Ube Pandesal (Filipino Purple Yam bread rolls)

by - Monday, March 02, 2020

Filipino version of Bread Rolls with purple yam flavor.
Ube Pandesal (Filipino Purple Yam bread rolls)

Pan de Sal is a filipino bread rolls that is eaten by Filipinos every morning. In most Filipino houses, breakfast isn't complete without Pan de sal. The signature of Pan de Sal is it's aroma. The aroma is so good and it feels like inviting you to eat.


The perfect match with this bread roll is hot coffee or hot chocolate/milk.

Pronunciation: pAn-deh-sAl


Filipino version of Bread Rolls.
Ube Pandesal (Filipino Purple Yam bread rolls)


Some of my fellow Filipinos like to dunk it in hot coffee then eat it straight. Some like to fill it with fried egg or sunny side up egg, pretty much any filling depending on you. I don't know who started this but believe me it's really good. I know it sounds so absurd or gross but try it.

If you ask a Filipino what's his/her most familiar with when it comes to bread, it is Pan de Sal. I grew up eating this with my favorite hot chocolate or milk and my morning gives me energy to start my day. I love it when I have peanut butter or mayonnaise too on the side.

If there's also ham, bacon or hotdog, ahhh! that would be better. It's like a complete pack of breakfast.

Filipino Purple Yam Bread Rolls
Ube Pandesal (Filipino Purple Yam bread rolls)

Anyway, if you've noticed our bread rolls are purple in color. The original color of pan de sal is yellowish but today we will try to make ube (purple yam). Looks interesting to me so I tried this at home since I have stock of ube powder and I've been thinking where to use it. Finally, I used it here.

Wew! Another day for me to make breads because every time I make bread I feel like a new challenge coming my way. I have no stand mixer or a bread maker machine so I have to use my hands and strength to knead my dough.

Making bread isn't that easy and you should have strong hands to knead the dough to achieve good result. A baker's bestfriend is their hands or a durable stand mixer which is I don't have and still saving up for it. Nah! I just want to add a disclaimer, obviously I am not pro baker but I humbly say I am just an amateur 😉

I hope I can buy one for myself one day. ~ Crossing my fingers.

Here's our ingredients needed to make this Filipino bread roll.

Ingredients:

  • 2 1/2 tsp instant dry yeast
  • 1 1/4 cup warm water
  • 3 cups All-Purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cup Bread flour (if you have no bread flour, you can just use All-Purpose flour (APF) so this could be 4 cups and half of APF in total)
  • 1 1/2 tsp. fine salt
  • 3 tbsp. butter (room temperature)
  • 6 tbsp. white granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs (room temperature)
  • 1/4 cup ube powder
  • 2 tbsp. milk powder

coating:

  • 1 cup fine bread crumbs
  • 2 tbsp. butter (room temperature)

extra:

  • 1/4 cup All-purpose flour (for dusting and if needed to add more for dough)
  • 1 tbsp. veg. oil for greasing the dough and bowl (proofing)


Instruction: How to make Ube Pan de sal (Filipino Purple Yam Bread Rolls)

STEP 1: Grinding Bread Crumbs (OPTIONAL)

If you can find a slightly fine bread crumbs, skip this step. If you can't find one like me, grind it until it becomes slightly fine, don't over grind it. It's okay if there's a small granules. Set aside after you've done this step. Make sure to transfer this to a plate or bowl.


STEP 2: Slightly whisk eggs

Slightly whisk the eggs until egg whites and yolks are mixed but no bubbles. Cover and set aside. We will need this later.

STEP 3: Making dough



  1. In another bowl combine All-Purpose flour, bread flour, purple yam, milk powder, sugar and yeast.
  2. then mix it with salt.
  3. Make a well and mix beaten eggs.
  4. Gradually add warm water until you can form a ball, it shouldn't be runny or dry just enough to form a ball. If it turns out to be runny or sticky, just add a spoon of All-Purpose flour and if your dough turns out to be dry, add a spoon of warm water. Do this until you see if your dough is enough to knead.
  5. Now, add room temperature butter then knead it until it becomes smooth and elastic. I kneaded my dough for almost 15 minutes. So, if you have a stand mixer, knead it for 8 minutes until you see the dough is already elastic or not sticking to your bowl. If you use hands, knead for more than 8 minutes depending how strong and faster you are.
  6. After you've done kneading form it into a ball, grease your bowl with veg.oil and grease the outer of dough too.
  7. Cover it with cling wrap/towel then allow it to rest for 1 hour at a room temperature.
  8. After 1 hour, preheat your oven to 350*F.

STEP 4: Mold and bake it





  1. Prepare your bread crumbs and room temperature butter. Place it near your work space.
  2. Punch down the dough to remove the air. 
  3. Dust the surface (work space) with flour then divide dough into equal parts. I divided them by 35 grams each.
  4. Once done dividing, set aside and cover it with plastic to prevent from drying.
  5. Get one dough and form it into a ball or oblong. Make sure to seal the edges to prevent from opening when baking.
  6. Grease it with butter then dip it into the bread crumbs.
  7. Place it in a tray that has wax or parchment paper then cover it with plastic or towel while doing the rest of the dough.

Proofing the bread rolls.
Ube Pandesal (Filipino Purple Yam bread rolls) proofing

  • Repeat the step above.
  • Once done, rest it again for 15 minutes and cover again. Make a 1 cm space between each bread rolls to allow them to rise. It will expand later. It should be doubled in size.
  • Bake this for 20-25 minutes.
  • Done. Best serve hot with hot coffee or chocolate/milk.
Filipino Purple Yam Bread Rolls (Pandesal)
Ube Pandesal (Filipino Purple Yam bread rolls)

Please note: if you want toasted pandesal on top, you can just bake it more than 20 minutes but carefully watch it, I just chose not to over toast it.

If you want to add cheese filling, you can do it too, place it in the middle of dough before shaping it to ball and seal the edges. Make sure to seal it well.

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