Pan de Sal Recipe
I love bread. Everybody in the house does. I remember how when we were younger, my siblings and I would look forward to Tata ( my dad) coming home from work every Saturday afternoons. He was a carpenter and he used to work in jobs where he gets paid every Saturdays. He would always bring home bread as pasalubong for us kids. He had to bring lots of it too. Did I mention there are five of us eager kids waiting My all time favourite would often be pan de sal which we often buy piping hot from our favourite neighbourhood bakery. It is the Filipino dinner rolls. It is perfect in the morning paired with hot choco or milk. It would be perfect for merienda later in the afternoon too. Add a generous slab of Star Margarine on a piping hot piece and it is heaven on earth.
When I became interested in baking, bread has always been the first thing that I wanted to try out. I didn't know where to start though. The whole process intimidates me. It was only later when I have learned of the existence of the internet and Youtube tutorials that I got the courage to try it out.
My first attempts were unsuccessful. It turned out I was using the wrong flour. I did not realize what are the classifications of the different flours sold in the Philippine markets. We don't have the bread flour label when you buy baking stuff at the market or at the groceries. We only have the different classes. There is cake flour, third class, and first class. I was using the third class flour all along. Though I still did get a piece of good looking bread, once it has cooled, it became hard and brittle- not like the chewy, soft bread that I used to buy.
After getting some research done, I found out that the right type is the First class. As it turned out, the store where I buy stuff from has a little print on their wrapping for First class that says 'harina de pan'. Facepalm.
Anyway, for those who are attempting to make bread for the first time, it is always important that you get the right flour. It makes all the difference.
I did mention that pan de sal is my favourite, right?
Kneading is going to play a very important role in the outcome of your bread. You would want to knead it long enough to get the gluten to work. Bread that is not kneaded enough tends to be dense and tough.
When I became interested in baking, bread has always been the first thing that I wanted to try out. I didn't know where to start though. The whole process intimidates me. It was only later when I have learned of the existence of the internet and Youtube tutorials that I got the courage to try it out.
My first attempts were unsuccessful. It turned out I was using the wrong flour. I did not realize what are the classifications of the different flours sold in the Philippine markets. We don't have the bread flour label when you buy baking stuff at the market or at the groceries. We only have the different classes. There is cake flour, third class, and first class. I was using the third class flour all along. Though I still did get a piece of good looking bread, once it has cooled, it became hard and brittle- not like the chewy, soft bread that I used to buy.
After getting some research done, I found out that the right type is the First class. As it turned out, the store where I buy stuff from has a little print on their wrapping for First class that says 'harina de pan'. Facepalm.
Anyway, for those who are attempting to make bread for the first time, it is always important that you get the right flour. It makes all the difference.
I did mention that pan de sal is my favourite, right?
That's what I'll be sharing with you.
I do not have fancy equipment at home. So, whenever I have to make bread, I have to do it by hand.
Kneading is going to play a very important role in the outcome of your bread. You would want to knead it long enough to get the gluten to work. Bread that is not kneaded enough tends to be dense and tough.
The amount of flour that you are going to use will
matter too. Most of the time, recipes will only call for approximations on how
much flour you should use. The temperature and humidity of your working area
can play a big role in this. Sometimes you need more, sometimes you need less.
Anyway, on to the recipe.
Pan de Sal Recipe
Yeast mixture:
1 1/2 tsp yeast
1/4 cup lukewarm water
1 tsp sugar
Dough mixture:
3- 3 1/2 cups bread flour
1 cup lukewarm water/milk
1/2 cup butter/oil
5 tbsp white sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
breadcrumbs
1. Dissolve sugar to lukewarm water. Add yeast. Stir well. Let stand for at least 10 minutes. After ten minutes, the mixture will be foamy, which is a sign that the yeast has activated. Make sure that the water is not too hot. It must only be slightly warm to the touch or it will kill the yeast.
2. Add sugar and salt to the bread flour. Start with three cups first. Mix well. Add oil, the yeast mixture, and the lukewarm water or milk (whichever you are using). Mix well. If the dough is too sticky, you can add more flour a little at a time.
3. Turn the dough into a floured surface. Knead until it is smooth, elastic and supple. Oftentimes, it takes around 10 -15 minutes to achieve this result. Then, lightly oil a large bowl. Place the dough inside and turn it so it gets coated with the oil. Cover with a plastic wrap or a damp towel. Let it sit in a warm place until the dough has doubled in volume. This usually takes around an hour.
4. Punch the dough to get rid of the air pockets within. Then, turn it into a floured surface and divide it into four pieces. For the pieces into cylinders. Using a sharp knife, cut these logs into 1/2 pieces. Coat the pieces in bread crumbs. Place them in lightly greased baking sheets flat side down.
5. Preheat oven to 190 degrees C or 175 degrees F.
6. Cover the rolls with a damp towel. Let the rolls rise until they have doubled in size. This takes around 30 minutes.
7. Bake until they are golden brown. Usually, this takes around 15-20 min.
