Soft Pandesal Recipe (stays soft even the next day!)
The best pandesal recipe! Soft, buttery, and chewy Filipino pandesal. This is your ultimate guide to making your favorite breakfast rolls. Beginner-friendly with plenty of tips, step-by-step photos, and a video on how to make pandesal.
In a medium-size bowl, combine lukewarm water, 1 teaspoon of sugar, and yeast. Stir until completely dissolved. Let it stand for 5 to 10mins until yeast begins to foam.
Meanwhile, in the bowl of your stand mixer, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Mix thoroughly.
Add warm milk, yeast mixture, egg yolks, and butter to the dry ingredients. Stir with a spatula until just combined. Attach the dough hook and turn the stand mixer on to the lowest speed and mix until flour is incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes. Add additional flour as necessary, start with 2 tablespoons and go from there. Continue beating for 5 to 6 minutes until the dough is SLIGHTLY STICKY and soft and pulling away from the edge of the bowl. Be careful not to add too much flour.
Rise # 1 Warm rise or cold rise
Wipe or spray oil on the sides of the bowl then form dough into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm spot for 1 hour until it doubles in size. To make ahead, do a cold rise by placing the dough in the refrigerator. The dough will slowly double in size the next day. See the notes for more information.
Rise #2 Shape the rolls
Remove the plastic wrap and punch the dough down. Transfer onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 20 to 24 portions (see step-by-step photos above) and shape into a smooth ball. For an evenly sized dough, use a kitchen scale. Mine was about 50g each. Adjust based on your preference.
Lay it in the bread crumbs. Shake off excess then place inside the baking tray greased or lined with a parchment paper. Repeat with all the other portions. Make sure that the dough is arranged two inches apart. Cover with a towel or cloth and let it rise for 40mins to 1 hour.
Baking
Preheat oven at 180c/356f, 15 minutes before the dough rolls finishes rising. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until the top turns light brown. If you're using two racks, switch the trays after 12 minutes so all the rolls will brown evenly.
Video
Notes
Bread flour - substitute with all-purpose flour if not available. Replaced in the same amount as mentioned in the recipe.
Sugar can be increased up to 1/2 cup if you prefer a sweeter bread.
Don't add too much flour. Add additional add about 2 tbsp at a time until the dough is slightly sticky and pulling away from the sides of the bowl. Knead the dough with the stand mixer after every addition and then feel and test the texture after.
Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and seal the edges. I find that the yeast activates more quickly when moisture is locked-in in the bowl.
For colder months, I use the oven to prove the dough. Pre-heat it at the minimum temperature for 5 minutes, turn it off then place the bowl inside. Warning: Use a heat-proof cling wrap or a wet towel instead of a regular cling wrap if you're proving in a warm oven.
Make-ahead Tip: Make the dough ahead of time then place it in the fridge. The dough will slowly rise and double in size overnight. On the day of baking, remove from the refrigerator 30 mins before you’re going to shape them into rolls.
Storage and Shelf-life: Store left-over pandesal in the fridge for up to 3 days. Use an airtight container or large zip bag, push out excess air before sealing.