Ensaymada Recipe

Ensaymada is a symbol of Filipino pastry that reflects the country’s Spanish influence in food during the 400-year occupation. These sweet and buttery treats are soft, fluffy, and usually topped with butter, sugar, and grated cheese. In recent years, the growth to vary the flavors has been very evident in the baking scene. Now you may find ensaymadas with toppings or flavors such as ube, caramel, oreo, red velvet, chocolate, and many others. These flavors can easily be ordered via Amor Kitchen by sending us a message. Special ensayamadas, however, may come as big as a size of a plate topped with sliced salted eggs. Try this recipe at home and flavor it the way you want it! Add flavors using ube or pandan from About Flavors.

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Ensaymada

Alvin Amor-Smit

The Filipino brioche, best eaten warm with melting butter on top.

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Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine asian, Filipino

Equipment

electric mixer
oven

Ingredients

2 1/4 tspn active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 tbspn sugar for yeast mix
5 tbspn sugar
4 cups all-purpose flour sifted
1/2 tspn salt
170 g butter room temperature, plus more melted butter for brushing the rolls
6 egg yolks
1/2 cup evaporated milk
Vegetable oil for greasing the proofing bowl, baking sheet, and brioche molds
grated cheese
extra butter or margarine
sugar

Instructions

Dissolve the yeast in warm water. To proof yeast, add one tablespoon sugar and let stand for 10 minutes. The mixture should foam up and double in volume. This means the yeast is active. If the yeast do not foam up and double in volume, discard and repeat the process.
2 1/4 tspn active dry yeast, 1/4 cup warm water, 1 tbspn sugar for yeast mix
Sift flour and add salt. Add about 1/2 cup of flour to the yeast mixture and set it aside.
4 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 tspn salt
Place butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat the mixture on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Do this for about 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
170 g butter, 5 tbspn sugar
Turn the speed to medium-low, adding the egg yolks, one at a time and beating them well after each addition. Add the flour-salt mixture alternately with milk. Mix well. Finally, add the yeast mixture. Again, mix it well.
6 egg yolks, 1/2 cup evaporated milk
Replace the paddle with a kneading hook and knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic. Alternatively, knead the dough by hand on a clean surface dusted with flour until it is smooth and elastic.
Let the dough rest in a bowl greased lightly with canola oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise until it doubles in size. Leave for about one to two hours. Meanwhile, brush 12 brioche molds lightly with oil.
Vegetable oil for greasing the proofing bowl, baking sheet, and brioche molds
Once the dough has risen, punch it down and divide into twelve equal portions.
Roll out each piece into a thin sheet, brush with melted butter. Coil this into a spiral-shaped bun. Either put the coiled dough flat on greased baking sheets or in greased fluted brioche molds.
Set the dough aside to rise a second time, until it doubles in size. Leave for about an hour. When the dough is almost done, preheat the oven to 175°C.
Bake until the crust turns golden brown. This could take about 12-18 minutes depending on the oven. Brush the baked ensaymadas with melted butter/margarine and dust generously with sugar and top with grated cheese.
grated cheese, extra butter or margarine, sugar

Notes

Storage: The rolls will not spoil for about two days at room temperature. Refrigerate to make them last for up to five days and simply reheat before
eating if desired. Remember that bread is best eaten fresh.

Keyword bak, bake, baker, bakery, baking, breads, brioche, ensaymada, ensaymada recipe, filipino recipe, ingredients, pinoy recipe, recipe

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TIP
Dissolve yeast in warm water with a temperature anywhere between 100-110°F (38°C). Proof yeast, add one tablespoon sugar and let stand for 10 minutes. If the mixture doubles in volume then the yeast is active. It is very important to make sure that the yeast is active. Water that is too hot kills the yeast so make sure that the water temperature is around 100-110°F (38°C). Remember also to be patient. Let the bread rise and you will be rewarded. Trust me.