Tres Leches Cake

Posted on August 10, 2014 by jenaviea

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Tres Leches Cake by Janet Frias
Story and Photos by Jenavie Aguilar

Growing up in a Mexican American household, Janet Frias can’t help but have a love for her culture, especially the food.

Frias’s mom is a strong cook who learned from her mom and many generations before her.

“I love Mexican food! Not only do I like to eat enchiladas, mole, and tortilla soup, but I like to cook it as well,” Frias says.

But there is one desert that really hits the spot for her sweet tooth, and that’s a homemade Tres Leches cake, or Three Milks cake.

Janet Frias is a senior at St. Mary’s University where she is studying English- Communication Arts.

She loves to work with people, communicate, and overall be involved with public affairs.

“I love St. Mary’s because it’s given me a great opportunity in networking, meeting people, and being involved with the community,” Frias states.

Her plan to become involved with public relations after graduation is well on its way.

“At this point, I’m looking for an internship in public relations to gain more experience and decide what direction I want to go into when it comes to public affairs.”

Along with being a full-time student, Frias is also an active member of the Delta Zeta sorority at St. Mary’s University where she has held a few executive positions as well, including public relations chair.

“When doing public relations, you have to relate to your audience as much as possible.

What do they want? What are they looking for? And how are you going to give it to them?” Frias explains.

Her involvements with school and the community leave Frias with little free time although she tries to cook when her schedule allows, “I like to bake when I get the chance and learn new recipes from my mom,” she says.

My favorite cake to bake, that I learned from my mom, is Tres Leches cake because it just melts in my mouth and it hits the spot every time.

I like to bake this because it’s not like an ordinary cake. I can’t help but crave this every time I’m in the mood for baking.

“The first time I tried baking a Tres Leches cake, it wasn’t as good as my mom’s,” she says.

Freas has only made this cake a few times, but each time only gets better. She plans to bake this cake for her sisters in Delta Zeta after she has mastered it.

“Each time I bake this cake, I get closer and closer to perfection, and I hope to master it one day so that I can pass down my secrets to the next generation.”

“Anyone that bakes this cake needs to take their time, and to not forget to add a little tender loving care,” Frias advises.

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 6 ¾ oz. flour
  • Baking powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4 oz. unsalted butter
  • 8 oz. sugar
  • 5 eggs
  • 1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
  • 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 2 cups of whip cream

Directions

Preheat the oven for 350 degrees, and prepare oil and flour a 13 by 9 in. metal pan. Whisk together the cake flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.Place the butter into the bowl. Beat on medium speed until fluffy for about a minute.. Decrease the speed to low and gradually at the sugar over a minute. Crack the eggs in the mix one at a time and continue  mixing the batter. Add the vanilla extract. Then, add the flour mixture to  mix.. Transfer the batter to the prepared and spread. Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cake is lightly golden.Remove the cake pan to a cooling rack and allow to cool for 30 minutes. Poke the top of the cake all over with a fork. Allow the cake to cool completely and then prepare to glaze.For the glaze: Whisk together the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk and the half and half in a 1 quart measuring cup. Then, poor the glaze over the cake.Topping: Add whipped cream as the top layer to the cake and add sugar.

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Tiramisu Cake

Posted on July 30, 2014 by Travis

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Tiramisu Cake by Jessica Hughes
Story and Photos by Travis Bowles

Jessica Hughes, a senior at St. Mary’s University, shares a sweet tiramisu cake recipe that holds special memories of her mother.

Hughes is an Entrepreneurial Studies major, with aspirations of both painting and working in marketing or business consulting.

She is a work-study employee for The Rattler, a position she’s held for over a year. Previously she worked in the A.A.C.C., and also worked at the Prague Zaragoza Recreation Center for an internship last summer.

She enjoys St. Mary’s because of the small class sizes, saying “I get distracted easily in larger classes, so this is a better learning environment for me.”

Ideally, Hughes wants to dedicate herself to her painting after graduating, but she’s also exploring marketing, marketing research, or business consulting as a career.

While not busy with her studies, internship, and multiple clubs, she enjoys baking for herself, friends and family.

She says the thing that draws her to baking is that “it’s sort of the same concept that draws me into my artwork: the idea of creating and sharing something.”

Hughes started baking when she was a senior in high school.

“I started with cookies because they were simple,” she says.

This particular recipe was originally made for her mom on Mother’s Day a couple years ago.

“I’ve always tried to make some kind of cake for my mom for Mother’s Day,” she says.

The tiramisu cake was chosen because of her mom’s affinity for chocolate and because it wasn’t too sweet.

The cake was a huge success, and her mother loved it. “She liked it a lot, even though I didn’t make it right the first time, and has asked me to bake one for her again,” she says.

After making it a few times, Jessica recommends making sure the butter is room temperature and being very careful with the baking powder and baking soda.

“They’re very easy to accidentally switch around and then the cake could come out funny,” she says.

Ingredients

For the cake layers:

• 2 cups cake flour

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/8 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

• 1 cup sugar

• 3 large eggs

• 1 large egg yolk

• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• 3/4 cup buttermilk

For the espresso extract:

• 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder

• 2 tablespoons boiling water

For the espresso syrup:

• 1/2 cup water

• 1/3 cup sugar

• 1 tablespoon amaretto or brandy

For the filling and frosting:

• 1 8-ounce container mascarpone

• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted

• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• 1 tablespoon amaretto or brandy

• 1 cup cold heavy cream

• 2 1/2 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped, or 1/2 cup store-bought mini chocolate chips

For decoration (optional):

• Cocoa powder, for dusting

Cooking Directions:

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 9×2 inch round cake pans, dust the insides with flour, tap out the excess, and line the bottoms of the pans with parchment or wax paper. Put the pans on a baking sheet.

To make the cake:

Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Working with a hand mixer, in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add the sugar and beat for another 3 minutes. Add the eggs one by one, and then the yolk, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Beat in the vanilla (don’t be concerned if the mixture looks curdled). Reduce the mixer speed to low and add 1/3 of the dry ingredients. Then mix in ½ of the buttermilk. Repeat this process until all dry ingredients and buttermilk are mixed into the batter. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed and mix only until the ingredients disappear into the batter. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula.

Bake for 28 to 30 minutes, rotating the pans at the midway point. When fully baked, the cakes will be golden and springy to the touch and a thin knife inserted into the centers will come out clean.

Transfer the cakes to a rack and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, un-mold them and peel off the paper liners. Invert and cool to room temperature right-side up.

To make the extract: Stir the espresso powder and boiling water together in a small cup until blended. Set aside.

To make the syrup: Stir the water and sugar together in a small saucepan and bring just to a boil. Pour the syrup into a small heatproof bowl and stir in 1 tablespoon of the espresso extract and the liqueur or brandy. Set aside.

To make the filling and frosting:

Put the mascarpone, sugar, vanilla, and liqueur in a large bowl and whisk just until blended and smooth.

Working with the hand mixer, whip the heavy cream until it holds firm peaks. Switch to a rubber spatula and stir about one quarter of the whipped cream into the mascarpone. Fold in the rest of the whipped cream with a light touch.

To assemble the cake:

If the tops of the cake layers have crowned, use a long serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion to even them. Place one layer right-side up on a cardboard round or a cake plate protected with strips of wax or parchment paper. Using a pastry brush or a small spoon, soak the layer with about one third of the espresso syrup. Smooth some of the mascarpone cream over the layer –about 1 1/4 cups – and gently press the chopped chocolate into the filling. Put the second cake layer on the counter and soak the top of it with half the remaining espresso syrup, then turn the layer over and position it, soaked side down, over the filling. Soak the top of the cake with the remaining syrup.

For the frosting, whisk 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of the remaining espresso extract into the remaining mascarpone filling. Taste the frosting as you go to decide how much extract you want to add. If the frosting looks as if it might be a little too soft to spread over the cake, press a piece of plastic wrap against its surface and refrigerate it for about 15 minutes. Refrigerate the cake, too.

With a long metal icing spatula, smooth the frosting around the sides of the cake and over the top. If you want to decorate the cake with chocolate-covered espresso beans, press them into the filling, making concentric circles of beans or just putting some beans in the center of the cake.

Refrigerate the cake for at least 3 hours (or for up to 1 day) before serving – the elements need time to meld.

Just before serving, dust the top of the cake with cocoa. Stencils can be made out of wax paper to add various designs to a cake. After cutting out the stencil, place it on the cake then sprinkle on the cocoa.

Makes: 1 cake, 8-10 servings depending on thickness of slices

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German Chocolate Cake

Posted on July 1, 2014 by adriananavila

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German Chocolate Cake by Rachel Grahmann
Story and Photos by Adriana Avila

Dessert is often identified as the best part of every meal, while comfort and Chinese food will always hold a special place in Rachel Grahmann’s heart, nothing will ever come close to her love of sweets, specifically homemade German Chocolate Cake.

While cooking is something Grahmann has always loved to do, her true passion lays photography and graphic design. A senior English-Communication Arts major from Victoria, Texas, Grahmann plans to graduate December 2014 and pursue a job in either graphic design or photography.

When she was a child, Grahmann’s family followed healthy eating habits; sweets were limited so she started learning to make some of her own.

“Most people have a sweet tooth; I have a mouth full of sweet teeth. I love dessert. Cookies, cake, anything thing with sugar,” Grahmann says. One father’s day, Grahmann put her cooking skills and sweet tooth to use and made her father his favorite cake, German Chocolate. It quickly became a shared favorite and, assuming from the dessert’s name that it was German, she felt a strong heritage connection.

“It’s not really from Germany. The guy who invented this specific chocolate bar for baking in 1852, – same year St. Mary’s was founded- was named Sam German and the first person to come up with the recipe was a homemaker in Dallas in the 1950s. I feel cheated,” Grahmann notes.

Despite that discovery, Grahmann continues to hold German Chocolate Cake as a favorite and it was her first and only choice of recipe to share. “It’s a lot of fun to create something you can also enjoy so much. It is fun, comforting, and once you learn, fast food and store bought never tastes as good. I just hate the cleanup. The perfect set-up for me would be to find someone I can bake for and then they clean everything up, that part is definitely the worst,” Grahmann says.

Grahmann offers a few tips for baking this sweet treat at home: “Take your time, and make a big mess, but only if someone else is there to clean it up. Also, don’t sample the ingredients along the way; did you know German chocolate bars are measured so that you use the whole bar? Yeah, neither did.”

Ingredients:

For the cake:

  • ½ c water
  • 4 (1-oz) squares German sweet chocolate
  • 1 c butter, softened
  • 2 c white sugar
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 c buttermilk
  • 2 ½ c cake flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 4 egg whites

 For the icing/filling:

  • 1 c white sugar
  • 1 c evaporated milk
  • ½ c butter
  • 3 egg yolks, beaten
  • 2 1/3 c flaked coconut
  • 1 c chopped pecans
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour 3-9 inch round pans. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a small saucepan, heat water and 4 oz chocolate until melted. Remove from heat and allow cooling. In a large bowl, cream 1-c butter and 2 c sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in 4 egg yolks one at a time. Blend in the melted chocolate mixture and vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk, mixing just until incorporated. In a large glass or metal mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the whites into the batter, and then quickly fold in remaining whites until no streaks remain. Pour into 3 – 9 inch pans Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow cooling for 10 minutes in the pan, and then turn out onto wire rack.

Filling: In a saucepan combine 1 c sugar, evaporated milk, ½ c butter, and 3 egg yolks. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in coconut, pecans and vanilla. Cool until thick enough to spread. Spread the filling between layers and on top of cake.

Makes 8 servings.

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Red Velvet Crepês

Posted on April 7, 2014 by Travis

Red Velvet Crepês by Wendy Araujo
Videography and Production by Travis Bowles

Chef Wendy loves making deserts. She is a St. Mary’s alumn who also enjoys eating red velvet cake. So, when this recipe found her, she couldn’t wait to give it a try.

Ingredients

Crepe Batter
– 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
– 1 teaspoon baking powder
– 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
– 1/4 teaspoon salt
– 3 tablespoons sugar
– 2 cups butter milk
– 1 1/4 cup whole or lowfat milk
– 1 large egg
– 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
– 1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder, sifted – 1 tablespoon red food color gel
– 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted + 2 tablespoons cooking oil (for pan)

Mascarpone Cream Filling
– 500 mL heavy cream
– 300 gr mascarpone cheese – 1/2 cup icing sugar
– 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
– zest of 1 orange (optional, but adds nice tang)

Chocolate Ganache Topping
– 75 gr bittersweet chocolate
– 75 mL heavy cream
– 1 tablespoon sugar

Directions

For the Mascarpone Filling:
Using a mixer, mix mascarpone cheese, 1/4 cup sugar, and vanilla until soft and fluffy. Set aside. Whip cream and remaining sugar to a stiff peak. Carefully fold into the mascarpone cheese until combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.

For Chocolate Ganche Sauce
Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set aside. In a small sauce pan, heat cream and sugar to a rolling boil. Remove from heat, and pour over chocolate. Carefully mix until homogenous, and set aside until ready to use. If the ganache sets, re-melt the chocolate over a double boiler.

Red Velvet Crepes
In a large bowl stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. Set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, milk, egg, sugar, melted butter, vanilla extract and food coloring. Whisk until combined. Pour the liquid ingredients into the mixing bowl with the dry ingredients, and stir with a wooden spoon until the dry ingredients are combined. The batter will be a little runny (think soup). If you find that the batter is too thick and pancake like, add more milk (regular). Make sure the batter is clear of lumps. With a pastry brush, brush the surface of large (non-stick) skillet with cooking oil. Heat it over medium heat. Test skillet after a couple of minutes by drizzling a few few drops of water onto the cooking surface. If the drops sizzle and evaporate, the surface is hot enough. Turn the heat down to medium. For each crepe, spoon or ladle about 1/4 cup of the batter into the center of the skillet. Holding onto the handle of the pan, remove it from the heat and swirl the pan so the batter coats the bottom of the pan. You want to make the coating as thin as possible. If you have holes in the crepe, go ahead and add more batter to the pan to cover them. Return to heat. As the batter cooks, it will dry and lose its shine (~ 2 minutes). Once this happens, use a non- metal spatula and carefully flip the crepe over. Finish cooking the crepe on the other side (~ 45 seconds). Gently slide the cooked crepe onto an ovenproof plate, and keep the finished crepes warm in an oven set at 195 degrees.

Assembling the Crepes
Pipe mascarpone cream filling, and carefully roll. Drizzle with chocolate ganache sauce and dust with icing sugar.

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Chocolate Pecan Pie

Posted on April 7, 2014 by Rachel Grahmann

Chocolate Pecan Pie by India Bray
Video and Production by Rachel Grahmann

India Bray bakes her family’s traditional Chocolate Pecan Pie and shares how much the recipe means to her. Bray is a senior sociology major at St. Mary’s University and has enjoyed cooking with her mother and grandmother since a very young age.

Chocolate Pecan Pie

Ingredients:
• 1/3 C butter
• 3 eggs
• 1 C corn syrup (Karo)
• 2/3 C sugar
• 1/3 C cocoa
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 C pecans + more as needed

Directions:
Butter pie plate and press the crust lightly to create a the shell. Set this aside.
Next, melt the butter in a microwave. Once it is completely melted, slowly stir in cocoa until there are no lumps. Set this aside to cool.
In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and blend in the corn syrup and salt. Add the cooled butter mixture and stir. Add pecans and stir until everything is mixed evenly.
Pour into pie shell and add extra pecans as needed to fill in any gaps.
Bake 50 minutes @ 350 degrees Fahrenheit, checking periodically.

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Rainbow Cheesecake

Posted on April 7, 2014 by skhury

Rainbow Cheesecake by Jessica Hughes

Videography and Production by Stela Khury

Jessica Hughes, St. Mary’s University alumna, is a fan of gifting delicious desserts to sweeten up the lives of her friends. She believes that baking is an artistic way of expressing herself through food, which is why she was drawn to this cheesecake recipe that is both tasty and a feast on the eyes.

Ingredients

Crust

2 c finely crushed graham crackers

2 T sugar

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

6 T unsalted butter, softened

Directions

Preheat oven to 340 Fahrenheit. Mix the crushed graham crackers with the dry ingredients. Gradually add lumps of softened butter and mix with clean fingers. Press the mixture into a nine-inch pan with removable sides to form the base of the cheesecake. Place the pan in oven for 10 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

Filling

4 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, room temperature

1 ⅓ c sugar

2 tsp vanilla

1 c sour cream

1 c heavy cream

liquid food coloring

Directions

Mix the sugar, vanilla, salt, sour cream and eggs. Gradually add the cream cheese and mix. Finish by adding the heavy cream. Separate the batter into six bowls. Add liquid food coloring to each of the bowls to create the colors red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet. Pour the batter in this sequence into the center of the pan. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for an hour.

 

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Chocolate Chip Treasure Cookies

Posted on April 7, 2014 by bpardo1

Chocolate Chip Treasure Cookies by Breanne Pardo
Videography and Production by Bianca Pardo

Breanne Pardo, a junior English-Communications Arts major at St. Mary’s University,enjoys baking Chocolate Chip Treasure Cookies. She loves all the different flavors within the cookie. Pardo demonstrates how to make this flavorful cookie.

Ingredients

•1.5 cups finely crushed graham cracker crumbs

•1.5 cups of all-purpose flour
•2 teaspoons of Clabber Girl baking powder
•1 14 ounce can of Eagle Brand Sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
•.5 margarine, softened
•1 3.5 ounce can flaked coconut (1.5 cups)
•1 12 ounce package semi-sweet chocolate chips
•1 cup chopped Diamond walnuts

Directions

Heat the oven to 375 degrease. In a bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs, flower, and baking powder. In a mixer bowl, beat the sweetened condensed milk and margarine until it is smooth.

Then add the crumb mixture and mix well. Stir the coconut, chips, and walnuts. Drop the tablespoons of cookie dough onto lightly greased cookie sheets.

Next, bake the cookies 9 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool the cookies 2 to 3 minutes and remove from the cookie sheets. Store the cookies loosely covered at room temperature.

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Chef bakes delicious strawberry cheesecake pie

Posted on February 1, 2014 by Alexander Eakins

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Marie Antoinette’s famous dictum, “let them eat cake,” no longer defines the fine line between the rich and the poor. Today, a rich cake makes an affordable special occasion of any meal for any person of any class.

Senior computer science major and at-home chef Justin Patterson might not have learned to bake delicious cakes if costs barred him from doing so. His go-to recipe is a hearty cheesecake with a touch of passion.

Patterson comes from a rich tradition of home-cooked, southern meals. He describes the fact that, even though his family did not have a vast disposable income, he always had a warm meal waiting for him at the table.

“Growing up, my family didn’t have all the money in the world. But the important things were there, especially food,” Patterson says.

Patterson holds an associates degree in biology from Del Mar College in Corpus Christi. He was inspired to be a surgeon for two reasons: the pay and the calming feeling he gets from working with his hands, even on an operating table. When he transferred to St. Mary’s, however, he changed his major to computer science because his teachers encouraged him and he was unhappy with the biology program.

“I love the teachers at St. Mary’s,” Patterson says. “I just feel like the business program is too privileged and other programs suffer from that.”

Working with his hands is what interests Patterson in cooking. His signature dish is a recipe for ragu spaghetti that takes four hours to cook. But, when he’s feeling passionate or adventurous, he enjoys baking. One such occasion prompted him to try out a recipe for a strawberry-topped cheesecake.

“I’ve baked cheesecake before, but I’ve only used blueberries as a topping,” Patterson says. “This recipe was designed for my girlfriend. Cooking it was a timely decision … I wanted to make her birthday special and a store-bought cake just wouldn’t do that. She loves cheesecake and strawberries, so I put two and two together and decided strawberry cheesecake would be the perfect birthday cake solution!”

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Chocolate Chip Muffins

Posted on October 31, 2013 by Alex

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Chocolate Chip Muffins by Megan Salib
Story and Photos by Alex Diaz

A fresh baked muffin hits just the right spot when walking to class in the morning or even as a late night study snack.

Students who live on campus know what it’s like to be deprived of home cooked meals.

However, with the new kitchenettes in the outback, Megan Salib, a junior psychology major, brings a little bit of home by being able to bake some of her favorite muffins.

Salib, from Corpus Christi, Texas, enjoys food that offers versatile ways of being prepared.

“I like all kinds of food. I like to always try different things and my favorite would be vegetables because there are so many different ways to make them and they still taste good!” she says.

As a full-time student and active member of Catholic Daughters of the Americas, Marianist Leadership Program, Catholic Student Group, The Bridge and Delta Zeta, Salib turns to baking as dedicated time for herself.

“Baking has been a way for me to express my creative side,” Salib says. “I am continually experimenting with new foods and recipes.”

Salib loves the strong sense of community that is offered at St. Mary’s and it gives her joy when she can share her treats with classmates, friends and sisters.

“I have gotten a lot of compliments from friends for my brownie cheesecake,” Salib says.

After graduating from St. Mary’s, Salib plans to commit to a year of service before applying to graduate school for social work.

“I want to help children find a safe environment they can grow up in,” Salib explains. “I want to eventually work with adoption agencies.”

This Chocolate Chip Muffin recipe allows for creative freedom, one of the main reasons why it is at the Salib household.

“I chose this recipe because it was something my family used to make for breakfast before I went to school. It’s easy and you can always change it and add different things to it like fruit or nuts,” Salib explains.

Baking does not always have to be a step by step activity.

“Make it your own,” Salib says. “By changing ingredients in a recipe, a new dish is created every time.”

Ingredients

  • 1 c whole wheat flour
  • 1 c sugar
  • 1 T vanilla
  • 1/2 c applesauce
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 egg whites
  • 3/4 c chocolate chips
  • 2 T brown sugar
  • 1 packet vanilla pudding mix

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a bowl, mix together the applesauce and egg whites. Slowly add in dry ingredients until an even consistency is created.  Line the muffin pan with liners and fill the cups 3/4 full. Bake in the preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes. Let muffins cool before removing them from the pan. Recipe makes about 8 servings.

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Turon: Banana Lumpia

Posted on September 15, 2013 by ncanedo

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Turon: Banana Lumpia by Kirsten Acosta
Story and photos by Nick Canedo

While appetizers and the main course is savory, what people remember most about a three-course meal is the last thing to hit their tongue—the dessert! For St. Mary’s senior biology major Kirsten Acosta, there is not dessert better than one that comes from her Filipino roots.

While cooking is a hobby, Acosta’s true passion is dentistry.

“I’ve always been fascinated with teeth. When choosing a college, I didn’t want to leave my San Antonio, since it’s always been my home. When I found out St. Mary’s could put me on the track to dental school, I knew this place would be a good fit,” Acosta says.

Living at home while attending college, Acosta enjoys the home cooked dinner she gets after a long day at school.

“While I love the Mexican food that San Antonio has to offer, my favorite will always be Filipino because it’s my heritage.”

Acosta’s family has a tradition of the entire household contributing to dinner once they become teenagers. When she first started helping her family, she had a tough time meeting her parent’s cooking standards.

“At first, both my mother and father would yell at me that something wasn’t right. I was discouraged at first, but I wanted to be like the rest of my family and cook traditional Filipino dishes,” she says.

The first dish Acosta made by herself for her family was turon, a popular Filipino desert.

“My mom said it was the easiest thing to make, so she trusted me to do it.”

Also known as banana lumpia, turon is a popular street food among Filipinos.

“We used to eat it by itself, but it was my idea to eat it with ice cream. Now, turon and vanilla ice cream is pretty much the tradition for deserts in my household,” Acosta says.

Ingredients

For 10 turons:

  • Five bananans
  • Bowl full of water
  • ½ c of golden brown sugar
  • ½ c of white sugar
  • 10 spring roll wrappings
  • Paper towel
  • Plate

Directions
Create quarter long bananas by cutting them in half, then cutting them lengthwise. Dip each one in water, then mix a little golden brown sugar and white sugar together and sprinkle over top wet bananas. Wrap two quarter long bananas in each spring roll wrapping, then tap some water on spring roll and sprinkle sugar mixture over top (this will create “clean” but sugary tops).  Deep-fry the wrappings until golden and transfer to paper towel on a plate to absorb oil.

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