Cheese For Puto: Choosing The Right Kind For Your Taste

Puto is a Filipino steamed rice cake, often eaten as a snack or dessert. It is traditionally made from rice, water, and sugar, but there are many variations, including puto with cheese. This variety is made using cake flour or all-purpose flour, sugar, eggs, butter, milk, and shredded cheese. The cheese is usually a quick-melting variety, such as Eden or Quickmelt, but American cheese or cheddar can also be used. The puto are steamed in individual portions, and the steaming vessel is often lined with banana leaves to impart aroma.

Characteristics of Cheese for Puto

Grated vs sliced cheese

Grated cheese and sliced cheese are both used in puto recipes. Grated cheese is added to the batter, creating a creamy texture with pockets of cheese. It is stirred into the batter until evenly distributed. Sliced cheese is added on top of the puto, creating a savoury contrast with its creamy, melted texture.

Puto is a Filipino steamed rice cake delicacy, often eaten as a snack or served with savoury dishes. The traditional version is made from rice, water and sugar, but modern recipes use all-purpose flour instead.

When making puto, it is important to avoid overmixing the batter, as this can cause it to rise too much and become airy, affecting the texture of the puto. It is also crucial to use low heat when steaming, as high temperatures will cause the batter to rise unevenly.

Cheese is a key ingredient in puto, and different types of cheese can be used. In the Philippines, processed cheese like Kraft Eden, similar to Kraft Velveeta in the US, is commonly used. However, other cheeses like Gouda or Cheddar are recommended for those who don't have access to processed cheese.

When adding cheese to the batter, it is best to use shredded or grated cheese for even distribution. This creates a creamy texture with pockets of cheese. Quick-melting cheese, such as American cheese or cheddar, works well for this purpose.

For the sliced cheese on top, quick-melting cheese is again ideal. Popular brands include Eden and Quickmelt. Placing a slice of cheese on each puto and steaming for a minute or two allows the cheese to melt and creates a savoury contrast to the sweet puto.

Rice flour vs all-purpose flour

Puto is a Filipino steamed rice cake delicacy, often eaten as a snack or served with savoury dishes. The traditional recipe uses rice, water, and sugar, but modern recipes often use rice flour or all-purpose flour to make the process easier.

Rice flour is gluten-free and allergen-free, whereas all-purpose flour contains gluten, which gives baked goods their structure and elasticity. Rice flour is also finer than all-purpose flour, so baked goods made with rice flour tend to have a more delicate and finer texture. This makes rice flour more suitable for cakes and pastries. On the other hand, all-purpose flour is more versatile and can be used for a wider range of recipes, especially bread and other baked goods that require more structure.

When substituting rice flour for all-purpose flour, it is important to adjust the amount of liquid in the recipe, as rice flour can absorb more liquid. It may also be necessary to add a little less flour to start with, and adjust the amount as needed.

Best Flour for Puto

Some people prefer to use all-purpose flour for puto as it creates a smoother and softer texture. However, others prefer to use rice flour, especially those who are gluten intolerant or have a nut allergy. It is also possible to use a combination of both rice flour and all-purpose flour.

Evaporated milk vs fresh milk

Puto is a Filipino steamed rice cake delicacy that is often eaten as a snack. It is usually served to accompany savoury dishes like dinuguan (pork blood stew) or pancit (rice noodle).

Evaporated milk is a versatile ingredient that can be used in place of fresh milk in several applications. It is made by simmering cow's milk at a low heat until about 60% of the water is evaporated. The slightly thickened milk is then sealed in shelf-stable cans. Evaporated milk is slightly thicker than fresh milk and has a more opaque, yellow colour. It tastes just like milk, but a little creamier.

Evaporated milk can be mixed with an equal amount of water to create a fresh milk substitute. This is especially useful when baking, as it helps to maintain the same water content as specified in the recipe. However, in some recipes, evaporated milk can be used straight from the can to add more creaminess to the dish.

Fresh milk, on the other hand, has not undergone any evaporation process and therefore has a thinner consistency than evaporated milk. It also has a lighter colour and a less creamy taste.

When making puto, either evaporated or fresh milk can be used, as specified in the recipe. The type of milk used will depend on the desired consistency and taste of the final product. Evaporated milk will make the puto slightly thicker and creamier, while fresh milk will result in a lighter and less rich texture.

In addition to the type of milk, the choice of cheese is also important when making puto. Quick-melting cheeses, such as Eden or Quickmelt, are popular choices. American cheese or cheddar cheese can also be used.

Baking powder brands

When making puto, it is important to use fresh baking powder for the optimum effect. Some recommended brands of baking powder include:

• Argo Double Acting Baking Powder
• Bob's Red Mill Baking Powder
• Calumet Baking Powder
• Clabber Girl Baking Powder
• Clabber Girl Double Acting Baking Powder
• Rumford Baking Powder
• Hain Pure Foods Featherweight Baking Powder
• Otto's Naturals Baking Powder
• Anthony's Organic Espresso Baking Powder
• Davis Double Acting Baking Powder
• Gefen Baking Powder
• Goldbaums Baking Powder
• Dr. Oetker Baking Powder
• Baker's Ammonia (Ammonium Carbonate Powder)
• Mom's Place Gluten-Free Double Acting Baking Powder
• Argo Baking Powder

Melting cheese on top

There are many variations of puto, and some recipes use all-purpose flour instead of rice. The cheese used in puto can be added to the batter, sprinkled on top, or both. When melting cheese on top of puto, it is important to first steam the puto and then add the cheese, allowing the residual heat to melt it. This helps to ensure that the puto does not become soggy from water dripping onto it during the steaming process.

• Prepare the puto batter by combining dry ingredients (such as flour, sugar, and baking powder) in a large bowl.
• In a separate bowl, combine wet ingredients (such as milk, eggs, butter, and vanilla extract).
• Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter, as this can affect the texture of the puto.
• If desired, add shredded or grated cheese to the batter and gently stir until evenly distributed.
• Fill puto molds with batter, leaving about ¼ of the mold empty to allow the puto to rise.
• Prepare your steamer by bringing water to a boil and wrapping the lid with a cloth to absorb condensation.
• Lightly grease the puto molds with oil or butter to prevent sticking and arrange them in the steamer basket.
• Steam the puto until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. This should take about 10-20 minutes, depending on the size of the molds.
• Turn off the heat and place a slice of cheese on top of each puto. You can use quick-melting cheese, such as Eden or Quickmelt, or other varieties like American cheese or cheddar cheese.
• Cover the puto and allow the residual heat to melt the cheese for about 1-2 minutes.
• Remove the puto from the steamer and let them cool slightly before removing them from the molds.

Frequently asked questions