Turon is a favourite childhood snack of many Filipinos. Memories of it revolve around sweetness, crunch and strategic wrapping.
Here are three Filipino food aficionados on their memories of it.
Anna Manlulo, founder and president of the Filipino Food Movement Australia (FFMA)
Anna Manlulo thinks that the snack's simplicity and accessibility make it easily one of her childhood favourites.
"You only need to walk to a corner store or wet market and you'll find turon," Malulo says.
"Sweet saba, coated with spring roll wrappers, deep fried and cooked with sugar creating that caramelised glaze. It's so simple and yet so satisfying."
It's so simple and yet so satisfying.
Manlulo says that the abundance of saba bananas in the Philippines makes turon a popular snack option everywhere.
"Local lady finger bananas are miles away when it comes to the flavour and sweetness of the Philippine saba."
"Although turon is traditionally shaped like a log, in some parts of the Philippines, they are triangular in shape, such as the ones sold in Malabon."
In Batangas, where her grandparents are from, the turon is called 'sagimis'.
Just like turon has various names and shapes, depending on the area in which they're grown, its fillings and toppings can also differ.
"I like the addition of jackfruit in the wraps too. Served with ube or macapuno ice cream, it's the perfect ala mode dessert."
Gelaine Matuguinas, owner of the Instagram account Piging.au
Gelaine Matuguinas' memories of turon go back to her school days.
"In college, I often bought turon from the school canteen when I would rush from one class to another."
Matuguinas also made it a lot with her mum.
"My mum taught me how to make it for our afternoon snack. She would guide me in wrapping the banana, jackfruit and banana sugar."
These memories and the homesickness that came with leaving her home country for Australia prompted her to modernise the snack and introduce it here.
"We wanted more people to enjoy turon so we tried to make it more familiar to the market. We came up with turon bars."
Her team makes a "banana blondie" with walnuts and tops it with caramelised bananas and jackfruits.
"We were really happy [with this creation] as it was welcomed warmly by both the Filipino and Australian communities here."
Chef Miko Llamanzares-Aspiras, a renowned pastry chef
Pastry chef Miko Llamanzares-Aspiras's exposure to Filipino street snacks such as turon served as the catalyst for furthering his interest in desserts.
"One of the things I always saw being sold on the street was the turon. I loved the crispiness of it.
"In my town of San Juan in Manila, the thin versions were sold instead of the usual big, thicker pieces. I loved them. They had the same execution…still wrapped in a spring roll wrapper, the banana was coated with sugar."
Imagine deep frying sugar caramel. I don't think there is any other pastry technique quite like it.
He admires the technique involved in making turon. "Imagine deep frying sugar caramel. I don't think there is any other pastry technique quite like it…deep frying sugar until it floats and coats the turon. This piqued my interest and furthered my imagination when it came to desserts."
More on Miko Aspiras' creations
The Filipino-Australian pastry chef reimagining doughnuts
One recipe that features his furthering imagination in dessert is his turon tart.
"I will be in Paddy's Market in Haymarket on December 16 and 18, from 12pm-1pm to teach people my modern interpretation of the turon as a tart. It's super exciting for me because it's me bringing my childhood from Manila to Australia."
