My first PANDESAL attempt

I always loved baking. I've been baking since my early college years. I've tried cookies, cakes, and have even perfected (to my own taste) some recipes. I found an easy pandesal recipe on the web and decided to give it a try.

Pandesal ingredients are just very basic and you can find it anytime in your cupboard. Its my first, however, to try with yeast. I got very excited with my first pandesal attempt. I've observed a lot of bread production (I have been previously employed with two commissaries here in our place). So making it would just be easy. Or so I thought.....

My first Pandesal was a succesful failure! lol. My mom and sis-in-law got so excited to eat our first homemade bread that I cut the proofing time. The result: PUTOK PANDESAL.

Putok pandesal (Stone Bread) is a very compact bread. You can be full with just one piece of it. But still we enjoyed our hot and freshly baked pandesal with our favorite jams.

Next time, I will increase its proofing time and add a little more salt and sugar. Perhaps double it since it was a bit bland. I've also already purchased my rolling pin so kneading would be easy. Manually kneading the bread dough was such a workout! lol. It's not easy making bread after all :)

So, here's my first Pandesal Recipe that you can also try. Just remember to wait for the dough to rise sufficiently before baking it.

Pandesal Recipe
1 kilo All Purpose Flour
12 tbsp Sugar
1 tsp Salt
6 tbsp Melted Butter
1/2 cup Milk
1 tbsp Active Dry Yeast
1 cup warm water
2 pcs Eggs
Breadcrumbs

Here's How:

1. Melt the yeast to the 1 cup of warm water. Put a little sugar then set aside. (This is to initially proof the yeast and to check if the yeast is still alive).

2. In another bowl, mix together flour , sugar, and salt. Sift this mixture.

3. When the yeast is already active, if the bubbles already appear, mix in it the eggs, milk, and melted butter.

4. Combine the yeast mixture to the dry ingredients. Mix until all ingredients have incorporated and has already formed a dough.

5. Transfer the dough to board then start kneading. Knead for about 8-10 mins until the dough is fine and elastic.

6. Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover it with a damp cloth. Allow it to rise for several hours until it has doubled in size. (This is the step where I had a flaw). Also, place the dough in a warm place to expedite the proofing time.

7. Cut the dough in to 4 parts lengthwise. Roll each cut piece till it resembles a log. Cut the dough diagonally.

8. Coat the cut pieces with breadcrumbs then place in baking pans lined with parchment paper.

9. Cover the sliced dough again with a damp cloth and allow to rise until it has doubled in size.

10. Preheat oven to 375 deg. Fahrenheit.

11. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until bread has turned golden brown.

Serve with your favorite jam :)