Pandesal (Filipino Soft Bread Rolls with Breadcrumb Crust)
In short: Soft, slightly sweet Filipino rolls coated in fine breadcrumbs and baked golden, the classic breakfast bread eaten warm with butter, cheese or coffee. It takes about 48 min in total and makes 16 servings.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 18 min
- Resting
- 1 h 45 min
- Total
- 48 min
- Servings
- 16
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 190 kcal
Pandesal, literally salt bread, is the roll that wakes up the Philippines: bakeries sell it hot at dawn, and families eat it with butter, cheese, a fried egg or coconut jam, dipped in coffee. The dough is soft and lightly sweet, rolled in fine breadcrumbs that give a golden, slightly crisp crust. Despite the name, it is only mildly salty, and fresh from the oven it is hard to stop at one.
Instructions
- Mix the flour, sugar, salt and yeast in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the milk, egg and butter and mix until a rough dough forms.
- Knead for 10 minutes by machine on medium speed, or 12 to 15 minutes by hand, until the dough is smooth, elastic and slightly tacky. It should stretch into a thin, see-through sheet without tearing.
- Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and let it rise in a warm spot for 1 hour, until doubled.
- Turn out the dough and roll it into a log about 40 cm (16 in) long. Roll the log in the breadcrumbs to coat, then cut it into 16 equal pieces of about 55 g (2 oz).
- Place the pieces cut side up, 4 cm (1 1/2 in) apart, on two parchment-lined baking sheets. Cover loosely and let rise for 45 minutes, until puffy. Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F) during the last 15 minutes.
- Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, swapping the sheets halfway, until the rolls are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped underneath (93°C / 200°F inside).
- Cool on a rack for 10 minutes and serve warm.
Tips
- A slightly tacky dough gives soft rolls. Add flour a spoonful at a time only if it sticks to the bowl, because too much flour makes the pandesal dense.
- Use fine, plain dry breadcrumbs, not coarse panko, for the classic thin crust. Pandesal keeps for 2 days in a bag and reheats well in a 160°C (325°F) oven for 5 minutes.
Questions and answers
What does pandesal taste like?
It is a soft, mildly sweet bread roll with a thin, slightly crisp crust from the breadcrumbs. It is not very salty, despite the name.
Can I freeze pandesal?
Yes. Freeze the cooled rolls in a bag for up to 2 months. Warm them straight from frozen in a 160°C (325°F) oven for 8 to 10 minutes.
What do Filipinos eat with pandesal?
Butter, cheese, fried eggs and coconut jam (matamis na bao) are common, with hot coffee or chocolate.
How long does it take to make Pandesal (Filipino Soft Bread Rolls with Breadcrumb Crust)?
About 48 min in total: 30 min of preparation and 18 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Pandesal (Filipino Soft Bread Rolls with Breadcrumb Crust)?
About 190 kcal per serving, with 5 g of protein, 33 g of carbohydrates and 4 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 190 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 33 g |
| Fat | 4 g |
| Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 7 g |
| Sodium | 230 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
