Remember waking up by the crack of dawn when you were a kid and rushing to the nearest bakery just to get the best batch of pandesals? Or waiting for the pot pot or honking sound by Manong with his bicycle selling freshly bake pandesals at the back? Well, you don’t need to do that anymore and can just simply try out this recipe.
Pandesal, meaning bread of salt, may as well define Filipino pastry. Eaten plain or with fillings, such as coco jam or cheese, Filipinos have enjoyed this crusty but soft as a cloud in the inside every umagahan (breakfast). This pastry is so diverse; it has also been enjoyed when dipped in coffee. Try and make your own by using this recipe!
Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups bread flour
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 5 tbsp. melted butter
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 1/4 cup fresh milk (lukewarm)
- 1 pouch rapid rise yeast
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp. cooking oil
Cooking Instructions:
- Combine the yeast, sugar, and milk and stir until the yeast and sugar are fully dissolved. I’ve chosen milk instead of water because it just tastes better, but you can always use lukewarm water instead of the milk.
- In the mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder then mix well.
- Add the egg, butter, cooking oil, and yeast-sugar-milk mixture in the mixing bowl with the dry ingredients then mix again until dough is formed. You can use your hands to effectively mix the ingredients.
- In a flat surface, knead the dough until the texture becomes fine.
- Mould the dough and put back in the mixing bowl, cover with damp cloth and let the dough rise for at least 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- After the dough has risen, transfer to a lightly floured working surface. Roll into a log then cut into four to six equal pieces. Take another portion of the dough, roll again into a log and cut into equal pieces, repeat this step until all the dough is done.
- Roll each piece of dough in breadcrumbs then arrange on a baking tray for at least an inch apart, you don’t want it sticking together when it rises later on.
- Leave the dough in the tray to rise again for 15-20 minutes.
- Pre heat the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degree Celsius) for 10 minutes. If using a fan assisted oven, reduced the heat according to instructor’s manual.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until nicely browned outside.
Source: filipinofoodonline.co.uk
Image: rheemzdelights.com
