Ensaymada Recipe

ENSAYMADA is a filipino bread that is soft, sweet and cheesy. it is originally from spain but with the philippines being colonized with the spain for over 333 years this bread became one of the most famous delicacies or bread in the philippines. there are so many ways on how to make this bread. famous bakeries in the philippines has their own ways of making the ensaymadas, and this is my own version. 

ingredients:

    for the dough:

• 3/4 cup (luke warm milk) about 110-115F
• 1 tsp sugar (for use for proofing the yeast)
• 2 1/2 tsp instant dry yeast
• 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt (i'm using himalayan salt, but regular salt is great, too)
• 3 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup softened butter (or 1 stick)

    for the topping:

• 1/2 cup softened butter (or1 stick)
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• grated cheese ( i used the kraft eden cheese for this recipe, you can find them at your nearest filipino grocery store, otherwise american cheese will work too. but if you like a stronger cheese flavor, mild cheddar is good too)

directions:

1. warm the milk  around 110 to 115F, if the milk is too hot you will kill your yeast. so please careful
2. add sugar into the warm milk and stir
3. add the yeast into the milk and stir. set aside. let the yeast rest until it bubbles and rise
4. into a mixing bowl, add the flour, sugar, salt and combine
5. pour the flour mixture into the stand mixer
6. add the yeast mixture (making sure the yeast has risen before doing this)
7. add the egg yolks then start kneading
8. when the mixtures becomes a little crumbly, add the butter and continue kneading until the dough becomes soft
9. transfer the dough into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 2 to 3 hours or until doubled in size
10. once the dough is ready move into a clean surface and deflate the dough
11. shape the dough into a ball and divide the dough into 12 pieces
12. flatten the dough and brush with softened butter
13. roll the dough into a log (rolling side ways to create a longer log)
14. then roll into a spiral shape tucked the end under
15. move the bread into a baking pan lined with parchment paper
16. cover the bread with plastic wrap and let the bread rest for another 30 to 45 minutes
17. bake to pre heated oven 325F for 22 to 25 minutes
18. while the bread is baking prepare the topping (combine the powdered sugar and softened butter)
19. once the bread it out from the oven, let it cool down completely before adding the topping
20. top with grated cheese
21. and enjoy!