Description
Ok guys, if there’s any Filipino bread recipe that I wanted to share with you, it’s this super-soft ensaymada (ehn-sae-mah-dah) recipe. Ensaymada is a brioche bread, topped with a combination of sugar, butter, and grated cheese.
Ingredients
Tangzhong Roux:
- ¼ cup (30g) – bread flour
- ½ cup (120g) – non-dairy milk, I used soy
Main Ingredients:
- 1 ½ teaspoon – active dry yeast
- ⅔ cup (160g) – warm non-dairy milk, 100°F, I used soy
- 2 ⅓ cups (330g) – bread flour, leveled and sifted
- 1/2 cup (100g) – sugar
- 1 teaspoon – salt
- 3 tablespoons (42g) – vegan butter, cubed and softened at room temp
Vegan Wash/Glaze
- 1 tablespoon – agave or maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon – non-dairy milk
For Topping:
- 1 stick – vegan butter, softened for easy spreading (might not use all of it)
- ½ cup (100g) – sugar
- Vegan cheese, I used Chao Cheese Block Creamy Original and grated it. Sub for any mild vegan cheese shreds you like.
Equipment:
- Small saucepan
- Heatproof silicone spatula/wooden spoon
- Stand mixer with dough hook attachment
- Measuring cups or food scale
- Measuring spoons
- Parchment paper
- Baking sheet
- Pastry brush
- Medium bowl
- Food grater
Instructions
Tangzhong Roux:
- Starting out with a cold saucepan, combine the bread flour and non-dairy milk.
- Once the mixture is fully incorporated, place the pan over medium heat. With a heatproof silicone spatula or wooden spoon, stir continuously. Keep stirring until the mixture has completely thickened and has become sticky.
- Remove from heat and set aside to let it come to room temperature.
Dough:
- Soften the butter. Remove butter from the fridge and allow it to soften at room temp for 30-45 minutes. You’ll know when the butter is soft when you are easily able to press down your finger on it.
- In a measuring cup or bowl, combine the active dry yeast, and warm soy milk. Set aside for 10 minutes to allow the yeast to bloom. It should be frothy and bubbly at the top.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the bread flour, salt, and sugar. When the yeast is ready, add it along with the Tangzhong roux to the dry ingredients. Attach the bowl to the stand mixer, and with the dough hook attachment start mixing the dough at the lowest speed.
- When it starts looking like a shaggy dough, add in the softened butter, 1 tablespoon at a time until fully incorporated. Then increase the speed to 2 and continue to knead for 10 minutes until you get a smooth dough.
- Remove the dough from the bowl, transfer it to a lightly floured surface and shape it into a smooth ball. Gather the ends of the dough to the middle, and pinch them together. Flip it over with the seam side down and use your hands to move it around in a circle. Tucking the dough underneath itself, pull their tops taut.
- Place the shaped dough into a large lightly oiled bowl (or just use the same bowl). Cover with a damp cloth or plastic and set it in a warm spot. Allow it to rise for 1 – 2 hours or until doubled in size.
- Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- When the dough has doubled in size, punch it down to release the gas, and transfer it to a work surface. Evenly divide the dough evenly into 8 pieces. If you are using a food scale, make sure they are equal in weight.
- Working with one dough ball at a time, cover the rest with a damp cloth. Roll the piece of dough into a 14-inch rope. Take one end of the dough and start to coil it from the inside out. Leave a space in the middle, as they rise it will fill in the gap.
- Tuck the end underneath and gently place it on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat for the rest. Leave 2 inches in between each piece of dough.
- When you’re done forming and shaping the dough, cover the pan with a damp cloth and place it in a warm spot for 30 minutes to rise. While you wait, preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a small bowl, prepare the glaze. Combine the agave and non-dairy milk.
- When the dough is ready, gently brush the glaze over the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove from the oven, and allow it to cool on the pan for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire cooling rack to finish cooling.
Finishing touches:
- When the bread is fully cooled, spread the tops with softened butter and dip into a bowl of sugar. Making sure that the tops are well covered in sugar. Top it off with some grated cheese and serve immediately! Enjoy!
Notes
- This dough is quite sticky, however, I don’t suggest adding too much flour as you shape these. They might get too tough. Instead, add a bit of oil to your hands.
Keywords: vegan, vegan filipino, vegan filipino recipe, filipino recipe, bread, vegan bread, vegan bread recipe, ensaymada, filipino ensaymada, vegan ensaymada, snack, merienda, breakfast
Incredible recipe, I just found your blog yesterday and made these today, everyone loved them. I cannot wait to make more of your recipes, they all look so so good. Thank you!!! I am so glad I found you!
★★★★★
I’m so glad you think so! Thank you for making my recipe!!