Spanish bread is a bakeshop staple in the Philippines. It is best with coffee or your favorite soda and is a common Pinoy breakfast or merienda. Who would not love its creamy margarine and sugar filling and the soft crumby roll. This recipe is very similar to cinnamon rolls except for the filling and the style of rolling it. Also, instead of margarine I used butter. Here it goes…
Dough Ingredients:
3 1/4 cups all purpose flour, sifted
1 pack active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm milk
1/4 cup warm water
1 fresh egg, lightly beaten
4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
4 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
Ingredients for the filling:
1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup bread crumbs and 2 tbsp brown sugar (for dredging)
Procedure:
1. Preheat oven to 170 degrees Celsius.
2. In a small bowl or cup of warm water, add the yeast and a teaspoon of sugar. Give it a stir. Set aside in a warm place for at least 5 minutes until foamy.
3. In a mixing bowl, mix the dry ingredients- flour, sugar and salt.
4. Add the warm milk, butter, egg, and yeast mixture. Mix until it can be formed into a dough.
5. Place the dough on a on a lightly floured surface and knead for at least 10 minutes or until it becomes a smooth, elastic ball.
6. Put the dough on a grease bowl. Turn the dough once to cover all sides with grease. Cover with plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm place for at least 1 hour until it doubled in size.
While waiting for the dough to rise, you can start preparing the filling:
On a bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup sugar until creamy. On another bowl, mix the bread crumbs and brown sugar. Set both bowls aside.
7. After an hour, knead the dough for at least 2 minutes then divide into four 16 equal parts. Flatten the doughs into a rectangular shape about 3 x 5 inches in size.
8. Brush the dough with the prepared filling leaving about a centimeter from the edge. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Roll the dough from corner to corner.
9. Dredge the rolls into a bowl containing the breadcrumbs and sugar mixture. Place them (seam side down) on a greased or non-stick baking tray. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Set aside for another 30 minutes.
10. Bake the rolls in the oven for least 20 minutes.
This recipe makes 16 yummy breads.
Cheers!
Jane