PANDESAL PH

 

    PANDESAL

    In the Philippines, pandesal is the most popular type of bread. The name is derived from the Spanish phrase "salt bread," and it dates back to the 16th century, during the period of Spanish colonialism in the Philippines. Pandesal is famous for its pillowy texture and topped with breadcrumbs. The bread is lightly sweet, with a light golden brown crust and a small crunch. The key to this bread's airy structure is not overworking the dough and kneading it on a lightly floured surface without adding too much additional flour.

    Pandesal tastes best when it's hot and fresh out of the oven. For breakfast, many people like eating pandesal dunked in hot coffee. It can also be eaten with butter, cheese, and jam as a sandwich or as a snack at any time of day.

    Learn what things you'll need in your pantry to make Filipino dishes.

    INGREDIENTS:

            - 6 cups bread flour, plus more for dusting

            - 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar

            - 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

            - 2 1/2 cups of whole milk

            - 2 (2 1/4-ounce) packets of dry yeast

            - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

            - 1 large egg

            - 1 cup plain breadcrumbs

            - Butter, optional, for serving

            - Cheese, optional, for serving

            - Jam, optional for serving

            - Kesong Puti, optional for serving




  STEPS TO MAKE IT:

1. Gather the ingredients.

2. In a large bowl, combine the bread flour, 1 cup of sugar, and kosher salt.

3. Warm the milk to 115 degrees F.

4. In another medium bowl, combine the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1 cup of the warmed milk, and the yeast. Let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes.

5. Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups of milk, the melted butter, and the egg. Whisk to combine.

6. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.

7. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough until smooth, about 3 minutes.

8. Transfer to a lightly greased bowl and drape with plastic wrap.

9. Set in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

10. Once the dough has risen, divide into four equal pieces. Pat each piece into a 4-inch by 9-inch rectangle, about 1/2-inch thick.

11. Roll the dough tightly from the long end. Cut the dough into five equal-sized rolls. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.

12. Place the bread crumbs on a plate and dip the cut sides of the rolls in the bread crumbs. Place the rolls, bread crumb side up, on parchment lined baking sheets, about 2-inches apart. Repeat the process of rolling, slicing, and dipping with the three remaining pieces of dough.

13. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and set in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

14. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the rolls until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

15. Pandesal is best enjoyed hot and fresh from the oven. Leftover rolls can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.