Filipino Ensaymada Rolls
These Ensaymada rolls are a buttery, lightly sweetened, pillow-y roll topped with butter, sugar, and cheese. It is often served as a dessert or snack. In fact, it's common to find it topped with frosting and cheese. It is one of the oldest Filipino breads and known to be a variation of Spanish culture. See the link below to the MANY savory and sweet variations of this roll including how to make a roll bar for your family and friends! https://summerbakestheworld.com/rollbar.
Servings: 15
Ingredients
Dough Ingredients
- 2 tsp (7 g) active dry yeast
- ⅔ cup (158 ml) water divided and heated to 100˚F-110˚F (38˚C-43˚C)
- 3¾ cups (450 g) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup (67 g) granulated sugar
- ½ tsp (3 g) salt
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- ¼ cup (60 ml) evaporated milk*
- ⅓ cup (75 g / 5⅓ tbsp) butter melted
Finishing Touches (Topping)
- butter
- Edam/Gouda cheese or cheddar
- sugar
Instructions
- In a small bowl, add yeast and whisk in ⅓ cup (75 ml) warm water heated to 100˚F-110˚F (38˚C-43˚C). Set aside for about 10 minutes to allow time for the yeast to bloom. It will rise and become frothy
- In the meantime, sift the flour.
- In a stand mixer mixing bowl, add all the sifted flour, sugar, and salt. Whisk to combine the ingredients.
- To the dry ingredients, pour in the activated yeast mixture, the remaining ⅓ cup (75 ml) water, eggs, and evaporated milk. Add the dough hook and mix on low speed for 2 minutes. You could knead the mixture by hand on a floured surface.
- After 2 minutes, increase the speed to medium and let it run for another 4 minutes.
- Melt butter in the microwave (just until melted 20-30 seconds) and pour it into the dough. Continue mixing for another 8-10 minutes. The dough will be sticky, but just let it knead. If kneading by hand, you may need to add a little flour but not too much.
- Leave the dough in the mixer bowl and cover it with plastic wrap or towel. Let the dough rest for 15 mins at room temperature.
- Deflate the dough with a rubber spatula and divide it into 60 gram pieces each (that’s a total of 15-16 pieces). If you don't have a food scale, spray a ¼ cup measuring cup with cooking spray and pack in enough dough to be flush with the top. Place each dough piece on a floured surface to rest.
- Cover the dough pieces with plastic wrap or a towel for 15 minutes to allow them time to rest.
- While the dough is resting, prepare a large 12 cup muffin/cupcake pan. Place large or jumbo size cupcake liners in a muffin pan and set aside. For any remaining dough pieces that won't fit into a muffin tin, place each in its own muffin liner and freely on an oven-safe pan/cookie sheet.
- Roll out the piece thinly into 8″x5″ rectangles. Brush with very soft/almost melted butter. Starting with long end like a cinnamon roll, roll up the dough into a long log and coil it up into a snail shape. Pinch to seal the ends and place each into a muffin liner.
- Cover pans with plastic wrap or towel and let the dough rise in a warm space for about an hour or until doubled in size.
- At the 45-minute mark, preheat the oven to 325˚F / 163˚C.
- After an hour has passed and the oven is preheated, remove the plastic/towel covering and place the pans in the oven. Bake for 17-20 minutes or until golden brown
- Once the rolls are baked, you could rub on a little butter just out of the oven and eat them hot. But, if you want to follow the traditional Filipino method, allow the rolls to cool in their pans completely. This could take about an hour.
- Once the rolls have cooled, brush the tops of each with softened butter and sprinkle on grated cheese and sugar. Eat and enjoy!
Video
Notes
*If you don't have or can't find evaporated milk in your local grocery store, you can make it at home. Check out my blog and video on making your own evaporated milk. You simply cook 2 1/2 cups of whole milk in a saucepan over low-medium heat until it reduces to 1 cup. That's it!! Heat the milk to hot in the microwave to get started and then pour into a saucepan over the stove to reduce it. Store it in the fridge for as long as standard milk will keep.
*See my link for making many different versions of these rolls to fit any style and flavor of main dish you are serving. You can serve these sweet or savory! Think of both a meal side and a dessert. Check out my roll bar for family and friends with various flavor combinations. https://summerbakestheworld.com/rollbar