easy baking recipe Spanish bread

Spanish Bread Recipe

The Philippines’ Spanish bread recipe and Spanish bread ingredients involve margarine or butter, flour, yeast, and sugar. Interestingly, it has nothing to do with Spanish cuisine. 

The bread is actually a Filipino breakfast staple meal made in a manner similar to cinnamon. It is also as popular as ensaymada, pan de coco, and pandesal. 

Aside from breakfast, the bread is popular during tea time or merienda and is usually served with milk or tea. This bread is also a favorite breakfast treat in the Philippines and may be obtained from any bakery. Filipino bakeries also mastered the Spanish bread recipe and Spanish bread ingredients.

What Is Spanish Bread?

Spanish bread is a popular Filipino afternoon snack or merienda found in many local bakeries or panaderia around the Philippines. The delightful and sweet soft bread roll with a buttery and sugary filling coated in breadcrumbs for a softly crunchy covering. Then, people bake the bread to golden perfection.

Because they have the same doughs, Spanish bread is a close cousin of pandesal. The charm, though, lies in the filling – the bread’s soul being its sweet paste. 

Moreover, this style of bread, as expected, got introduced to the Philippines by the Spaniards. The Filipinos then embraced and adored this bread as their own. Bread variations, forms, and fillings have evolved as a result of Filipino ingenuity.

These sweet and delectable Filipino Spanish bread rolls can be enjoyed at any time of day. You can also eat with a cup of your favorite beverage. This Filipino bread recipe with a sweet filling takes some time to prepare, but it is well worth the effort.

After pandesal, ensaymada, and pan de coco, Spanish bread got declared a popular bakery dish in the Philippines. Its soft and moist texture with a sugar and margarine filling, similar to cinnamon rolls, makes it loved by the masses.

Moreover, where the dough gets flattened, then the fillings get spread out and lastly rolled. It can then be eaten with coffee or milk during breakfast or merienda (tea time).

Furthermore, spanish bread are large rolls that have been liberally strewn with breadcrumbs. The breadcrumbs become delicious because of their texture. The sweet and buttery chunky filling contrasts nicely with the soft bread that surrounds it.

In addition, every Filipino who has lived in the Philippines would have witnessed this when the entire home gathers around the family table every afternoon and snatches a slice or two with an ice-cold drink.

Spanish Bread Origin

Despite the fact that the majority of local bread descended from those brought over by our Hispanic conquerors, Spanish bread is entirely unique to the country. 

Many believe that the name comes from its resemblance to the ensaymada. For one, both bread get coiled before baking. Bakers also create them with eggs, butter, and sugar. Only Spanish bread gets rolled into a flat sheet before being twisted into a strong stick rather than a bun.

Some folks wonder why it got named Spanish bread. There is, indeed, a link. This is due to the fact that Filipinos borrowed bread-making techniques from Spanish kitchens. In particular, Filipinos connected it with many of our meals. Moreover, Filipinos invented several bread kinds, shapes, and fillings as a result of our inventive ideas.

Filipino Spanish Bread vs Spanish Bread

Here are the differences between Filipino Spanish bread and Spanish bread: 

Spanish Bread 

A mollete or Spanish bread features a soft, spherical bun from Andalusia, Spain. Molletes, like many Spanish recipes, can be found throughout Central America. In particular, it can be notably found in Mexico. It may also be found in South American countries such as Argentina, Bolivia, Guatemala, and Cuba.

Molletes are unique. They feature individual bread rolls with incredibly soft and airy characteristics due to a considerable quantity of leaven. Frying using lard (pig fat) rather than butter or oil gives the mollete a distinct flavor and consistency.

These bread can be eaten plain, rubbed with garlic, and drizzled with olive oil. They can also be stuffed as little sandwiches or burgers. For these, people use local ingredients like tomatoes, ham, or grilled meat.

Filipino Spanish Bread

The sweet buttery filling balances the chewy and somewhat salty bread in this log-shaped delight. This Filipino bread, a favorite snack for many, looks like pandesal but nicer in shape and flavor profile.

Those who grew up in the Philippines certainly have great memories of eating this bread. Instances include eating it while warm from the bakery brown bag and chugging it down with cool sips of soft beverages.

Given its name, you may suppose that it’s a delicacy passed down from colonists. However, you’d be astonished to learn that it’s a uniquely Filipino pleasure. In actuality, it does not exist in Spain.

So, what’s the story behind the name? According to some sources, it might be related to the filling. Since it contains the same sweet, buttery substance as ensaymada, which has Spanish roots, it was given the moniker Spanish bread.

Spanish Bread Recipe

Course: Breakfast, Snack  

Cuisine: Filipino

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Servings: 16

Spanish Bread Ingredients

Dough

  • 1 ½ teaspoon instant yeast ¼ cup white sugar
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup lukewarm milk 
  • 3 tablespoons butter – or margarine, melted
  • 1 egg

Filling

  • ¼ cup butter
  • ½ cup bread crumbs
  • 2 teaspoons flour
  • ⅛ cup water or milk – or more see 
  • ½ cup brown sugar /white sugar
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • butter – for brushing

Breading

  • 2 tablespoons milk – or water
  • ½ cup bread crumbs

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, and salt. Combine the lukewarm milk, melted butter, and beaten egg in a mixing bowl. Mix until thoroughly combined. Add the yeast until a sticky dough forms.
  1. Place the dough on an oil-greased surface. Knead the dough for 10-12 minutes with lightly greased hands, or until it becomes smooth and elastic.
  1. Form the dough into a ball and set it in a greased mixing basin. Cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and set it aside in a warm place to rise until it has doubled in size. It might take 30 minutes to an hour, or even longer, depending on how warm it is.
  1. For the filling, melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat until bubbling. Mix in the 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs well. Combine the flour, water or milk, sugar, salt, and the remaining breadcrumbs in a mixing bowl. Cook until it thickens. Remove from the heat and continue to whisk until it becomes a thick paste-like consistency.
  1. Punch the dough down and divide it into 16 equal portions with a knife or dough slicer. Make a long triangle out of each piece (like a pizza slice). Brush the center with butter or margarine, then spread the filling on top, leaving approximately a centimeter around the borders empty. Roll the dough from the widest end to the narrowest end, enclosing the filling.
  1. Brush each rolled dough with milk or water before rolling it in breadcrumbs and placing it on a baking sheet prepared with parchment paper: make sure the end part is at the bottom so it doesn’t open up when baking. Cover with a cloth, kitchen towel, or cling film and set aside for 20-30 minutes, or until they have doubled in size. Before baking, remove the lid.
  1. Place the baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 20 minutes at 150°C (300°F). 
  1. Take the Spanish bread out of the oven and place it in a breadbasket. While it’s still warm, enjoy.

Spanish Bread Recipe Filling

Unlike other Pinoy bakery mainstays like pandesal or ensaymada, this Filipino bread does not have a fashionable twist. Presumably, because the filling became distinct and legendary that changing it would be a betrayal.

There’s definitely room to explore with other flavors or varieties. But, for the time being, the decision remains simple: Pinoys like their Spanish bread ingredients to be pure and authentic.

The filling gets made with Spanish bread ingredients including flour, bread crumbs, butter, light brown sugar, all-purpose cream, and water. Some people cook the filling before spreading it onto the dough of the Spanish bread. Doing so gives it a brownish color, not yellowish like the ones in bakeries. Other Spanish bread ingredients contribute to the bread’s delightful features as well.

Spanish Bread Recipe Ingredients 

To prepare traditional Spanish bread, you’ll need the following Spanish bread ingredients:

  • Bread flour and all-purpose flour: By combining these two flours, you may manage the protein composition of the bread. Specifically, it will give the bread a soft and gently chewy texture.
  • Egg yolks: There are no egg whites in the egg yolks. This is the key to making a nice and fluffy dough.
  • Pure unsalted butter: Use butter when preparing Spanish bread. It makes the kitchen smell wonderful and your bread yummy.
  • Sugar: Filipinos like sweet buns. The dough as well as the butter filling need it.
  • Milk and water: These will be the dough’s foundation liquids. To activate the yeast, water gets added to it.
  • Yeast: Active dry yeast and instant dry yeast are interchangeable terms. In lukewarm water, activate it until frothy.
  • Bread crumbs: Panko or plain bread crumbs can be used. If you want to use the former, pound it in a thick plastic bag to make it finer.

Spanish Bread Recipe Cooking Tips

  • Before adding the yeast, make sure the water is lukewarm. The yeast will not activate if it gets too hot. It will not activate if it stays cold. 
  • Use a kitchen thermometer to ensure that the water is at the proper temperature. The water temperature should be between 30°C/86°F and 40°C/104°F.
  • Before stirring in the yeast, add a teaspoon of sugar to the water. This will make activation easier.
  • Even if you use instant yeast, activate it in a dish. This ensures that the yeast remains alive and well.
  • If you proof the dough in a warm environment, don’t let it rise for too long. The time limit should be at least one hour. Otherwise, the bread will have a yeasty flavor. According to skilled bakers, you must let it rise until it doubles in size and volume.
  • Knead the dough until it gets smooth and elastic, and it springs back when probed. Only add extra flour if the dough becomes too moist and clings to the edges of the bow. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the filling of Spanish bread made of?

The filling of Spanish bread is made of sugar, breadcrumbs, and butter. Some recipes call for water or milk, flour, sugar, margarine, breadcrumbs, and a pinch of salt.

What is the most famous bread in Spain?

Coca, the hero of Catalan baked products, is a typical Spanish pastry that comes in several flavors: sweet, salty, open, and closed. Coca can take on numerous shapes and forms, resembling flatbread, pizza, or even cake, depending on the variation.

Why do they call it Spanish bread?

Some folks wonder why it’s named “Spanish bread.” There is, indeed, a link. This is due to the fact that Filipinos borrowed bread-making techniques from Spanish kitchens and connected them with many of their meals. 

What kind of bread do the Spanish eat?

Mollete is a type of traditional Spanish bread from Antequera. It’s made using yeast, regular flour, whole wheat flour, salt, sugar, milk, and olive oil. The dough is formed into oval-shaped disks and cooked till golden brown.

spanish bread recipe

Spanish Bread Recipe

Spanish bread is a popular Filipino afternoon snack or merienda found in many local bakeries or panaderia around the Philippines.
The delightful and sweet soft bread roll with a buttery and sugary filling coated in breadcrumbs for a softly crunchy covering. Then, people bake the bread to golden perfection.
4.34 from 3 votes
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Course Snack
Cuisine Filipino
Servings 16

Ingredients
  

For the Dough

For the Filling

For the Breading

  • 2 tablespoons Water
  • ½ cup Bread Crumbs for coating

Instructions
 

  • In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, and salt. Combine the lukewarm milk, melted butter, and beaten egg in a mixing bowl. Mix until thoroughly combined. Add the yeast until a sticky dough forms.
    3 cups All-Purpose Flour, ¼ cup White Sugar, 1 teaspoon Salt, 1 cup Mlekovita UHT Milk, 3 tablespoons HICAPS Buttercream Prime, 1 pc Whole Egg, 1 ½ teaspoon Mauripan Instant Yeast
  • Place the dough on an oil-greased surface. Knead the dough for 10-12 minutes with lightly greased hands, or until it becomes smooth and elastic.
  • Form the dough into a ball and set it in a greased mixing basin. Cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and set it aside in a warm place to rise until it has doubled in size. It might take 30 minutes to an hour, or even longer, depending on how warm it is.
  • For the filling, melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat until bubbling. Mix in the 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs well. Combine the flour, water or milk, sugar, salt, and the remaining breadcrumbs in a mixing bowl. Cook until it thickens. Remove from the heat and continue to whisk until it becomes a thick paste-like consistency.
    ¼ cup HICAPS Buttercream Prime, ½ cup Bread Crumbs, 2 teaspoons All-Purpose Flour, ⅛ cup Water, ½ cup Brown Sugar, ⅛ teaspoon Salt
  • Punch the dough down and divide it into 16 equal portions with a knife or dough slicer. Make a long triangle out of each piece (like a pizza slice). Brush the center with butter or margarine, then spread the filling on top, leaving approximately a centimeter around the borders empty. Roll the dough from the widest end to the narrowest end, enclosing the filling.
    HICAPS Buttercream Prime
  • Brush each rolled dough with milk or water before rolling it in breadcrumbs and placing it on a baking sheet prepared with parchment paper: make sure the end part is at the bottom so it doesn’t open up when baking. Cover with a cloth, kitchen towel, or cling film and set aside for 20-30 minutes, or until they have doubled in size. Before baking, remove the lid.
    2 tablespoons Water, ½ cup Bread Crumbs
  • Place the baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 20 minutes at 150°C (300°F).
  • Take the Spanish bread out of the oven and place it in a breadbasket. While it’s still warm, enjoy.

Notes

You should definitely try your hand at making Spanish bread with this Spanish bread recipe. This log-shaped bread with a filling of butter and sugar paste is a hearty comfort dish.
Having one brings back nostalgic and happy childhood memories! So, what are you waiting for? Try this Spanish bread recipe now!
Keyword Filipino Spanish Bread, Pinoy Spanish Bread, Spanish Bread Ingredients
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Conclusion

You should definitely try your hand at making Spanish bread with this Spanish bread recipe. This log-shaped bread with a filling of butter and sugar paste is a hearty comfort dish. Having one brings back nostalgic and happy childhood memories! So, what are you waiting for? Try this Spanish bread recipe now!

About HICAPS

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One Comment

  1. 4 stars
    hello, who is the author of thi and what is the name of publication of this? (ps: this is for my research i hopw u will repond my comment in this.)

4.34 from 3 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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