Silvanas: A close look at these delicious treats!

Don’t you love eating silvanas? We certainly do! What’s not to love about them? These sugary treats are a favorite of Filipinos, both young and old. That’s why today, we’re going to take a quick, closer look at silvanas! Let’s get to it.

What are silvanas?

They are supposedly the smaller versions of sans rival (which we will get to later). They’re basically cookie sandwiches! It is composed of two wafers coated with cashew or cookie crumbs sandwiching a layer of buttercream. They’re crunchy, chewy, and light. Their sweetness level is also just right. Silvanas easily melt so you should serve it chilled or cold. Otherwise, you won’t feel the crunch when you bite into it. Of course, if you love that it’s melty and soft, we won’t stop you from eating it that way.

Silvanas, sans rival – what’s the difference?

According to Taste Atlas, silvanas are just the snack versions of sans rival. But wait, what’s sans rival, exactly?

Sans rival is a classic Filipino dessert and an all-time favorite. Two things make up sans rival. One is layers of dacquoise, a crispy baked nut meringue. It is sandwiched with the so-called pâte à bombe – a gorgeously smooth, velvety, and rich French buttercream. The difference with the French version – made with almond or hazelnut meringue –  is that Filipinos use toasted cashews.

Apparently, Filipinos who went to Europe to study between the 1920s and 30s invented sans rival. When these Filipinos got home, they started trying techniques they learned abroad, which is why we got sans rival. 

And later on, other Filipinos modified sans rival to become smaller, thus resulting in the creation of silvanas!

How do silvanas taste?

Good kinds are sweet, but not overwhelmingly sweet. Silvanas shouldn’t be hard and crunchy like some cookies or chips. There is only a little bit of crunch and creamy texture.  You can experience the crunch especially if you eat them fresh from the refrigerator or freezer. So make sure you do!

What are the ingredients and how do you make them?

So you already know, silvanas has nuts, buttercream, and has a crunch. But what exactly are the ingredients that make it up? Well, there’s cream of tartar, sugar, your base for the meringue (cookie crumbs or crushed nuts). There’s also eggs, your chosen flavor, and butter. Some recipes also include flour and all-purpose cream.  

As for the process, you’ll have to make the buttercream separately from the wafers. And after that comes the fun part! You’ll assemble the silvanas, so that means manually sandwiching the buttercream between the wafers. That step is probably also the messiest, but again, it’s the most fun.

For the full recipe and the process of how to make them, we recommend Chef Chona’s Irresistible Silvanas class.

Can you make different flavors?

Yes, you can definitely make different flavors aside from the classic buttercream. You have chocolate silvanas, ube silvanas, vanilla silvanas, strawberry silvanas, and more. In fact, our Irresistible Silvanas class teaches you how to make other flavors like mango, matcha, and cookies and cream! In short, the flavors are just within the limits of your imagination.

How should you store them?

If you can actually resist finishing a box of silvanas, congratulations! It’s a hard feat for sure. Now, how to store the remaining pieces? Well, the freezer is the answer. After all, you are meant to eat these treats cold. And you don’t want to miss out on the crunch! If you keep them in their original box, they should last two weeks. You can keep them in the refrigerator for far easier access, but they’ll definitely last longer in the freezer. 

Plan to make them last for more than two weeks? Your willpower is amazing! But you shouldn’t just leave them in the box. Make sure to take them out and put them in an airtight container. Put the container in the freezer to make them last longer and keep them crunchy.

Where to buy the best silvanas in the Philippines?

If we’re talking about silvanas, probably the most famous ones are the ones from Dumaguete. They’re a prized pasalubong! Some shops sell in Manila, like Red Ribbon. But if you want to make your own version of this treat, why not enroll in our Irresistible Silvanas class? 

Check out the video:

This class is taught by Chef Chona. It is a class designed to teach you the basic techniques of making silvanas. You’ll end up with a super crispy outer shell and a delicious taste inside. The special twist about Chef Chona’s version is that she doesn’t use toasted cashews or French buttercream filling. She uses cake crumbs and Italian meringue buttercream filling! Doesn’t that sound amazing already?

You’ll also learn how to make six flavors! You’ll get to make Classic Vanilla, Chocolate, Mango, Matcha, Cookies and Cream, and Chocolate Hazelnut. After you finish the class, you’ll be able to try making your own choice of flavors. You’ll also learn storage tips, like why you need to use airtight containers, and even packaging tips.

This class also has a bonus recipe for a custard cake. This custard cake recipe was used by a Bailiwicker and made it one of his best-selling products! It’s definitely a bonus!

So what are you waiting for? Click here to enroll in our Irresistible Silvanas class today!