Ensaymada or ensaimada is a favorite and popular Filipino fluffy bread coated with margarine and butter. Usually the shape is round and resembles a bloated pancake. But some are shaped like large muffins. They are many varieties of ensaymada nowadays especially the commercial ones sold in big bakeshops. Some are loaded with grated cheese and coated with butter, some has filling inside and some have different flavors like ube. But the original ensaymada with it’s plain sugar and margarine coating will always be the favorite.
How to Make Ensaymada
Manny
Ensaymada or ensaimada is a favorite and popular Filipino fluffy bread coated with margarine and butter.
Dissolve the sugar in the warm water. Add the yeast and let stand until softened
Add 1 cup flour gradually until well blended. Cover bowl with a damp cloth and set aside in warm place for 30 minutes. (This is the sponge yeast).
Meanwhile, cream butter and sugar thoroughly; add salt and egg yolks, beating well after each addition. Then add milk and stir.
Add 4 cups all-purpose flour gradually, blending well. Add this mixture to the sponge yeast. Mix well until dough is formed.
Knead the dough until texture becomes fine.
Put dough in slightly greased bowl and cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place for 2 hours.
Punch down. Divide dough into desired size of rolls. Sprinkle with flour to avoid sticking to the surface. Roll out thinly into a rectangle.
Spread dough surface with melted butter and sprinkle with grated cheese.
Roll as in jelly roll, starting from the lower left hand corner creating a long, thin log then shape it into a coil (spiral) with the end tucked under.
Place in greased ensaimada molds. Let rise for 2 hours.
Bake in preheated oven at 400 °F for from 10 to 15 minutes.
After taking out from oven, brush with butter and sprinkle with grated cheese and sugar.
#2 & #4 instruction is confuse me. There’s 2 all purpose flour in ingredients. Which one is for #2 & #4?. Please clarify. Thanks
Hi Amm, I’ve corrected the recipe already. Hope this helps.
Can I use instant dry yeast?
Hi Marisol, yes you can use instant dry yeast.
Hi! Can I use bread flour instead of all purpose flour? Will there be any bad effect on the dough (or the bread itself) if I use bread flour?
Hi Ness, yes you can use bread flour and there will be no bad effect.
Do I have to do #1 if I’m going to use instant yeast?
HI Ness, yes I think you do #1 but less time is needed. Maybe 20 minutes instead of 30 minutes on step no.2
So did you mean 1 cup of milk or a can of evaporated milk instead of 1 cup flour?
Hi Gina, the 1 cup all purpose flour is for making the sponge yeast. The other 4 cups is for the dough. Please read the instructions. Thanks!
Is this dough supposed to be wet? I finished step 4 and it is wet. You do not mention kneading the dough of adding more flour. What should I do?
HI Lourdes, yes the dough is suppose to be sticky. And I corrected and ad more detail on the recipe instructions. I hope this helps.