Baker's Notes

What Makes Peruvian Alfajores Different?
What Makes Peruvian Alfajores Different?
A simple guide to what makes Peruvian alfajores different, from their delicate shortbread texture to their traditional manjar blanco (dulce de leche) filling. Read more...
Manjar Blanco, Dulce de Leche & Arequipe: Same Comfort, Different Names
Manjar Blanco, Dulce de Leche & Arequipe: Same Comfort, Different Names
Manjar blanco, dulce de leche and arequipe - different names for the same comforting flavour. A simple guide to the ingredient behind Peruvian desserts and everything we bake at Canela. Read more...
A Peruvian Christmas in Melbourne: Flavours That Feel Like Home
A Peruvian Christmas in Melbourne: Flavours That Feel Like Home
A Peruvian Christmas in Melbourne - midnight dinners, seafood lunches, and the flavours that always find their way home.This season I’m baking alfajores, manjar blanco, and other festive favourites that... Read more...
Silvia, a self-taught Peruvian baker in Melbourne, standing in her kitchen holding a jar of homemade manjar blanco/dulce de leche.
From Lima to Melbourne: How My Kitchen Became canela
A little taste of home, baked in Melbourne. From childhood afternoons in Lima’s kitchens to creating canela, this is the story of how I turned nostalgia, curiosity, and a love for real... Read more...