Bushra Griffith
Pandesal is a traditional Filipino bread roll that is often served for breakfast. It is usually eaten on its own, dunked in coffee, or with fillings like coconut jam, peanut butter, cheese, or leftovers from the fridge. To make cheese pandesal, you can prepare the dough in a similar way to a standard pandesal recipe, but you will need to add cheese to the dough before baking. You can also make ube cheese pandesal, which is a variation of the traditional Filipino breakfast bread that includes purple yam.
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What You'll Learn
Making the dough
To make the dough for cheese pandesal, start by adding warm water (105 to 110 F in temperature) to a mixing bowl and sprinkling in active dry yeast with a tablespoon of sugar. Stir the mixture and let it stand for about 5 minutes, or until foamy. If the mixture doesn't foam within 10 minutes, discard it and start again. Next, add softened butter, eggs, the remaining sugar, warm milk, and salt. Stir the ingredients with a wooden spoon until well combined.
Now it's time to add the flour. Start by adding 3 cups of flour, one cup at a time, stirring well after each addition until the dough forms a shaggy mass. If you're using ube powder or mashed purple yam, add it at this stage along with the flour. You can also add ube flavouring if you're using it. The dough will be sticky at this stage, but you can add a little more flour if needed to manage the stickiness. Keep stirring until the dough comes together in the centre of the bowl.
Once the dough has come together, turn it out onto a floured surface and knead until it becomes smooth and elastic. This should take about 5-10 minutes. You can use a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment to knead the dough, which will take around 12 minutes. Grease your hands with oil if the dough is very sticky. Form the dough into a ball and lightly coat it with oil. Place the dough in a bowl and cover it with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size. This should take around 30-45 minutes.
Once the dough has risen, you can shape it into rolls. Divide the dough in half and shape each half into 9 balls. Take each ball of dough, flatten it, and place a cube or square of cheese in the centre. Stretch the dough to enclose the cheese, then pinch to seal. Form the dough back into a ball and roll it in breadcrumbs to coat all sides.
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Shaping the dough into balls
Start by dividing the dough into two equal halves. This will make it easier to work with and ensure uniform-sized balls. Next, take one half of the dough and divide it into smaller portions. The number of portions will depend on the size of the balls you want to make. For example, if you want to make nine balls, divide the dough into nine equal portions.
Now, it's time to shape each portion into a smooth sphere. Take a portion of the dough and gently roll it between your palms in a circular motion. Apply gentle pressure to form a ball shape. If the dough is sticky, grease your hands with a little oil to prevent it from sticking. Place the shaped dough on an unfloured countertop and gently roll it to smooth out any uneven surfaces. Repeat this process for each portion of dough.
Once you have shaped all the portions into smooth balls, it's time to seal the dough. This step is crucial to ensure that the cheese filling does not leak out during baking. Take each ball and gently tuck the ends underneath, towards the centre. Rub the tucked ends to seal them securely. You can also give the balls a gentle final roll on the countertop to ensure they are completely sealed.
After shaping and sealing all the dough balls, it's time to prepare them for the next step. Dip each ball into a bowl of breadcrumbs, ensuring that all sides are completely coated. The breadcrumbs will give the pandesal a crispy texture and a golden colour when baked. Place the coated balls onto a baking sheet, leaving a gap of at least an inch between each ball to allow for rising.
By following these detailed steps, you will have perfectly shaped and coated dough balls ready for the next stage of the cheese pandesal recipe. Remember, shaping the dough is a crucial step to ensure not only the aesthetic appeal of your pandesal but also the retention of the delicious cheese filling.
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Preparing the cheese filling
Pandesal is a popular Filipino bread that can be eaten on its own or with fillings such as coconut jam, peanut butter, cheese, cheese spread, corned beef, egg, or hotdogs. One variation of this traditional bread is the Ube Cheese Pandesal, which has a purple yam flavour and a cheese filling.
To prepare the cheese filling for Ube Cheese Pandesal, you will need cheese, preferably Velveeta cheese or any quick-melt cheese. Cut the cheese into squares or cubes. The number of pieces will depend on how many pandesal you are planning to make. It is recommended to cut the cheese into squares instead of cubes so that you get more cheesy areas inside the buns.
For the ube cheese pandesal, you will need to take each piece of dough, stretch it, and place a piece of cheese inside. If you are making plain cheese pandesal, you can flatten a ball of dough and place a cube of cheese at the centre. Then, fold the sides of the dough to enclose the cheese.
After placing the cheese filling, form the dough into a ball again and roll it in breadcrumbs to completely cover all sides.
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Baking the pandesal
Firstly, divide and shape your dough into rolls. You can make 9 balls from one half of the dough. Tuck the ends down and rub them to seal, then roll them on the countertop to create smooth spheres. For ube cheese pandesal, stretch the dough and place a piece of cheese inside, such as Velveeta or cheddar. You can also add ube paste or mashed purple yam for a unique flavour. Pinch the dough to seal the cheese inside, then twist, roll, and dip in a bowl of breadcrumbs.
Next, place the balls of dough onto a baking sheet, leaving gaps of at least an inch between them. Cover the sheet with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let the dough rise for 30-45 minutes. Preheat your oven to 340-350 degrees Fahrenheit while you wait.
After the dough's second rise, place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until slightly browned. The pandesal is best enjoyed fresh from the oven, but be careful as the melted cheese will be very hot!
Leftover pandesal can be stored at room temperature for up to two days or in the refrigerator for up to a week. To reheat, simply bake the rolls in a 350 F oven for 5-7 minutes until warm.
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Storing and reheating the pandesal
Storing and reheating pandesal is important to ensure that the bread stays soft and fluffy. Here are some detailed instructions on how to properly store and reheat your cheese pandesal:
Storing Pandesal
Pandesal, a popular Filipino bread, can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 days. This will keep the bread fresh and soft. If you plan to keep the pandesal for a longer period, consider storing it in the fridge, where it can last for up to 3 days. Again, use an airtight container or a large zip bag, pushing out any excess air before sealing.
Reheating Pandesal
To reheat pandesal and restore its fluffy texture, preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Place the pandesal on a baking sheet and reheat for about 5 minutes or until hot. This will give you warm, freshly baked-tasting pandesal to enjoy.
Pandesal is best enjoyed hot, straight out of the oven, with a variety of fillings or spreads. It is a versatile bread that can be eaten for breakfast or as a snack throughout the day. Some popular filling options include cheese, eggs, peanut butter, or jam, or even savoury choices like corned beef or spam.
By following these storing and reheating instructions, you can ensure that your cheese pandesal stays soft, fluffy, and delicious!
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Frequently asked questions
You will need flour, sugar, salt, milk, eggs, butter, yeast, and cheese.
First, mix the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, salt) in a large bowl. Then, pour in the wet ingredients (milk, eggs, butter) and mix until well blended. Next, add the yeast and knead the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic. Form the dough into a ball and let it rise in a warm area until it doubles in size. After that, divide the dough into smaller balls, flatten them, and place a cube of cheese in the centre of each. Seal the dough around the cheese, form it back into a ball, and roll it in breadcrumbs. Let the dough balls rise again for 30-45 minutes. Finally, bake in the oven at around 350°F for 18-20 minutes, or until slightly browned.
You can use any type of cheese that melts easily, such as Velveeta, cheddar, or quickmelt cheese.
