CHEESE BREAD WITH BUTTERMILK CRUMBS(Pandesal with Buttermilk)

These Cheese Breads are super soft, fluffy and delicious! If you love my Spanish Bread recipe, I know for sure you will love this as well. What's special about this recipe is of course the generous piece of Filipino cheddar cheese inside that melts after baking and the buttermilk crumb coating. 

This delicious coating is made from flour, powdered milk, sugar and butter. Perfect for this recipe and way better than just plain breadcrumbs. 
Making bread is challenging for those who's just starting to learn. But once you get the hang of it and knows all the tricks, it is actually easy. 

So what are the tricks? 

1. Yeast - make sure that the yeast is not expired. If activating, (active yeast) water must be lukewarm. If not you will kill the yeast and the bread won't rise. For instant yeast,  just combine with the dry ingredients. But for me? I still activate the instant yeast. I've had experiences before that they didn't rise. I wasted all my ingredients. So, I suggest, activate the instant yeast to make sure.

2. Dough consistency - should be moderate stiff and elastic. Not hard and not heavy. Make sure when adding the rest of the flour, add it 1 tbsp at a time. 

3. Dough rising - make sure to find the warmest place in your house. That's how your bread will rise beautifully. Cover with a damp cloth or food wrap to create moisture. 

4. Baking - this bread can be baked at 350F for 18-20 minutes or at 325 for 22-25 minutes. Either way it works. But oven temperature varies so I suggest to check before the set time to avoid overbaking. Or invest in an oven thermometer to accurate temperature.

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I hope the tips above gave you the confident to try baking breads. If you want more tips check out this article I wrote How to Bake Bread with Success. and if you are interested in trying some of my bread recipes, check this Bread and Baking Recipe index. Enjoy! 

CHEESE BREAD WITH BUTTERMILK CRUMBS

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup lukewarm water
• 1 pouch or 2 1/4 tsp yeast
• ​1/2 tbsp sugar
• 3 cups bread flour
• 1 cup + 2-4 tbsp all-purpose flour 
• 1/2 cup sugar 
• 1 tsp salt​
• 3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup evaporated milk or fresh milk ( I used fresh whole milk )
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• cheddar cheese, cut into strips
• extra flour for kneading
• evaporated milk for brushing
• Buttermilk Crumbs
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup powdered milk
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cold butter, cut into small cubes

Procedure:

Recipe Steps

1: In a small cup, combine yeast, 1/2 tbsp sugar, and lukewarm water (110-115 degrees F). Stir to dissolve and let stand for 5-10 minutes until bubbly.
2: In a large bowl, stir together bread flour, sugar, and salt.​Add beaten egg, yeast, melted butter, and milk. Blend well. Add 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, continue mixing then add the remaining 1/2 cup flour. Knead until a moderately stiff dough is achieved. If too sticky, add about 2-4 tbsp all-purpose flour.
3: If using a stand mixer, knead the dough on speed 4 until dough starts to clean sides of bowl, about 2 minutes. If stand mixer is not available, knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for about 10 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic.
4: Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth and let it rise for at least an hour. Dough should double in size.​
5: Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 4 equal parts. Roll each part into a log and cut each log into equal pieces. Roll the dough to form round dough balls, place on a tray and cover with a damp cloth or plastic food wrap, and set aside for 15-20 minutes while working on the buttermilk coating.
6: In a medium bowl, combine flour, powdered milk, and sugar. Add cold butter and combine using a pastry blender or fork until mixture is crumbly.
7: Flatten each dough with a rolling pin until it stretches into a triangular shape. Fill with a piece of cheese, roll up and seal the sides.
8: Place all shaped dough on a tray then brush each dough with evaporated milk. Roll the dough in prepared buttermilk coating and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. (End of the bread or sim at the bottom) . Cover the tray with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let it rise for 20-30 minutes.
9: Preheat oven to 350F. Bake for 18-22 minutes or top starts to turn golden.
​10: Serve warm. Enjoy!​Recipe yields 24-26 pieces

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