bake book Archives - The Philippine Beat

Goldilocks was the name I grew up with when it came to cakes and pastries. The popular fluffy mamon and ensaymada were staples during my growing-up years.

When I started my own family, it was a regular trip for me to cross from Unimart to Goldilocks (where Gloria Maris restaurant is now) and buy mamon, ensaymada, and polvoron (both classic and pinipig) for the kids’ baon (school snacks) the following week. And during my kids’ birthdays, I remember poring over Goldilocks’ various albums filled with different themed cakes trying to decide what kind of cake I’d order for them.

So when I was invited to the launch of Goldilocks’ bakebook, I made sure I’d drop by even if my day was packed with events. I was curious as to why Goldilocks would, after all these decades, share its successful recipes with the world. And I was hoping that I’d meet the people who made Goldilocks a household name.

The ladies behind Goldilocks are sisters Mrs. Milagros Leelin-Yee and Mrs. Clarita Leelin-Go and their sister-in-law Doris who first opened Goldilocks along Pasong Tamo, Makati in May 1966. The two sisters eventually carefully developed each Goldilocks recipe to make it what is now.

To celebrate 45 years of Goldilocks, both sisters are now sharing the very recipes that built Goldilocks into what it is now with us through a bakebook. I asked one of Goldilocks’ executives if they did not think it risky to share these recipes. I was told that the recipe ingredients were tweaked so that it is a lot easier to prepare at home. Their original recipes are meant for commercial preparation. So I guess you shouldn’t expect the results to be exactly the same as what you can get from Goldilocks. But close enough…

A selection of goodies whose recipes are in the bakebook

The Goldilocks Bakebook contains 108 recipes in 211 pages that includes beautiful photos as well as an overview of the company’s beginnings. The last part of the bakebook contains actual stories from Goldilocks customers including my friend Noemi’s story about how Goldilocks played a part in her son’s birthday party.

This bakebook is not meant to be a coffeetable book or simply a collection for one’s library. This bakebook is meant to be kept in the kitchen, its pages used and re-used, with pages that probably show stains from dough, butter and other things that a baking mom usually uses.

Here’s what Goldilocks calls its Winning Recipe: