Ube Pandesol

Pandesal is a soft, lightly sweet Filipino bread roll with a fluffy center, delicate breadcrumb coating, and a rich, sweet cream cheese filling.

Ingredients

• ½ cup plus 2 Tablespoons warm water
• 1 Tablespoon white sugar
• 1 ½ Tablespoons active dry yeast
• 6 cups all purpose flour divided
• 1 cup warm milk
• ¼ cup canola oil
• 2 large eggs lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon Ube flavor
• 1 cup plain bread crumbs
• For the cheese filling:
• 1 pack cream cheese
• 1/3 c powdered sugar

Steps

1. Mix warm water, yeast, and 1 tablespoon of sugar and let sit for 5 minutes.
2. Add the warm milk, oil, beaten eggs, ube flavoring, sugar, 3 cups of flour, and salt. Mix well to combine the ingredients,
3. Add the remaining 1/2 c of flour and mix. Knead for 5 minutes or until smooth.
4. Form the dough into a ball and coat with oil. Cover with a clean plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot for an hour or until it doubles in size.
5. Combine ingredients for cheese filling.
6. Punch the dough to release air bubbles. Transfer dough to flat surface and divide in half.
7. Roll each chunk of dough into 2 thick rectangles tucking and pinching until the dough is tightly rolled.
8. Divide each chunk of dough into 15 pieces. Take a piece of dough and form into a ball by gathering all the edges together. Pinch to seal and place on the counter, seam side down. Do the same with the rest and cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel.
9. Flatten each ball into a circle.
10. Place a spoonful of cheese filling on each circle.
11. Then roll and pinch the dough well to seal.
12. Shape each chunk of dough into a ball and roll into breadcrumbs.
13. Place on baking sheet and inch apart.
14. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes. [timer: 30 minutes]
15. Preheat over to 315 and bake for 20 minutes.