December 10, 2012
Author: Michael Milan
So, the food experience from childhood that most reminds me of my Bubbie would probably be enjoying Pandesal (usually buttered, occasionally with Pimento cheese or used to make a sandwich with corned beef, or even sometimes simply dunked in coffee, or hot chocolate). For me, key component to this memory was the always the bread – when it came fresh from the baker’s oven, Pan de sal had a tendency to get intact while taking a moment to recharge.
Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups bread flour
1/2 cup white sugar
5 tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 cup fresh milk, warm
1 pouch rapid rise yeast
1 tsp salt
1 cup bread crumbs
1 piece raw egg
1 tbsp cooking oil
Preparation:
1. Combine the yeast, sugar and warm milk and stir until the yeast and sugar are fully disolved
2. In the mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients starting with the flour then the sugar, salt and baking powder. Mix well by stirring.
3. Add the egg, butter, cooking oil, and yeast-sugar-milk mixture in the mixing bowl with the dry ingredients then mix again until dough is formed. Use your clean hands to effectively mix the ingredients.
4. In a flat surface, knead the dough until the texture becomes fine.
5. Mold the dough until shape becomes round then put back in the mixing bowl. Cover the mixing bowl with a damp cloth and let the dough rise for least 1 hour
6. Put the dough back to the flat surface and divide into 4 equal parts using a dough slicer
7. Roll each part until it forms a cylindrical shape
8. Slice the cylindrical dough diagonally (These slices will be the individual pieces of the pandesal)
9. Roll the sliced dough over the bread crumbs and place in a baking tray with wax paper (makes sure to provide gaps between the doughs as this will rise later on)
10. Leave the sliced dough with bread crumbs in the tray for another 10 to 15 minutes to rise
11. Preheat the oven at 375 degrees fahrenheit for 10 minutes
12. Put the tray with dough in the oven and bake for 15 minutes
13. Turn off the oven and remove the freshly baked pandesal
14. Serve hot. Share and enjoy!