Beta 5 Dessert Jars featuring my two favourite fruits, strawberries and mangos

In a bid to practice social distancing measures, I have tried to remain at home and leave only when it is essential. After weeks going on months of being stuck at home, my craving for sweets has exponentially increased. I guess with not much else to do at home, my mind just fixates on desserts. 

I have been trying my best to remain healthy and avoid sugary treats, but when I saw Beta 5's Dessert Jars menu for June 26 & 27th, I immediately caved and ordered the four-pack, which comes with two of each flavour. For the weekend I ordered, I received: 

Mango Milk Tea-Ramisu 

Milk tea custard/ brown sugar boba/ diced mangos/ Hong Kong-style milk tea-soaked sponge cake/ mango curd/ condensed milk Chantilly/ brown sugar streusel 

Strawberry Shortcake

Vanilla custard/ strawberry jelly/ macerated strawberries/ mojito-soaked baba sponge/ lime curd/ vanilla Chantilly/ vanilla shortbread cookies 

Mango Milk Tea is a flavour Beta 5 Chocolates has mastered. First making its appearance as an ice cream sundae during their Saturday Ice Cream Socials, Mango Milk Tea soon became a regular on their cream puff menu. Beta 5 flawlessly captures the distinct "milk tea" flavour whether it be in ice cream, custard or cream form. Through in some fresh mango and you have a truly fantastic dessert. The sweet juicy mango cubes and mango curd bring brightness to the deep milk tea custard. My only complaint would be the brown sugar boba as they were severely under-cooked leaving them hard versus being the soft satisfying texture that tapioca pearls are meant to be. 

Ataulfo Mangos are my FAVOURITE fruit, but it is closely followed by fresh locally grown strawberries!!! If you have followed me long enough you already know I visit Krause Berry Farms numerous times during the summers to go strawberry picking. I love using the strawberries in my baking and any remainder I freeze to use in smoothies year-round. 

The Strawberry Shortcake Dessert Jar was the winner of the two for me. A luscious rich custard speckled with vanilla bean served as the base for this dessert. A lovely fruity strawberry jelly separated the custard from the other yummy fixings like the juicy macerated strawberries, vanilla Chantilly and mojito-soaked baba sponge. I loved the sharpness of the lime curd and zest against the creamy rich milky vanilla Chantilly. The Vanilla shortbread cookies brought the much-needed texture to the otherwise soft dessert. 

Beta 5 team nailed the Strawberry Shortcake dessert and the juicy fresh strawberries justice. The Mango Milk Tea-Rimasu you have often been tooted as the favourite flavour profile at Beta 5, but I think you have met your match with the strawberry shortcake mojito infusion. 

I had some fun with the pictures and could not be more thrilled with how they turned out. I picked up the dried florals - bunny tails and palm leaves - from my favourite florist, Garden Party Flowers. The pink background happens to be the paper that my bouquet - not pictured- came wrapped in. Despite the set up being simple and frugal, I think it turned out wonderful. I think my pictures turn out best when I am being spontaneous and loose. Often I overthink things and that is when they look rigid and boring. 

BYES