Filipino Pandesal

In the Philippines, I think in your childhood – you will know at an early age what pandesal is. It our everyday breakfast and/or merienda! growing up in Cebu, we always have pandesal in the morning, aside from our “heavy breakfast” (rice, corned beef, eggs, red hotdogs, pork and etc.) I remember hearing the roosters when you wake up in the morning, cars/ tricycles already going back and forth plus the horns! we use horns in the Philippines like “whenever you want” like alerting someone, if someone is trying to cut you off from the road, trying to get someone’s attention. Anyway, going back to the pandesal, these are one of the food I missed back home and eating by itself or with peanut butter, guava jelly or even just butter.

After making some bread roll and learning the technique of bread making from experience. I tried using all-purpose flour versus bread flour. For me, I love using the bread flour, just because it makes the bread less dense.

Ingredients:

• 1 packet envelope of dry yeast
• 2 tbsp. sugar (for the yeast)
• 1 tsp. salt
• 4 1/2 cups bread flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 4 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 3/4 cup warm water
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs

Preheat oven at 375 F. first warm water, add yeast and 2 tbsp. sugar, mix and let it sit for about 10 mins. Stand mixer and use a dough hook. Add yeast mixture to the mixing bowl, slowly add your bread flour until combined well, salt and sugar and vegetable oil. Knead it for about 10 mins. Cover it with damp cloth or plastic wrap and let it prove for 1 hours and 30 minutes. I normally put it in the oven. Once the dough has doubled in size. On a clean surface, flour the surface and knead the dough for a minute and use a rolling-pin to flatten the dough about 1/4 inch, I measured each roll for 65 grams. to make uniform rolls then roll them into your bread crumbs lightly press. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm, for left overs – I normally microwave it for 20 seconds and it still taste great!

Happy Bread making!