Without a doubt this ube haleya cheesecake a certified best seller at Ayanna Garden Restaurant at the posh Sheridan Boutique Resort in Oton, Iloilo. The ube or purple yam gives it a distinct colour as well as flavour and at the same time creates a new dimension on the texture. Sitting on a dark chocolate cookie crust, each slice is a burst of ube goodness from the cheesecake layer to the ube haleya top layer. A perfect ending to every gastronomic adventure at Ayanna...
It's not Catbalogan nor Katagalugan, it's CA-TA-LU-GAN, Catalugan. I also had the same problem when I was a kid when reading and remembering the name of this bread. But the many years of enjoying this specialty from Tibiao Bakery, I think I have it in me. So what is catalugan? It's basically a filled bread and like what you see, it has more filling that the "bread" itself. Tibiao Bakery makes the more "high end" catalugan as they are big, individually wrapped and deliciously addicting. Smaller bakeshops also make catalugan but its just the regular "one of those" breads. But this one from Tibiao is worth every "bit and morsel". For around 12 each (few years back it was only PhP 10), this bite size bread is heavy as the filling is a compact and flavouful blend of "secrets" for this one had no ingredients listed on its packaging. So I can only assume what they are everytime I am ...
