MACON, Ga. — The Great Macon Baking Week is underway!
One downtown Macon restaurant has something sweet to offer.
Pearl Passionate Cuisine and Cocktails are presenting their Irish cheesecake for baking week. It's made with a cream cheese and Guinness dark stout batter.
It has an Oreo cookie crust, a Ghirardelli white chocolate ganache, a five farms Irish crème from Ireland mix, and a Guinness whipped cream on top.
Owner and chef Ashley Doolin and pastry chef Miranda Allmon say they are very excited to show off their creation to the community and are very proud of what they've made.
"So we're super excited to be a part of this, there are some amazing bakers right here in Macon-Bibb County. It's a little scary, but we wanted to dip our toe in and just see what could happen. The cheesecake that we are plating sold out in an hour, less than an hour...I mean it just...it flew. So, we're proud of this one, we're proud of all of them, but we're proud of this one, and I think it will be something to talk about," they said.
Both bakers' passion for Pearl shined through while they talked about the cheesecake, and they said they loved creating foods for people to try.
"Pearl was definitely my passion, I've wanted this since I was a 4-year-old little girl, and it came true a year ago. I never thought that I would have this opportunity, and I was super lucky and blessed that Miranda found me. She is absolutely amazing and she has a cult following - we have people that come out on the weekends just for her desserts," Doolin said.
Baking has been a long-time love for both women.
"Baking is something I've loved doing since I can't even remember. I didn't intend to start baking here, I started as just a dishwasher and opportunities came along and I took them and I couldn't be happier that I did," Allmon said.
The two worked hard to build the cheesecake into something the community would enjoy, and they hope it sells out even faster than last time.
If you want to support Pearl for Macon Baking Week, you can find them at 470 1st Street in downtown Macon. They are open Wednesday - Saturday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Great Macon Baking Week officially started on July 23 and lasts until July 30.
There are 16 total eateries competing, including:
- Acres & Oaks: Petit Fours
- Bear's Den: Banana Pudding
- Dawson's Kitchen: Wedding Cookies
- Dovetail: Chocolate Pecan Pie
- Felicia's Cake Factory: Cupcakes
- Kinjo Kitchen & Cocktails: Black Sesame Snickers Cheesecake
- Layers: Signature White Velvet Cake
- Loom: Mini Cheesecakes Trio
- Macon Bagels: Bagel Bites
- Natalia's: Chocolate Coffee Toffee Tart
- Oh Honey Bakery: Macarons
- Pearl: Irish Cheesecake
- Rookery: Christmas Tree Cheesecake
- Satterfield's: Smoked Fruit Crisp
- Tommy's Bakery: Maple Bacon Donut
- Yollah: Cheesecake Empanada
To conclude The Great Macon Baking Week, the Central City Bake Off will happen on July 30 from 4 p.m.- 6 p.m. at Mill Hill Community Arts Center. It will feature "local hobby & cottage food bakers facing off to win the title of Central City Bake Off Champion," according to a press release from Visit Macon.
The top 3 places with the most votes from Great Macon Baking Week will be announced and awarded during the event.
Tickets for the Central City Bake Off can be purchased on the competition Eventbrite or at the door on the day of the competition.
More information on The Great Macon Baking Week check out the Visit Macon website or you can check out Visit Macon's Facebook post about the event.
To vote for your favorite spot during the contest, you can pick up a passport of restaurants from any of the participating places, the Downtown Macon Visitor's Center, or Macon Arts Alliance.
You can scan the QR code on the passport to be taken to the voting website, and from there you just select which place you want to vote for!
Voting will be open on Sunday, July 23, and close on Saturday, July 29 at 11:59 p.m.
If you visit 5 or more places and receive stamps on your passport, you can claim a free Macon Baking Week T-Shirt (while supplies last). If you try all 16 places, you can get a "fully baked" prize package that gives you full bragging rights!
You can turn in your passports for prizes in person or by mail at the Downtown Macon Visitor's Center at 450 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd.