Getting Back to Basics of Baking

Why  the bakery way of baking pandesal?

Well, have you ever tasted different kinds of pandesal? There's one that is too sweet, too soft, too sticky and so on. You always look for something that is just right and toasty. If you want it crunchy you can always ask for "tostadong pandesal". And where can you get that? Hmmm - bakery! I don't know why but if you buy pandesal from a well-known bakery and compare it to stores that sells it in a bag it just doesn't seem right. Me and my family has been living here in states for four years now and I haven't had pandesal that long. I miss it so much that I have to make it. So here is the recipe I use to make one at home. Ingredients are easy to find.

Hope you all enjoy it and let me know what you think.

P.S.

My family LOVES it so much and they keep asking me when will I make it again! This recipe makes about 36 pandesal.

Ingredients:

• 1 kg (10 cups) all purpose Flour
• 11 tbsp / 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp kosher salt (rock salt)
• 6 tbsp melted Butter
• 1/2 cup Milk
• 1 pack of yeast dissolved in 1 cup of warm water
• 2 pcs Eggs

Preparation:

Dissolve 1 pack of yeast and 1 tbsp of sugar in a 1 cup of warm water. Set aside and wait until it becomes active.

Next, mix flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Sift dry ingredients once or twice to incorporate air to the mixture. This will help pandesal to become light and fluffy later on. Set aside.

Going back to the yeast mixture, once it bubbles it's time to add in the eggs, milk and butter. Pour into dry ingredients and start kneading until all ingredients are mixed together.

In a clean surface, dust some flour to continue kneading the dough. You need to achieve a fine and elastic texture. After kneading, put the dough back to the bowl basted/sprayed with oil. Rest and cover the dough until it rises and doubled in size for about an hour.

When the dough is ready place it in a clean surface dusted with flour. Using a dough slicer, carefully part the dough into four lengthwise. Roll each part until it looks like a log. Cut diagonally according to how big you like your pandesal would be. I like to go for 3 inches. Next, roll the sliced dough into a prepared bread crumb. Place each dough cut side up in an ungreased baking sheet 2 inches apart. Cover and wait until it rises and double in size again. About 15-30 minutes.

Bake 15 - 18 minutes in a preheated 350°F oven. Cool and Serve.

This goes very well with margarine or any type of sandwich spread. Go get creative and Enjoy!