A dish I can’t forget: Manila Neapolitan ice-cream

There’s something whimsical about being served a slab of ice-cream on a pretty plate at the end of a meal. I’m more of a savoury person than a sweet tooth, but at a pop-up last year, Florence Mae’s Neapolitan ice-cream stopped me in my tracks. 

Instead of the usual strawberry-vanilla-chocolate trio, the chef-owner of Filipino restaurant Donia and Panadera bakery gave it a pastel Filipino makeover using ube, pandan and Milo. For any east or southeast Asian, these flavours are in our DNA. Earthy, vanilla-tinged purple ube, the grassy and coconutty pandan, and the milky, malty sweetness of Milo are all comforting and familiar.

The ice-cream had a lush richness that didn’t fully melt until it hit your tongue, coating it like creamy velvet before melting completely and releasing its aroma. Too often, desserts are dressed up with gooey centres, chocolate sauces or fruity schmears. What made this even better is how simple it looks; there are no bells or whistles to hide behind, and that’s what had me spoon-fighting for the last bite.

“Ice-cream lets me be creative,” Mae said. For the supper club, she wanted to try something new while still playing to her strengths. “How do I take these three flavours I know and love and evolve them?” she thought. “Ice-cream is tricky because flavours can lose taste and sweetness, so you need the right technique to bring out their best.”

mw