After my last post (Jan. 20th) on the Ensaymada bread rolls and reflecting on how versatile this bread can be in treating it like a cinnamon roll with flavored layers, I decided on a follow-up post with flavor combination suggestions for individual preferences. This dough easily lends itself to both savory and sweet variations to accommodate every person at the table in ONE batch. That’s right!! One batch of dough for dinner AND dessert = happy family and friends.
Technically, you can use your favorite cinnamon dough recipe as long as the dough isn’t too sweet. I think the Filipino Ensaymada dough would work well and it is so pretty and different from the usual rolls. For ease, attached is the Ensaymada Bread recipe from my Philippines post; however, see the last post (Philippines Jan. 20th) for detailed pics of the process. I don’t want to bore you with repetition.
Prepare the Ensaymada bread dough as directed, either weigh out the dough in 60 gram increments OR separate into 15 dough rounds. Continue working through the recipe until you complete the step where you roll out each round into an 8″x5″ rectangle and brush with butter (shown in pic below). This is where you can vary each roll to your family, friends’, or guests’ preferences. Imagine going to a party where your host has made a roll JUST FOR YOU.
Why not a roll bar? Seriously! Like a taco or pizza bar, but with yeast rolls! How fun and engaging would that be? Not only that, but since making bread can be intimidating, you allow your guests to dabble in bread baking without much effort and help them gain confidence and understanding in what it’s like to bake. I imagine this “activity” would be great to do with kids or adults.
Prepare the roll bar like you would a pizza bar: Prior to your guests arriving, prepare the dough. Follow the recipe preparing the dough through the 60 gram measurement / 15 dough rounds and set aside (it’s fine if the dough rises, since you’ll just roll it out soon anyway). See pic below that shows this step. If you don’t trust your guests or they are easily challenged 😉, you may need to roll out the dough before they arrive and just allow them to brush with butter or preferred cream, etc. Unfortunately, that would require a lot of counter space and more prep on your part; you might just pair up guests so at least one person in the pair can roll out dough relatively successfully.
You may set up stations at the kitchen bar/table on which you place as many rolls as you want guests to dress and roll and allow space for them to roll out the dough in rectangles, brush with butter, and add desired “toppings” (the filling 😉). Don’t forget to have bowls of a variety of fillings from which your guests can select. You can certainly have guests share stations. Guide guests through the final steps of rolling them up and placing them in the muffin liners. You’ll want appetizers ready for snacking as you wait about an hour for the dough to rise (and another 17 minutes for baking… maybe this will be a good time for a book club discussion). You can also prepare another batch of dough ahead of time with one or two different flavor combinations in case there are some mishaps with your guests’ versions. ☹ These prepared rolls can be baked ahead of time, frozen, thawed in an hour, and then reheated in foil in an oven or without foil in a microwave.
OK! Now we’re ready for the flavor combinations…
Savory flavors:
- Simplest version would be to have a variety of freshly chopped herbs and cheeses
- Garlic butter with Italian seasoning (or mix of basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and marjoram) and shredded Mozzarella and grated Parmesan cheeses
- Dried chopped fruit like dried cranberries, apples, peaches, and pears with fresh herbs (apple and rosemary or ground cardamom) / pear and rosemary / cranberries and sage / peaches and basil or thyme)
- Shredded Gruyère, Swiss, or Emmental cheese and chopped ham
- Crumbled bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, and chives
- Everything bagel seed mix OR sesame and poppy seeds toasted in a dry skillet with dried garlic and dried onion
- Cooked chopped broccoli with shredded cheddar cheese
- Caramelized onions sautéed with fresh rosemary (why not add cooked sausage, too?)
- Caramelized onions sautéed with pancetta and add shredded Gruyère cheese
- Basil and shredded Mozzarella cheese (why not add pepperoni slivers, too?)
- Cooked chopped mushrooms, minced garlic, fresh thyme, and salt (make sure liquid has evaporated) with grated Parmesan cheese
- Cooked shallot and frozen chopped spinach (with salt) until liquid has evaporated and then add some grated Parmesan cheese, lemon zest, a little nutmeg, and feta cheese (like a creamed spinach dish)
- Cooked LEAN ground beef/sirloin, chopped onion, minced garlic and then add cheddar cheese (use refried beans in place of the brushed butter base)
- Favorite pulled pork recipe using your favorite barbecue sauce in place of the brushed butter base
- Cooked shredded chicken with your favorite Buffalo sauce in place of the brushed butter base and shredded cheddar cheese
- Cooked shredded turkey with gravy in place of the brushed butter base, dried chopped cranberries, chopped fresh sage, and shredded Gruyère, Swiss, or Emmental cheese
As you think creatively about your flavor combinations, consider what makes a good grilled sandwich and what flavors are common in different cultures.
For example, Italian cuisine incorporates garlic, basil, rosemary, oregano, thyme, marjoram, sage, spicy meats (prosciutto, salami), along with Mozzarella, Parmesan, Asiago, Provolone, and Pecorino cheeses.
In Mexican cuisine, you’ll find garlic, cilantro, chile powder, cumin, chili peppers, adobo sauce, coriander, chorizo, and cheeses like (queso) fresco, Cojita, (queso) blanco, and Oaxaca.
Remember that the rolls will be baked, so not all spreads and ingredients will work (i.e. marshmallows (puff too much) and fish (will cook too quickly). Ultimately, I say try it and see what happens; some of the best breads and dishes we have come to love are results of “accidents” or lack of cupboard ingredients (i.e. chocolate chip cookies, potato chips, and sandwiches). That’s right! Check them out… unintentional discoveries!
In place of brushed butter on the dough prior to adding the fillings, you may try these other flavorful “cream” bases.
Savory cream bases: You may need to warm or thin out the base for easily spreadable consistency.
- softened cream cheese mixed with scallions, lemon zest, and a little salt (you might add an egg to an 8 oz block so it will bake nice and fluffy)
- softened cream cheese mixed with drained and chopped sundried tomatoes and fresh basil (you might add an egg to an 8 oz block so it will bake nice and fluffy)
- roasted head of garlic mixed with a cup of ricotta cheese, fresh dill, and salt
- softened (warmed) refried beans
- barbecue sauce (be sure to add a thin layer or it will be too runny)
- gravy (thin layer)
- salsa (drained of extra liquid and add a thin layer)
- pesto
- pasta sauce (alfredo, tomato, etc.)
- tapenade (spread made of olives and olive oil)
- pimento cheese
- homemade herb butter (softened butter mixed with your favorite chopped herbs)
- garlic butter (softened butter mixed with minced or roasted garlic)
- and so much more… you get the idea so be creative!
Sweet flavors:
- Simplest is brown sugar and cinnamon (chopped pecans, if you’re inclined)
- A variety of dried fruit, chopped nuts, chopped chocolate (dark, milk, and white), and cream bases (cream cheese, nut butters, hazelnut spread, honey, and apple butter)
- Coconut flakes, chopped macadamia nuts, and chopped white chocolate
- Yellow cake mix (unbaked… powder only) and sprinkles
- Chopped pistachios, orange zest, and chopped dark chocolate
- Frozen raspberries mixed with a little cornstarch (to soak up the liquid and create a little jam consistency as it bakes) and sugar… you’ll likely have a little raspberry filling at the bottom of the muffin liner due to the liquid
- Frozen blueberries mixed with a little cornstarch (to soak up the liquid and create a little jam consistency as it bakes), sugar, and lemon zest… you’ll likely have a little blueberry filling at the bottom of the muffin line due to the liquid
- Shredded carrot, chopped dried raisins or cranberries, carrot cake spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, etc.) with a sweet cream cheese spread (frosting) in place of brushed butter base
- Peanut butter or nut butter of choice and jelly or jam of choice
- Crumble your favorite cookie dough over the bread dough… yum!
Sweet cream bases: You may need to warm or thin out the base for easily spreadable consistency.
- hazelnut spread (like Nutella)
- cookie butter (like Biscoff spread)
- cream cheese frosting
- peanut or any nut butter preference
- honey (or flavored honey like lavender)
- apple butter
- jams and jelly
- mixture of your favorite jam/jelly and cream cheese
- pumpkin puree sweetened with a little brown sugar and pumpkin spice (thin layer)
The options are endless. I know I will think of many other options after I post. Since these are beautiful, individual rolls, I don’t think you necessarily need a topping when they exit the oven; however, you could experiment and add a drizzle of melted herb butter or butter alone on the savory rolls and add a frosting of some sort (like a powdered sugar and milk glaze), melted chocolate, or butter alone on the sweet rolls.
The key in making this experience successful is NOT overfilling each roll. Think of it like filling a small soft tortilla, a little goes a long way. Also, with the additional filling, you may not be able to use a regular-sized muffin pan, so consider placing the filled muffin liners in a jumbo muffin/cupcake pan or on a baking sheet by themselves; I did this without the filling and it worked fine. Without the constriction of a muffin pan, the rolls will still puff nicely. I don’t anticipate any baking temp or time changes as long as the filling isn’t too much or too wet, trying will tell.
If you have other ideas, please share by leaving a comment. If you try one of these and it works well, let me know.
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