here. Flavor Notes: Do not expect the blue matcha to taste like green matcha. Butterfly pea is naturally delicate and mostly floral. In this drink, it acts more like a visual and textural contrast while the coconut, palm sugar, and espresso create the flavor backbone. Recipe Video:

Jump To Recipe Jump To Video The first time I made this, it failed. The mixture was too runny, the biscuits floated, and the layers looked nothing like those neat slices you see online. I realised quickly that different brands of coconut oil, cocoa, and even eggs behave differently. I love how rustic this is... Instead of giving up, I adjusted, chilled, tested again, and finally got that perfect slice. Slightly firm, rich, and beautifully rustic. Sometimes failure teaches you more than success ever could. Kalter Hund, which translates to “Cold Dog,” is a classic German no-bake chocolate biscuit cake that became popular in the mid-20th century. It was especially common in post-war Germany when ovens were scarce and ingredients were limited. Families layered simple butter biscuits with chocolate fat glaze and let it set in the fridge. No baking, no fuss. It is similar to Italian chocolate salami or British chocolate biscuit cake, but this version has its own personality. Deep cocoa flavor, structured layers, and that nostalgic charm. Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and honestly, this might be one of the easiest impressive desserts you can make. No oven, no complicated techniques, just layering and patience. Slice into it the next day and you get those beautiful striped layers. If you love rustic desserts with history, give this a try. It is simple, honest, and deeply chocolatey. Ingredients: (Make one 4.5 inch X 8.5 inch loaf) Light Muscovado Sugar, 100g High Quality Cocoa Powder, 40g Almond Meal, 80g Coconut Oil, 200g Whole Milk, 80g Eggs Lightly Beaten, 90g Sea Salt, Pinch Pure Vanilla Paste, A Dash Biscuits Preferably Leibniz Butterkeks, 100g Less or More Or Marie Cookies Equipment: 4.5" X 8.5" Loaf Pan Directions: Prepare the loaf pan Lightly wet the inside of your loaf pan so the foil sticks. Line the bottom and sides with aluminum foil. Leave some overhang to help lift it out later. Make the chocolate mixture In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, cocoa powder, and almond meal. Mix well to break up any lumps. Gradually add the coconut oil while mixing. Do not pour everything in at once. Slowly add the milk, followed by the lightly beaten eggs, mixing continuously. Add a pinch of salt and a dash of vanilla. Mix until you get a smooth mixture that resembles gravy. It should not be watery and not overly thick. If the mixture is too runny, add more almond meal, 10g at a time. If it is too thick, add more milk, 10g at a time. Small adjustments make a big difference. Chill Place the mixture in the fridge for about 15 minutes until it firms up into a soft paste. Before assembling, gently stir to loosen slightly. Do not overmix or it will become too runny again. Assemble the cake Spread a thin layer of the chocolate mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Lay biscuits on top, pressing gently. Repeat layering the chocolate mixture and biscuits, finishing with chocolate on top. Smooth the surface as evenly as you can. Chill and serve Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight. Run a knife along the edges. Invert onto a board or a serving platter and tap gently to release. Remove the foil. If desired, grate dark or white chocolate over the top for decoration. Slice and serve chilled. Leibniz Butterkeks Everything just melts in the mouth... Recipe Video:

Jump To Recipe Jump To Video This bread soup is not something I learned from a cookbook. It is something I grew up with. We did not have much, and my grandma never wasted food. Stale bread was not a problem to be solved; it was an ingredient waiting to be used. Sesame rye sourdough... This soup came together from whatever was on hand, usually bread, garlic, oil, and stock. It was simple, filling, and comforting, and to this day, it is the reason I never throw away old bread. While bread soups exist all over Europe, this is not the classic Portuguese açorda you might be thinking of. Açorda often includes eggs, herbs, and sometimes seafood, and follows a more defined structure. What my grandma made was different. It was looser, more improvised, and shaped by necessity rather than tradition. Many cultures have some version of bread cooked down into soup or porridge, especially in times when stretching ingredients mattered more than authenticity. This is one of those dishes that quietly teaches you something. How to respect ingredients. How to cook without wasting. How comfort does not need to be complicated. If you have stale bread sitting on your counter and a pot of stock, this soup is absolutely worth making. Use whatever crusty bread you have. I used sesame rye sourdough, but anything sturdy will work. And if you prefer a vegan version, vegetable stock works just as beautifully here. It is humble food, and that is exactly the point. Ingredients: (Serve 4) Stale Bread, 1 Loaf High Quality Olive Oil, 1/3 Cup Garlic Finely Minced, 5 Cloves Chicken Stock Homemade , 3 Cups or More Or Vegetable Stock Homemade Sea Salt, Pinch White Pepper, Pinch Parsley Finely Chopped, For Garnishing High Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil, For Drizzling Equipment: Heavy Pot Directions: Please visit my " How To Make Chicken Stock " page for the recipe. Please visit my " How To Make Vegetable Stock " page for the recipe. Prepare the bread Trim off the ends of the stale bread. Slice the loaf in half and remove the crust. Coarsely dice the bread into chunks. After which, I have about 200g of bread chunks. Optional step. Lightly toast the crusts in the oven until dry, then blitz into breadcrumbs for garnish. Cook the base Place a heavy pot over medium heat. Add olive oil and let it warm gently. Add the minced garlic and sauté until aromatic. Do not let the garlic brown. Add the bread Add the diced bread to the pot. Stir to coat the bread evenly with the garlic and oil. Cook for a minute or two so the bread absorbs the flavour. Add the stock Pour in the stock and stir well. The bread will begin to soften and break down. Continue cooking and stirring until the soup reaches a thick, porridge-like consistency. Adjust the texture If the soup is too thick, add more stock a little at a time. If it is too thin, continue cooking to reduce. Season and finish Taste and season with salt and white pepper. Turn off the heat. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over the top. Garnish with chopped parsley and some torn or toasted bread crusts if you like. Serve immediately while hot. Nourishing... Hearty and yummilicious... Recipe Video:

Jump To Recipe Jump To Video After sharing my champurrado recipe, someone commented on YouTube saying they did not realize Mexican and Filipino versions were completely different. That comment stuck with me. Instead of replying in words, I thought it would be nicer to reply with food. This bowl is my way of showing that while both drinks use chocolate, they live in very different places culturally and texturally. In the Philippines, chocolate made with tablea often shows up as tsokolate or champorado. Champorado in particular leans into rice rather than milk, creating something closer to a porridge than a drink. The roots trace back to the Spanish colonial period, when cacao from Mexico made its way to the Philippines via the galleon trade. Over time, Filipinos adapted it to local tastes and ingredients, pairing chocolate with glutinous rice and sometimes finishing it with condensed or evaporated milk. This version is simple, comforting, and very different from Mexican champurrado. It is thicker, more subtle, and less spiced, letting the chocolate and rice do the talking. If you have only known chocolate as a drink, this might surprise you in the best way. It is warm, nostalgic, and incredibly easy to make, especially if you want to understand how two cultures can start from cacao and end up with something entirely their own. Ingredients: (Serve 2) Glutinous Rice, 100g Water, 2 Cups Filipino Chocolate Tablea, 60g Light Muscovado Sugar, 2 TBSP Adjust To Preference Sea Salt, Pinch Condensed / Evaporated Milk, For Drizzling Fresh Orange Zest, 1/2 Orange Equipment: Sauce Pot Directions: Prepare the rice Transfer the glutinous rice into a saucepan. Wash the rice about three times, draining the water each time. Add fresh water to the pot. Cook the rice Place the pot over medium heat. Bring it to a gentle simmer. Cook until the rice is very soft and can be easily mashed between your fingers. Stir occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking or burning. Add the chocolate Add the chocolate tablea to the pot. Stir until the chocolate has fully melted into the rice. Sweeten and season Taste the mixture. Add sugar to your preference and stir until fully dissolved. Add a small pinch of salt and mix well. Serve Remove from heat. Transfer the champorado into serving bowls. Drizzle condensed or evaporated milk over the top. Finish with fresh orange zest if using. Serve immediately while hot. Chocolaty and nourishing... Recipe Video:

Jump To Recipe Jump To Video I made this Filipino hot chocolate on a quiet day when I found myself missing familiar flavours. My ex-wife is Filipina, and through her, Filipino food became part of my everyday life for a long time. Even now, certain dishes and drinks still carry memories with them. This was one of those moments where cooking wasn’t about experimenting or posting, it was just about recreating something comforting. Filipino hot chocolate, often called tsokolate, goes all the way back to the Spanish colonial period. Made with real cacao tablea instead of cocoa powder, it’s richer, less sweet, and deeply chocolatey. Traditionally, it’s whisked with a wooden tool called a batirol, rolled between the palms to aerate the drink and create that signature foam. I even bought a batirol just to try it the traditional way, partly out of curiosity, partly out of respect. This isn’t the overly sweet hot chocolate most people are used to. It’s earthy, slightly bitter, and rounded out with milk and a touch of sugar. If you’ve never tried chocolate made from tablea before, this is a great place to start. It’s simple, calming, and perfect for slowing down, whether you’re reconnecting with a cuisine or just want a cup of something warm and meaningful. Ingredients: (Serve 2) Water, 1 Cup Whole Milk, 1 Cup Filipino Chocolate Tablea, 45g + More For Grating Light Muscovado Sugar, 2 TBSP Adjust To Preference Sea Salt, Pinch Equipment: Sauce Pot Hand Blender / Milk Frother / Molinillo / Batirol Directions: Prepare the base Add water and milk to a saucepan over medium heat. Stir to combine well. Heat gently until small bubbles start forming along the edges. Do not let it boil. Melt the chocolate Add the chocolate tablea to the pot. Stir continuously until the chocolate has completely melted. Taste and sweeten Taste the hot chocolate. Add sugar to your preference. Stir and cook until the sugar has fully dissolved. Season and finish Add a small pinch of salt. Stir to combine. Remove from heat. Whisk and foam Whisk the hot chocolate until foamy using one of the following methods: Use a batirol or molinillo and roll it between your palms. Or use a hand blender or milk frother. Serve Pour into serving glasses. Grate extra chocolate tablea over the top. Serve immediately while hot. Way better than any ordinary hot chocolate... Recipe Video:

Jump To Video This is one of those ideas that sounds like a gimmick until you actually try it. Then suddenly you are standing there wondering why it works so well. Cereal coffee feels indulgent in a very specific, nostalgic way. Not sweet for the sake of sweetness, but comforting. The kind of comfort that comes from Saturday mornings, cartoons in the background, and milk that tastes like more than just milk. Using Cinnamon Toast Crunch was an easy decision. Cinnamon, sugar, toasted grain, and dairy are already doing most of the work before coffee even enters the picture. Besides, Cinnamon Toast Crunch is hands down the best cereals. I infused cold milk with cereal instead of heating it because I did not want to flatten the flavours. Heat tends to dull the sharper edges like cinnamon warmth and that sugary cereal memory. Letting the milk sit, then squeezing every last drop out of the soggy cereal, felt oddly satisfying. Frothing the milk cold kept the flavour clean and bold. Pouring it over a double shot of espresso turned it into something dangerously drinkable. This whole cereal milk idea did not appear out of nowhere. It is often credited to Christina Tosi , who popularised cereal milk at Milk Bar years ago. What I love about the idea is how adaptable it is. You can change cereals, change coffee styles, or adjust ratios. It is playful and relaxed, not precious. Coffee choice matters here. Espresso works best because it is concentrated enough to stand up to the milk. A moka pot would work well too. I would avoid drip coffee as it is too thin and gets lost. Vietnamese coffee could be interesting because of its intensity and condensed milk roots, but that is a rabbit hole I have not gone down yet. Out of curiosity, I even have cereals with the cereal-infused coffee. Surprisingly, it worked. The crunch added texture and closed the loop on the whole idea. You get the aroma and flavour from the infused milk first, then that final bite reminds you exactly where it all came from. It is not necessary, but it is fun, and sometimes that is reason enough. What surprised me most is how indulgent this felt without being heavy. It is not a dessert drink pretending to be coffee. It is still coffee, just softened and rounded in a nostalgic way that feels intentional rather than novelty driven. One cup is plenty. Two cups might be pushing it. Very Simple Steps Infuse 250g of cold milk with your 50g cereal of choice. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes, then strain and squeeze as much milk out as possible. Froth the milk cold to keep the flavour bright. Brew a strong coffee. Espresso or moka pot works best. Pour the frothed cereal milk over the coffee. You can add a small handful of cereal on top if you want some crunch. Enjoy. This is not something I would drink every day, but as an occasional treat or when you want coffee to feel playful, it is absolutely worth trying. And honestly, Cinnamon Toast Crunch might be doing most of the heavy lifting here. Recipe Video:

Jump To Recipe Jump To Video This recipe started with a casual suggestion at work. After I made a Biscoff version of pay de queso and brought it in, one of my co-workers said, “What about a Milo version… with a Marie cookie crust?” That single sentence lived rent-free in my head for days. Milo, Marie biscuits, condensed milk, evaporated milk, it all felt way too logical not to try. So here it is: a Milo pay de queso that feels nostalgic, comforting, and slightly unhinged in the best way. Pay de queso itself has roots in Mexican home baking, often made with simple pantry ingredients like condensed milk, evaporated milk, eggs, and fresh cheese. It’s not the dense New York–style cheesecake people expect; it’s lighter, softer, a little custardy, and very forgiving. What I love about this format is how adaptable it is. Swap flavours, change the crust, adjust the sweetness, and it still works. Turning it into a Milo version felt like a natural extension of that spirit. This one leans into childhood comfort hard. Marie cookies bring that familiar biscuit base, Milo adds malty chocolate depth, and the combination of cream cheese and queso fresco keeps it from tipping into overly sweet territory. If you grew up with Milo or have a soft spot for retro desserts, this is absolutely worth making. It’s simple, low-effort, and weirdly impressive for something that comes together in a blender. Ingredients: (Make one 9" cheesecake) Marie Cookies, 200g Unsalted Butter Melted, 127g Evaporated Milk, 170g Sweetened Condensed Milk, 150g + More For Brushing Milo Preferably Australian, 50g + More For Dusting Eggs, 2 Cream Cheese, 115g Queso Fresco / Feta, 60g Sea Salt, Pinch Equipment: Blender Oven 9" Baking Dish Food Processor Directions: Prepare the crust Blitz the Marie cookies in a food processor until fine crumbs form. Transfer the crumbs to a baking dish and add melted butter. Mix until it looks like wet sand. Press the mixture into the bottom and slightly up the sides of the dish using a flat-bottomed mug or glass. Don’t worry about perfection — a rustic crater shape is totally fine. Chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour to set. Preheat the oven Preheat your oven to 190°C / 375°F. Make the filling Add evaporated milk, condensed milk, Milo, eggs, cream cheese, queso fresco (or feta), and a pinch of salt into a blender. Blitz until completely smooth and lump-free. Bake the cheesecake Pour the filling into the chilled crust. Place the dish in the oven and bake for 35–40 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned and the centre is still soft and jiggly. Remove from the oven and let it sit for 2–3 minutes. Finish and chill Gently brush the surface with a little condensed milk. Dust Milo powder over the top. Let it cool completely at room temperature. Chill in the fridge overnight to fully set. Serve Slice and serve the next day. Enjoy cold for the best texture and flavour. Creamy, cheesy and Miloey... Better any typical cheesecake... Recipe Video: