Marisa Ruvalcaba-Hernandez, baker at the North Dining Hall bakeshop, is no stranger to the sweet aromas of freshly baked goods and bringing smiles to the faces of students, staff, faculty, and guests of the Notre Dame community. In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, she gave insight into her role on campus, what inspires her dessert recipes, and what she is most proud of about her Hispanic culture.
How long have you worked at Notre Dame and what is your favorite part about working here?
I've been working for Notre Dame for seven years now. I'm a Notre Dame fan and working here gives me a sense of pride. It's a great place to work because Notre Dame cares for their employees.
Can you describe your role and what a typical day looks like for you?
I am part of the North Dining Hall bakeshop team. Everyday, I bake and send pastries to retail spots on campus filling the air with fresh baked sweets. My team and I make student lunch and dinner desserts daily as well as fresh baked bread. Our bakeshop room is filled with sweet aromas of freshly baked goods and cakes throughout the day.
Where do you draw inspiration from when coming up with new dessert recipes?
I enjoy seeing people's reactions when tasting a dessert I make. It inspires me to keep delivering quality and good looking tasty desserts. I also enjoy receiving student comments about their dessert experience.
How do you incorporate your Hispanic heritage into the recipes you bake?
This summer, my team and I experimented on recipes and I shared a Mexican sweet bread "conchas" with our bread guy, Emil. He incorporated his Danish technique and we turned up with a Mexican-Danish version of conchas. They were delicious. We even made matcha conchas. We are looking into how we can incorporate desserts like this into different celebrations, such as Cinco de Mayo. I also have incorporated the flan recipe into our desserts, serving as an option for special event dinners like Thanksgiving or Commencement.
What inspired you to become a baker?
I've always enjoyed baking desserts- decorating, cakes and cookies. I’ve also always loved my family and friends' reactions when eating them. Now, I love every time we run out of all the desserts we make. It means students are loving them.
What is your favorite recipe to make?
Mascarpone flan is my favorite recipe.
October is Hispanic Heritage Month, what are you most proud of about your Hispanic culture?
Hispanic culture is rich. The food, the traditions, the colors, the music, the sights and smells. Everyone should experience this culture at least once in their life. I'm including a picture of a wedding cake I made in my wedding cakes class a couple years ago- showing those vibrant colors and richness of the Hispanic culture.