While it’s vitally important to keep and treasure our culinary heritage, there’s room for innovation, too. So I’m happy to observe a new wave of kakanin — puto, bibingka, biko, kutsinta, suman, sapin sapin, maja blanca, atbp. This new generation of kakanin takes inspiration from traditionally Filipino flavors, techniques, and knowledge, but is unafraid to grow in new directions and take on new forms. The result is very much the kakanin of our generation.

Food, like language, must evolve in order not to fade away. The new kakanin reflects who we are now. It’s playful and inventive, unafraid to borrow from other cultures, is designed to be photogenic in the age of social media, and uniquely tailored to our tastes. And there are now so many available that you’ll be spoiled for choice, so we decided to do the tasting for you. To see our recommendations, please click through the gallery below.

A Gourmet Buko Pie - Remember the buko pies you used to bring home from Tagaytay? Well, this is not it. Imagine fresh buko meat densely packed within a golden brown crust, creamy with milk, and no hint of sugary cornstarch at all. Instead, you’ll get fragrant sweet buko meat. Serve warm (like we do) or chilled. Also available as buko tarts or, if you ask nicely, there’s an irresistible variation of buko pie with a thin, luscious layer of ube beneath. Order from @thecoconutclub.ph on Instagram.@thecoconutclub.ph

Black Kutchinta with Dulce de Leche - Molasses gives chewy kutchinta this beautiful black color and a deep layered flavor overshot with subtle sweetness. Sprinkle with toasted coconut and then drizzle with golden dulce de leche. Are you in love yet? Because we are. Order from @BuffchelorKitchen on Facebook, or @buffchelor_kitchen on Instagram. @buffchelor_kitchen

Maja Blanca Cheesecake - Maja blanca is not as well known as other kakanin, so it’s a pleasure to know that award-winning Chef Gel Salonga-Datu continues to make this inimitable dessert. It combines creamy coconut milk (inspired by maja blanca), dense cream cheese, salty-sweet corn kernels, and kesong puti. Order from @cakesbygelsalonga on Instagram.@cakesbygelsalonga

Kakanin x Doughnuts - The flavors of kakanin in doughnuts? Why not? Poison Coffee & Doughnuts has three kakanin-inspired creations. Mangga’t Suman has mango coconut mousse with latik and rice crisps; Maja Blanca has coconut pudding, corn and langka topped with latik crumble; and Macapuno has macapuno custard and buttery crumble. Order via @poisondoughnuts on Instagram, or via Pick-a-roo.@poisondoughnuts

Sapin-Sapin Leche Flan - This beautiful torte is made with a crunchy latik cookie crust topped with layers of ube, jackfruit and kuchinta Ice creams, crowned with a layer of coconut leche flan made with coconut cream instead of evaporated milk! Order from sebastiansicecream.com@sebastiansicecream

Salted Egg Suman - You may not have imagined that this combination could work, but it makes perfect sense once you bite into this suman to reveal it's filling of salted egg yolk. Umami flavor permeates with a subtle hint of banana leaf. Order from @the_sumansisters on Instagram.@the_sumansisters

Salted egg suman - A closer look.@the_sumansisters

Rolled Puto Bumbong with Bucayo - We're in the 'Ber' months leading to Christmas already, so it's just the right season for puto bumbong. Kakanin Kusina makes it in nifty little pieces that are easy to butter thickly. Or, drizzle with a little condensed milk (yes, even on top of the bucayo) and grated cheese. Order from @kakaninkusina on Instagram.@kakaninkusina

Suman with ube and leche flan - Kakanin Kusina has a wonderful menu of kakanin, including this very photogenic suman with ube and leche flan. We also recommend the sapin sapin and assorted puto. Or better, order a kakanin sampler, one immense bandehado laden with puto, kutsinta, bibingka and sapin sapin. Order from @kakaninkusina on Instagram.@kakaninkusina

Brazo de Mercedes Cheesecake - This pretty confection takes a Filipino favorite, richly indulgent brazo de Mercedes, and melds it with cheesecake. Only from @Cioccolo.@Cioccolo

Ube Kalamay, atbp - The chefs behind Minatamis.PH make elegant, delicious kakanin of very high quality. This tub of luscious ube halaya is just one of their many products. Do check out their offerings on @minatamisph on Instagram.@minatamisph

Dark Chocolate Egg Pie - Definitely not your typical egg pie, this luscious dessert has rich, creamy custard which gets a bittersweet jolt of flavor from Malagos dark chocolate. Every mouthful is bliss. Only made by @chefsau. Order from @cafefleur on Instagram.@cafefleur