Ensaymada Recipe

These could easily be the best homemade ensaymada you could ever make. Who could resist this soft and buttery sweet dough that is baked to become pillowy buns? Coated with buttercream frosting and topped with lots of grated cheese. The perfect mate for your coffee and tea. A warning though, one piece will never be enough

I have been craving for Ensaymada for some time now. For my Filipino readers, you know exactly what I am talking about. But for those who are not familiar with it, let me introduce it to you.

Ensaymada is a type of Filipino soft, sweet dough pastry covered with butter and sugar then topped with lots of grated cheese. 

It was adapted from the Spanish Ensaïmada but has evolved throughout the years to become what it is now that is loved by many Filipinos.

The province of Bulacan is famous for this bread. I remember when we were little and our parents would go to Bulacan (my mother’s home province) for a visit, they would bring back home some special Ensaymada.

Back in those days, ensaymada was simply just coated with butter, sprinkled with sugar then topped with cheese. Additional toppings of sliced salted egg made them a lot more special.

The ensaymada that is popular nowadays is the really soft ones. Usually creamed with buttercream frosting and topped with grated cheese. They are very tasty and this recipe is exactly that.

I was reading a lot about making really soft Ensaymada and I am quite happy with the outcome of this recipe.

THE SECRET TO THE BEST, FLUFFY ENSAYMADA

While in the process of making it, I have to say that the dough was really sticky and I was in a bit of a doubt if it is going to rise at all.  

But I was surprised that it did rise and really well. I learned a lot from the process of making Ensaymada that I will have to edit my recipe for baked doughnuts.

The trick, I learned, was patience… (actually, I fell asleep while waiting for the dough to rise..so.. ) after three hours of “waiting” patiently, I was amazed to see that my really sticky dough more than doubled its size..hehe…I did the same on my second and third trial (except for the nap) and the result was the same.  But I stopped it from rising further than almost double. We do not want to over-rise them.

This recipe makes 16 soft, cheesy and delicious Ensaymadas.

NOTES ON THIS ENSAYMADA RECIPE

• This dough is quite soft and sticky in the beginning. As the gluten structure builds, it will become more elastic and less sticky. Try to avoid adding too much extra flour. As you knead the dough the stickiness will lessen.

• This dough can be made a day ahead.  After kneading, cover it with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator overnight. Before using it, allow it to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes, then deflate it and shape it.

• Using dry active yeast takes a longer time for the dough to rise than using instant yeast. I highly recommend using SAF Instant Gold (specifically made for sweet dough) or Red Star Platinum brands. Because they rise faster, it eliminates the chance of taking on a slightly tangy, fermented flavor.

• I used shortening for the dough but a lot of people ask if they can use butter. The short answer is, yes. But while butter will make delicious buttery bread rolls, using shortening makes it fluffier and lighter-textured baked goods.

OTHER FILIPINO BREAD AND PASTRIES TO TRY

• Spanish bread – bread with sweet and buttery filling

• Cheese bread – a sweet bread covered in milky goodness

• Pandesal – Filipino breakfast rolls

• Peach Mango Pie – a well love modern Filipino dessert

• Mamon – a mini-chiffon cake top-coated with melted butter and sprinkled with sugar

• Empanada with Chicken Filling – a savory treat perfect as snack or even lunch.

• Hopia – mini cake-like pastry with sweet bean or ube filling

• Siopao – steamed buns with sweet-savory chicken Asado filling.