Contrary to the literal meaning “salt bread”, Pandesal is slightly sweet rather than salty. It is soft and fluffy and usually dipped in hot coffee.
Pandesal is your usual yeast bread, but what makes it different from other Filipino bread is the use of breadcrumbs as a coating (Spanish bread uses breadcrumbs, too.). This bread is a staple in our breakfast and usually dipped in hot coffee rather than paired with jam or butter. I prefer mine dipped in hot coffee or Milo. I also love my Pandesal toasted and with margarine and sugar. I must confess that my favorite is when my Pandesal is paired with sunny side up eggs. 😀
I think this bread is also “the bread with different shapes”. The Pandesal I grew up with is in an oval shape and there are some that I can’t figure out what the shapes are. My favorite one is shaping them like buns because I can fill it with my favorite egg sandwich spread or sunny side up eggs. Pandesal is so soft, but there is a crusty part at the top and bottom. It is slightly sweet and smells so good. 😀
In this recipe, I used fresh yeast because I like the texture better compared to using instant yeast. If you can find and use fresh yeast, please try and let me know what you think.
I am not an expert in yeast bread, but I want to share a few things related to kneading.
The time of kneading varies from dough to dough – it may take 7 to 10 minutes or more. In my case, when the dough is not ready after 10 minutes of kneading, I add 1-2 tbsp of flour and let the mixer continue its job. Sometimes, the dough is so stubborn it doesn’t pull away from the edges of the bowl, though it is ready coz it is not sticking to my finger anymore.
When this happens, I don’t wait for the dough to form a ball or detach from the sides of the bowl because I am afraid of over kneading; I just see if the dough is not sticking to my fingers when I touch it and then I rub my palm with little oil and pull out the dough from the bowl.
I think that the size of the egg also affects the kneading time. The eggs are in different sizes. The larger the egg is used, the longer kneading time. I used a medium-sized egg that’s about 50 g, or better yet, measure your egg as 1/4 cup or 60 ml.
Again, I am speaking based on my experience. I’ve had dense and heavy bread before due to over kneading and I’ve been very careful after that. I hope it helps. 🙂
I am bringing these delicious bread to this week’s Fiesta Friday #311. Thank you to Angie and her co-host this week Zeba @ Food For The Soul.
I hope you can try the recipe and let me know. I’ve shared a video on my YouTube channel. Please don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe. See you there! 😉
Pandesal
Ingredients
- 2 cups spoon & leveled (270 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups spoon & leveled (260 g) bread flour
- 1/2 cup (112 g) white granulated sugar
- 25 g fresh yeast, crumbled (or 3 tsp instant yeast)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 ¼ cup 310 ml whole milk, warm (110 – 120 F)
- 1 medium egg room temperature
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) vegetable oil
- 5 tbsp (75 ml) melted unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
Instructions
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In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine flours, yeast, sugar, baking powder, and salt. If using fresh yeast, you may need to crumble them using your clean hand.
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In another bowl, mix warm milk, egg, oil, and butter. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients. Using a wooden spoon, mix everything until well combined.
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Attach the bowl to your stand mixer and using a dough hook attachment, turn on the mixer starting from the lowest speed. Increase the speed after a minute or so.
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Knead the dough until smooth and elastic or if the dough detaches from the sides of the bowl and forms a ball or if it is not sticking to your finger anymore. The time of kneading varies from dough to dough – it may take 7 to 10 minutes or more. In my case, when the dough is not ready after 7 or 10 minutes of kneading, I add 1-2 tbsp of flour and let the mixer continue its job. Sometimes, the dough is so stubborn it doesn’t pull away from the edges of the bowl, though it is ready coz it is not sticking to my finger anymore. When this happens, I don’t wait for the dough to form a ball or detach from the sides of the bowl because I am afraid of over kneading; I just check if the dough is not sticking to my fingers when I touch it and then I rub my palm with little oil and pull out the dough from the bowl.
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When the dough is ready, form it into a ball. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl and brush the top of the dough with oil. Cover the bowl with cling film and keep in a warm place to rise for one hour or until doubled in size.
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After the dough has doubled in size, transfer it to a lightly floured surface and lightly push it down just to remove the air.
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Divide the dough into 50-52 g each. I always use a food scale so I would have almost the same sizes of little dough. You can also equally divide the dough into 20-22 pieces.
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Form each little dough into a ball by gathering the ends and pinching them to seal. Make sure to put the sealed side down at the bottom. Roll the shaped dough in breadcrumbs and transfer them to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with a kitchen towel and let them rise again for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until doubled in size.
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Meanwhile, make sure to preheat your oven to 375 F.
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When doubled in size, bake them in a preheated oven at 375 F for 15 minutes or until the top is brown.
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Let the Pandesal rest for about 10 minutes before enjoying.
Recipe Notes
This recipe makes 20-22 Pandesal and these are good until the next day.
If planning to keep more than 1 day, keep in an air-tight container. You may reheat them in a preheated oven for about 5 minutes or in a microwave or even an oven toaster.
Not all measuring cups/spoons are created equal. Please take the time to check my notes regarding the measurements I use.
Thanks a bunch for spending your precious time with me!
I am so happy to share this as well at Saucy Saturdays | What’d You Do This Weekend? | Sunday’s Simple Homemaker | Turn It Up Tuesday | Recipe of the Week | COOKBLOGSHARE 2020 WEEK4 | Totally Terrific Tuesday | Throwback Thursday | Foodie Friends Friday | Foodie FriDIY | Happiness is Homemade | Tickle My Tastebuds Tuesday | What’s for Dinner? Sunday Link up #237 | BAKINGCRUMBS FEBRUARY 2020
