Pandesal

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I have Vanjo Merano from Panlasang Pino to thank for this recipe. As always, I've adopted it and adapted it slightly. I don't intend to improve on it, but I do hope to capture the provenance and traditional style of this popular Filipino bread. 

The Pandesal started life as the pan de suelo or 'oven floor bread', a Spanish-Filipino adaptation of the French baguette. It was baked directly on the floor of a wood-fired oven, called a pugón, which gave it a hard, crusty texture. 

Before the Spanish arrived in the Philippines, wheat was unknown. The staple diet was mainly rice, corn and root crops. 

By the 18th century, wheat was being imported. It was expensive and mainly used by the wealthy class. Over time, the harder traditional bread began to be softer and doughier through the use of cheaper flour imports. The modern pandesal was born during American colonial rule in the 1900s. The shift in emphasis created the soft, slightly sweet bread that we are familiar with today. 

The Americans brought with them baking powder and commercial yeast and bread production, using lower gluten flours, became accessible and efficient. 

The pandesal became an affordable daily breakfast bread, often enriched with the inclusion of butter and eggs. 

Pandesal is traditionally eaten warm for breakfast, often dipped in coffee and accompanied by butter, cheese or local spreads. 

INGREDIENTS

250 gms strong bread flour (you may need to add up to a further 20 gms if the dough is telling you it's a bit too loose) 

250 gms low-protein all-purpose flour (or UK Plain flour or Tipo 00 flour - 10.5% - 11% is ideal) 

75 gms caster sugar

300 gms tepid milk

70 gms unsalted butter (melted)

5 gms baking powder

7 gms instant active yeast

15 gms olive or sunflower oil

55 gms beaten egg (equivalent to one medium/large egg)

Also: breadcrumbs (100 gms)

NB. I made a double batch here....One batch should produce 18 rolls. 

METHOD 

1. Mix the yeast with 20 gms of sugar and the 300 gms of milk. Stir and leave for 10 minutes until it starts to become frothy. 

2. Mix together the flour, the rest of the sugar, the salt and the baking powder. 

3. Add the butter, oil and the yeast mixture (i.e. Step 1 above) and mix thoroughly. 

4. Knead until you have a soft and silky dough. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and leave to rise for about an hour, or until it has doubled in size. 

5. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knock back the dough, weigh and divide into 50 - 60 gms rolls. 

6.  Roll each piece into a ball, cover and leave for 5 minutes. This resting makes the dough a little easier to handle. 

7. Now, take each ball in turn, and gently form an oval roll. 

8. Gently spritz with water and roll the top of each oval in breadcrumbs until well coated. 

9. Place on a well-prepared baking sheet, cover and set aside for about 15 - 20 minutes until the dough has slightly risen. 

10. Preheat the oven to  180⁰C (356⁰F )

11. Bake until golden brown and hollow when tapped on the underneath 

12. Cool slightly on a rack

Pandesal is best enjoyed warm, plain or with butter, cheese or preserves. 

Happy Baking    Masayang Pagbe-bake