How To Bake Pandesal and Other Breads

I many not be an authority on FATS, i'm not saying it because i am not overweight ( i might be but whatever) or something but this is about FATS for baking. Margarine, Shortening, Oil and Butter. From top clockwise: Butter, Shortening, Tub Margarine, and Table Margarine When we say Tub margarine, this is the kind you buy per kilo from your local bakery supply store or market such as Spring ( been using this brand since 1998) and table grade margarine is your Dairy Creme, Butterfresh, Dairy Magic, Baker's Best.  What is the difference between the tub and table grade margarine? Tub margarine does not melt at room temperature. Table grade or bar margarine melts at temperatures higher than 70 F.  I have been using all of these regularly including the 0 Trans Fat version in New York, Country Crock mostly and although you can use them interchangeably at most times for baking, it does not apply when it comes to making icings...  I can substitute any of the butter with these marg...

So i am getting more inquiries these days regarding my hands on classes and yes, there's still a pandemic and more positive cases have been reported lately so folks, as much as i really want to teach you, it is not happening anytime soon. It is so sad. I miss talking to people who were mirror images of the NEWBIE baker me, way back oh dear, it is embarrassing to say, mga 30 some years ago. My handle on baking was tested on really fire and stove! I remember looking at my Aunt's oven and turbo broiler as she bakes something that looks like a cake but doesn't taste like one. Hahaha. So yes, she has an oven but they never used it for anything else other than chicken. Nothing else. I was a teenager minding my own business but had some free time and saved up money to buy ingredients so i bought a Betty Crocker cake mix. It said in the package that i can make cupcakes out of it, and since i don't see any cake pans but muffin tins only (my aunt used it for Puto), i baked my ver...

Soft buns are one of the best sellers when you have a bakery. I remember this bun or bread used way back when i was a child as a container for dirty ice cream in Baler. The soft bun is perfect for burgers and ham/cheese, tuna salad, chicken salad, and many other sweet and savory fillings. The best thing about the bun is that it is soft and neutral. It is not sweet, but not too plain like a baguette. Getting the right proof is crucial. The photo below is from a bun brought by a special class student of mine, and this is what it looks like when opened. The crumb structure inside is too open (meaning it is overproofed) that's why there are holes inside. It could also mean that the dough was not shaped properly but judging from the open crumb structure, i say this has gone through more proofing. My student bought this from a neighborhood bakery, notice how huge the bun is, but when there are holes inside when you open it. These are the buns we make in class. Th...

What the dough likes, warm, warmer, warmest (hot!) searing temperatures! Dough ready.. Day 1 breads This is a private class so i have only 3 students, adding water needs tlc! Still on Day 1, Baguettes which Melvin kneaded manually. Watch out girls! I will make you knead for sure. :) Cut Pandesal up close. The baked baguette slices. Most of the photos are in my other camera, too bad i have no time to upload them all, it takes like forever to do it, so please bear with me.. This laptop does not support the Sony PMB yet, gotta install Windows 2010 still. Will post more of Day 2, 3 and so on...

To my students who are coming over for the Bread Making Class on September 18, 20 21 (still 3 slots left) and Cakes and Cupcakes, Buttercream Class ( 3 slots left), please make sure you know the directions on how to get here. I have updated the instructions on the Map of Location link in my website, www.breadmakinglessons.com you can print it out or copy and study where you will be taking the ride and where you will get off if you are commuting (way much easier) and for those with cars, let me know so i can free up the parking space in front. Please do not park on our neighbors front, you can park on the side leading up to the basketball court or near the basketball court, our front just not on our neighbors' (both left and right). We have occasions where they knock on our gate to have the cars removed from their front and it was uncomfortable. ***Another thing, please BRING YOUR CONTAINERS, especially if you are commuting, at least 2 9 by 13 rectangular or boxed style plas...

Learn how to make the most basic of all doughs, lean, semi rich, sweet yeast doughs, and you will end up making breads you have never imagined yourself doing. Below is a sweet yeast dough turned into loaves, with brown sugar and butter filling, i sometimes use apples and cinnamon in this basic loaf bread for zpecial occasions. My former teacher at OB Montessori once held a party for some close friends in her office in UP and so i sent her 3 of these loaves. They couldn't wait to slice the coffeecakes as she told me later. The next one is an UBE BREAD, from another sweet yeast, semi rich dough that i did for our Christmas dinner. I make a lot because my brother in law loves these breads for desserts. Making cuts on the coffeecake to help in the rising and to create a decorative effect once baked Same dough, there is a fruit and nut filling inside, then sprinkled some brown sugar on top. I will later on brush this with butter once baked. I spread a few of the ube on top ha...

I want to show you the difference between the Whole Wheat Flour i use and the Wheat Bran, both good for making your hearty and healthier versions of Pandesal and loaf breads. Below is the Wheat Bran, which you cannot use 100% of course, a cup of this to your regular recipe will go a long way. Now, grab your favorite Whole Wheat Bread from the grocery aisle and peek through the crumb and count the flecks of whole wheat visible to your minus double lens eye. Find any? Chances are you will not find A LOT, and this could mean two things. First, they did not use the wheat bran below, what we call back home as cracked wheat. Because if you do, you will be amazed at how very little of this can totally change the dough structure, from a smooth gliding dough to a brown speckled mass. So if you see your Whole Wheat Bread having very little tiny brown colored dots, chances are they use just a small percentage of wheat bran or cracked wheat (which can be very expensive) or that, they use whol...