One of the most important things we stand for at Dessert Lady is a passion for fresh, healthy, homemade food that contains only the best ingredients – topped off with most importantly – LOVE. Our gourmet quinoa salad is the perfect example of all of these things. With a mix of always fresh veggies like Kale, Cucumber, Tomatoes, Sweet Corn, Avocado & Red Onion, topped with a sweet & savoury lemon vinaigrette – this gourmet salad can’t be beat and is far from your ordinary quinoa!

If you’re a lover of a hearty lunch with loads of flavour – this quinoa salad is a must, topped with your choice of protein or as is, it’s always a great choice. Not to mention, have you heard about all of the amazing health benefits of this lovely little grain??? Check them out below:

• Very Nutritious – The nutrient content for quinoa is truly off the charts. Super high in things like protein, fiber, iron & all your B Vitamins!
• Contains the Plant Compounds Quercetin and Kaempferol – these plant compounds hav been shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti-viral & anti-depressant effects. Who knew?!
• Very High in Fibre, Much Higher Than Most Grains – quinoa is such an AMAZING source! Just about 17-27 grams per cup (depending on the variety of quinoa) which is super high, more than TWICE as high as your average grain!
• Gluten-Free and Perfect for People With Gluten Intolerance – Sometimes it’s challenging to find really delicious Gluten Free options, Quinoa is ALWAYS here to save the day. Quinoa is naturally gluten free and can add great substance to any meal.
• Very High in Protein, With All the Essential Amino Acids – Did you know that Quinoa has both MORE and BETTER protein than most other grains?? Containing ALL nine amino acids and with 8 grams of quality protein per cup, quinoa is an excellent source of plant-based protein for all our Veggies & Vegans out there!
•  Has Beneficial Effects on Metabolic Health– given its high beneficial nutrient content, quinoa can help to improve metabolic health. Using quinoa instead of typical gluten-free breads & pastas can significantly reduce blood sugar, insulin and triglyceride levels!
• Very High in Antioxidants – This helps to neutralize free radicals and can help fight aging and multiple diseases.

Can you tell we’re quinoa obsessed?? Bottom line, quinoa is rich in fibre, minerals, antioxidants and contains all nine essential amino acids, making quinoa one of the healthiest and most nutritious foods on the planet!!

But, what’s the best part about quinoa? Its naturally gluten-free, delicious, versatile and incredibly easy to prepare! Check out our *secret* recipe below and tell us what you think. You can also find this gourmet quinoa on our menu 7-days a week at our Café located at 1 Sultan St. Toronto, ON.

Ingredients:

• Quinoa
• Red Onion
• Cucumber
• Cherry Tomatoes
• Sweet Corn
• Lemon Herd Spice Mix
• Olive Oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Tabasco
• Lemon Juice
• Sweet Chilli Sauce

Instructions:

• Finely chop all veggies & add to cooked quinoa
• Add corn
• Mix lemon herb spice mix, olive oil, salt, pepper & Tabasco
• Mix all together
• Top with Sweet Chili Sauce for extra flavour!

xx

The Dessert Lady

Here at Dessert Lady Café & Bakery, we began our legacy with what else but fresh, homemade, baked right from scratch – DESSERTS! One Dessert in particular has been our specialty and top seller since day one of opening our first location at 12 Cumberland St. thirteen years ago, and that’s our Strawberry Shortcake!

Throughout history, Strawberry Shortcake has evolved from a pie crust base that was served with hot butter and sweetened cream to a biscuit or sponge-cake (génoise) with whipped cream and Vanilla.

This cake is actually fairly simple, which ties perfectly into our vision and what we stand for; simple ingredients transformed into delicious goodies. The key to our Strawberry Shortcake is the sponge. It has only 5 ingredients – but how do you make it the perfect balance of fluffy and spongey?  Mandy, The Dessert Lady, self-taught herself sponge cake when she was only 11yrs old, and even The Dessert Lady failed multiple times before she got it right.

There are many ways a sponge can go wrong: it can sometimes be too dense, sometimes fluffy on top and dense on the bottom, but once you find the perfect balance the final product is just like heaven, the fluffiness, the aroma, the eggy taste, it’s very satisfying. You can actually taste the difference between a homemade sponge cake and a commercial sponge cake made with cake mix or emulsifier.

Sponge Cake does not contain any leavening agents such as Baking Soda or Baking Powder therefore, the only thing that helps the cake to rise during the baking process is when you “whip air into the eggs”. Here’s a little tip: keeping the eggs at room temperature for two hours prior to baking helps with breaking down the molecules within the eggs. Next, be careful not to rush the process, here at Dessert Lady, we always like to whip the eggs at a medium-high speed so that they become stiffer. Now to fold in the flour! When doing this step, it helps to do so slowly to prevent losing the air that has been whipped into the eggs. Fold the flour in gradually without stirring. After the flour is fully combined, fold in the milk, then the melted butter.

Practice, Practice, Practice is the only way to master the skills needed for a quality sponge cake, there is no shortcut. This is something we train each of our employees on when joining our bakery team. In fact, whoever applies for a baker or cake decorator position at Dessert Lady, is tested on how to make the perfect sponge!

With the perfect homemade sponge cake fresh out of the oven, it’s now time to assemble the rest of the cake. Our cakes are assembled with freshly chopped strawberries and lightly sweetened whipped cream. This combination of fresh ingredients has made our Strawberry Shortcake incredibly unique. If you are in the Toronto area and don’t have time to try this recipe out, visit us at 12 Cumberland St. or 1 Sultan St. and give it a try! We make our Strawberry Shortcakes fresh every day, save it for yourself or share with friends, the flavour of our cakes tastes just like home, so much so that people will think you made it yourself (shhhh it’ll be our secret).

P.S. keep in mind that you can use this sponge cake to make many other desserts, not just strawberry shortcake. Have fun Baking!

Xx

The Dessert Lady

• Sponge Cake (Génoise)
  • 8 Eggs (room temp)
  • 160 Grams of sugar
  • 160 Grams of all-purpose flour (Sifted)
  • 30 Grams of melted butter
  • 75 ML of Milk (3%)
• Step1: Whip the Eggs and Sugar together in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy
• Step 2: Fold in the All-Purpose Flour
• Step 3: Fold in the Milk
• Step 4: Fold in the melted Butter

Preheat the oven at 350F, line a baking sheet with parchment paper, pour the batter onto the baking sheet & bake for 18 minutes. Let chill.

Whipped Cream

• • 500 Grams of Whipping Cream
  • 25 Grams of Sugar
• Step: combine the whipping cream and the sugar together, mix until stiff.
• 1 Pint of Fresh Strawberries

Assembly:

• Cut out 3, 6″ circles from the sponge cake.
• Dice up 3 quarters of the strawberries, save 3 full strawberries to decorate on top, slice some strawberries for the decoration on the side.

Step 1: Place one 6″ sponge cake on top of a flat surface. Spread a thin layer of whipped cream on top of the sponge and then sprinkle diced strawberries on top. Place the 2nd 6″ sponge on top, repeat the same procedure. Place the last 6″ circle and cover the cake with whipped cream.  Pipe chocolate drizzle on top and add fresh strawberries on top for decoration.

RECIPE: Dessert Lady Café & Bakery | Turkey Grilled Cheese

What’s better than a cozy classic like an ooey gooey grilled cheese? We’ll tell you – It’s that same grilled cheese, WITH A TWIST! Incoming our famous Turkey Grilled Cheese stuffed with mouth watering Oka Cheese, Turkey, Crisp Spinach, homemade Artichoke Aioli, served on Artisan White Bread. What’s so special you ask? Our secret to this delicious sandwich lies within the always fresh, homemade ingredients and our five hour Sous Vide Turkey!

We’ve chosen Turkey for this Grilled Cheese Sandwich for a few reasons, it is much leaner than other poultry, contains less calories, is a good source of protein and B Vitamin, and also contains more selenium & copper than other poultry, which helps to maintain a healthy immune system. All around – we are TEAM TURKEY!

Now, we’ve all experienced dry turkey, this is because cooking turkey can be very tricky as it is naturally a bit drier. It can’t afford to lose any moisture during the cooking process! This is where the Sous Vide technique comes in handy. Sous Vide (pronounced like Soo Veed) is French for “under vacuum”. It is a culinary technique where our chefs vacuum seal meat, seafood, etc. (in this case, TURKEY) with loads of yummy spices & marinades. Once the items are vacuum sealed, they’re submerged in a water bath held at a precisely controlled temperature for an extended period of time.

Due to the fat that the Sous Vide technique helps to lock in all the flavour and moisture, little to no additional salt or fat is needed during the cooking process making it a healthier way to cook. Plus, by vacuum sealing the food, it means that vitamins and minerals are not lost during cooking (unlike boiling or steaming). The vacuum bag creates a humid environment that effectively braises the food. Ingredients cooked this way are often noticeably juicier and more tender.

Our Turkey remains in the sous vide for 5 hours, soaking up all the spices while staying super tender and juicy. Once the cooking is complete, our one of a kind turkey takes an ice bath until cool, it is then is sliced and ready to join the other ingredients on our Turkey Grilled Cheese Sandwich.

Is your mouth watering yet? Check out our how to recipe so you can mimic this Turkey Grilled Cheese at home! Don’t own a sous vide? No problem, this staple sandwich is available from open to close at our Café location on 1 Sultan St. Toronto, ON. Come stop by and join us for lunch, we also serve dessert 😉

Turkey Marinade:

• Garlic
• Basil
• Green Onions
• White Onion
• Thyme
• Brown Sugar
• Kosher Salt
• Paprika
• Vegetable Oil
• Soy Sauce
• Lemon Juice

Artichoke Aioli:

• Artichokes
• Paprika
• Olive Oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Mayonnaise
• Lemon juice

Additional ingredients:

• Turkey
• Spinach
• Oka Cheese
• Artichoke Aioli

How to:

• Wisk all marinade ingredients together, submerge turkey into marinade, rest for minimum two hours.
• Place turkey into vacuum sealed bag with marinade and place into sous vide machine for 5 hours at 141°.
• Once Turkey is fully cooked, remove and plunge into ice bath until fully cooled.
• Slice Turkey, prepare sandwich, grill & enjoy!

Xx

The Dessert Lady

Meet Styven! He is our Sr. Sous Chef here at Dessert Lady Café & Bakery. With an incredible passion for cooking and strong work-ethic, Styven’s culinary expertise speaks for itself.

Born in Colombia, Styven lived there until he was 10 years old, embracing the culture in all its beauty. Styven and his family then made their way to Miami for a few years, and finally settled in Toronto when he was 14. Styven first fell in love with cooking at the age of 16 when he began working at a banquet hall as a server. He quickly worked his way up the ranks until he was able to pursue his true passion of working in a kitchen.

Styven thrived on raw talent and used cooking as an outlet to express his own creativity. Being able to mix and match different ingredients to develop deep and complex flavour profiles was a dream come true. For Styven, being a chef held endless possibilities that he was eager to explore. From working at the banquet hall, to his next job at Crown Plaza, Styven not only acquired the skills of a chef, but also the ability to cook for large crowds. In 2017, Styven landed at Dessert Lady as a pastry chef at the Bakery & Retail location and has since earned the title of Sr. Sous Chef at our Café & Bakery location. Styven hopes to one day open his own business where he can share his knowledge and passion of cooking with young aspiring chefs.

When asked his favourite dish to cook, he humbly replied: “Soup. It might sound easy, but a good soup takes a lot of patience.” Styven loves that soup gives him the opportunity to experiment with complimentary flavours and ingredients. Soup may be his favourite dish to make, but when asked what his favourite Dessert Lady Café & Bakery dishes to eat were, he had a different song to sing. Check out Styven’s favourites below and let us know which menu items you’d like to try!

Gourmet Vegetarian Quinoa

Pulled Pork Brioche Bun

Turkey Grilled Cheese

Tuna Tartare with Smashed Avocado

Mandy’s love for food and unique flavours has been evident since she was a child. Her culinary journey began at the age of six when she stumbled across a Thai Chicken dish that was so delicious, she felt compelled to recreate the experience. Time and time again Mandy would experiment with different flavours in hopes to recreate the dish of her dreams. Lemon, mint, tomato, and lime; each attempt led her closer to Thai Chicken perfection. After ten years of trial and error, she mastered the dish. This passion and devotion to culinary excellence is what Mandy brings to the Dessert Lady kitchen every day.

Calling all cake connoisseurs, brunch enthusiasts, pasta aficionados and all food lovers under the sun – Welcome to the Dessert Lady blog!