Time and again, bread is a staple flour base food next to rice not just in the orient but most probably with the rest of the world. Too many versions and variety and if you look into it almost the same basic ingredients: Flour, Eggs, Butter/ Oil and Sugar.
Spanish bread is believed to be an inspiration of bread from Spain, which is presumed to be the origin of its name. In fact, it's an offshoot cross-breed of the famous Spanish pan de sal and ensaimada. True enough, the coating of bread crumbs from pandesal and the rolling of the dough from ensaymada are breeding evidences. No doubt Spanish bread emerged as another iconic bread of our cultural heritage and then evolved into variety of colours, flavours and fillings of pandan, ube, tres leches, cheese, coco and many more.
Here is my take on that hybrid, iconic cultural bread in its classic state. The rest of its variety will follow suit 😁😋
SPANISH BREAD
Makes 921g raw dough yields about 26 pc at 20g each bread
3 c bread flour
½ c caster sugar
1 ½ tsp instant yeast
1 c fresh milk
1 egg
1 tbsp unsalted butter softened
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp oil to grease the bowl where you will proof the dough.
Proof bread only until doubles, over proofing will produce a yeasty smell dough.
Breading/ Coating:
Parmesan bread crumbs
Fresh Milk if needed
Since the dough is moist there is no need to brush it with fresh milk, unless necessary.
Filling - double the amount to have a generous filling. You can do this a day before just chill in the fridge and thaw the next day before using.
¼ c butter
2 tsp flour
½ c bread crumbs (Panko)
1 ½ tbsp milk
½ c brown sugar-muscovado sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Pinch of salt
In a saucepan over a medium heat, melt butter, add flour and bread crumbs
Once it gets thick, add milk, sugar salt and vanilla. Cook until it gets thicker. Remove from heat and continue stirring.
Softened butter for brushing before assembling, using a rolling pin, flatten one ball and spread the middle of the bread dough with butter and place the filling. Tightly jelly roll from the wide to the narrow end. Brush with milk (when necessary) and roll on a bread crumbs. Rest before baking.
After assembling:
Rest for another 30 minutes or maybe an hour again.
Bake at 150 degrees for 20 minutes.
Enjoy your hot Spanish bread.
