How To Bake Pandesal and Other Breads

I decided to make just mini soft buns for sliders this week, enough of the large regular sizes for awhile and make them tiny for a change. I used just one pan, crammed them together so when they bake, they will snug each other and form a set of 4s and sixes when cut. I used several toppings, oats, poppy seeds, sesame, flax for color. Your timing has to be on spot, loading in the oven should be precise or you won't get the results you want. Most students sometimes think you can get away with learning how to bake breads without reading anything. That is something i think you cannot skip nor ignore if you really want to learn the professional way of baking breads. Like trying to find out the what and why of the yeast, sugar, salt, fats etc., Don't tell me you are not curious at all to know what these ingredients do? What are the types of yeasts, what methods are out there when you make breads, what is straight dough, what is a sponge? All of these i also read in the web way ...

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Took some samples off the second day session to make a platter of some sorts, a bread tray of day 2,Soft Buns which would be the base for Hamburger Buns or Pan de Limon, Pan de Lito, Hotdog Buns, Pan De coco etc., Pizza from the Lean dough formula, which can be made also into French Breads, Ciabatta, Foccacia, Cinnamon Rolls. Schedule of Baking Classes for December is on the 9th, 12, 14. January 10, 13 15 February 1 3 5, my last one before i go back to New York. When i will be back to Manila again, i have no idea, it depends on what America gives. You can still catch up the Cake decorating lessons, there will be no baking this time just pure decorating because time does not allow it, you can have the baking pre scheduled ahead of time if you want to, i need at least 3 students to do the session. I made two batches of the Red Velvet Cupcake, topped with prepared sugar flowers (Royal Icing) and Cream Cheese Frosting with Coffee flavoring. The Red Velvet Cake ready to be lo...

I will have a CUPCAKE AND FONDANT/GUMPASTE class on November 25 and 30, seems like there is a lot of interest with these now that Christmas is coming. Text me if you are interested at 09293145463, i will accept only 7 students, class starts at 9 am. No time limit. Fee is P2700.00 inclusive of the cupcakes, but you need to bring ingredients for your own gumpaste and fondant which you will bring home with you so you can practice making the flowers below. No need to bring the cutters and modelling tools yet, you can buy them later after the class if you like. If you already have them, the better but it is optional. Ingredients for the gumpaste and fondant includes, confectioner's sugar, 4 lbs (you will have plenty of leftovers,plus this will make a lot of flowers already) powdered gelatine glucose glycerine Tylose** cheaper than gum tragacanth, you can all purchase these items at Sweetcraft, 373 Boni Avenue, i saw smaller packs of Tylose here which you need in small amounts ...

Whole Wheat Pandesal made using Kitchen Aid Professional 5 Quart Model. Kitchen Aid and Breads are not really that too friendly with each other. If you have tried using yours to make batch after batch of breads, you know what i mean. Not gonna work. My first Kitchen Aid experience was way back when, still in college, google eyed and obsessed with making my own Pandesal and well to say the least was not a happy one. Cakes. Check. Icing. Check. Cookies. Check also. Breads. Forget about it. But i found a way to make it work with less fun fare, meaning, mess and stress in the kitchen. I am just making breads, how come my kitchen looks like a tornado zone? That's what happens when you try to make it work and have no idea how to. Ha ha ha. So finally, after i think about 5 trials, i figured out how to, such a light bulb moment, i feel incredibly pysched, at last, my Kitchen Aid will deliver. More. One of the perks i reward my students with since i brought this 5 quart Pro Model is...

Just had this urge to eat Whole Wheat Chicken Asado this week and at the same time serve them up for guests coming over a meal. I sent away 3 dozen of this to friends and left only some for me. It was worth it though, i liked the crunch of the cracked wheat, nutty and hearty but my nephew thought it has Malunggay leaves, ha ha ha. I know how to cook just a tad bit and my niece like the filling, but not the healthy bun outside. I know, she likes a sweeter, and whiter version but i have 4 kilograms of cracked wheat in my freezer so i have to use them before they expire. I always tell my students that i am a sticky kind of person when it comes to mixing doughs, you will know this when you attend my class, because i will make you mix a sticky, slightly sticky, slightly stiff etc., dough. Some panaderos will shun away from sticky doughs like this but not me, part of the challenge and it makes a softer bread in the end, not too many bread makers know that. It was getting dark, i st...

Getting inquiries on cupcake and decorating lessons so maybe it is worth opening a class or two, squeeze it in between my regular baking classes before i leave for New York on February. If you ask me, i would rather work here forever, winter in the Northeast is punishing especially to someone like me who has a weak bone due to my radiation therapy. I can actually feel the cold burrowing through my bones when we go out, then you step in the mall and it is warm like a proofing cabinet. Below are the cupcakes done by my students ( Day 1), which will later on be covered and decorated with Italian Merengue Buttercream, that super yummy icing perfect for everything even Ensaimadas and Macarons. You just need to learn the basic creaming and mixing and you are done. I can actually load my 5 quart Kitchen Aid with 3 batches of my favorite butter cupcake recipe, lots of time covered there in a whirl so i love it. My only beef with the new Kitchen Aid Professional Series is the switch setting...