The smell of freshly baked bread greeting me as I step out of our room and on the dining table a brown paper bag filled with soft bread filled with sweet buttery filling and my aunt Mama Alma pouring ice cold coke on a glass with a smile “Meryenda na ‘nak! Nagpapalit si Daddy ug tinapay.”
Right there at that moment I was a small kid again forgetting for a minute that a newborn baby was peacefully sleeping in the bedroom.
Spanish Bread is a childhood favorite which was always available at the neighborhood bakery. It tops my list next to ‘double body’ and ‘pande coco’.
I’m so happy that the first batch I baked hit the spot! As soon as I took a bite, memories of me as kid enjoying afternoon snack with my Lola Mommy, Mama, friends and siblings embraced me.
Spanish Bread
Ingredients
Bread Dough
- 2 1/4 teaspoon yeast mixed with 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 cup lukewarm milk
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup lukewarm whole fresh milk
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1/2 cup softened butter
- 1/2 tsp oil to grease bowl
- 2 tbsp all purpose flour for dusting
Butter Filling
- 1/2 cup softened butter
- 3/4 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 3 teaspoon milk / all-purpose cream
Breading
- 3 tbsps milk to brush bread
- 1/4 cup bread crumbs
- 2 teaspoons white sugar optional
Directions
For Bread Dough- In a medium-size bowl, combine 1 teaspoon of sugar and dry yeast, give a mix. Pour lukewarm milk. Let it stand for 5 to 10 mins until yeast begins to foam.
- Meanwhile, in the bowl of your stand mixer, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Mix thoroughly.
- Add yeast mixture, egg yolks, and butter to the dry ingredients. Stir with wooden spoon until just combined. Add warm milk, then give it a mix.
- Attach the dough hook and turn the mixer on to the lowest speed and mix until all ingredients are incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes. Add additional flour as necessary, start with 2 tablespoons. Continue beating for 5 to 6 minutes until the dough is slightly sticky and soft and pulling away from the edge of the bowl. Be careful not to add too much flour.
First Rise
- Wipe or spray oil on the sides of the bowl then form dough into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm spot for 1 hour or until it doubles in size. Prepare filling while dough rise.
Spanish Bread Filling
- Heat butter in a small saucepan until bubbly. Add the flour and the breadcrumbs and stir the mixture vigorously with a wire whisk for a few seconds. This is a grainy mixture at this point. Immediately add the cream or milk and keep stirring until the mixture loosens up a bit. Stir for 30 seconds more and turn off heat. Cool mixture until just warm to touch. Stir in the sugar until it is incorporated. Set aside to cool. This mixture is a chunky paste
- Taste mixture and adjust sweetness according to your preference.
Second Rise – Shape the rolls
- Remove the plastic wrap and punch dough down. Transfer onto a lightly floured surface. Knead dough until smooth.
- Divide the dough into portions, around 50g each (use a kitchen scale). Adjust based on your preference.
- Using a rolling pin, flatten each portion into an oval shape. Spread 1 tablespoon of the filling, then roll it into a log.
- Brush with milk. Lay it in the bread crumbs. Shake off excess then place inside the baking tray greased or lined with a parchment paper.
- Repeat with all the other portions. Make sure that the dough is arranged about an inch apart. Cover with a towel or cloth and let it rise for 40mins to 1 hour.
Baking
- Preheat oven at 200C, 15 minutes before the dough rolls finish rising.
- Bake the Spanish bread for 18 to 20 minutes until the top turns light brown. If you’re using two racks, switch the trays after 10 minutes so all the rolls will brown evenly.
- If you find dough still pale. Turn on broiler and “toast” bread for 2 minutes. Keep close watch till bread is brown to your liking.
Cuddles and Crumbs 