Good things come in twos, like ham and cheese, wine and cheese, or cheese… burger. Just kidding! Take a look at the common denominator, though— aka cheese— and you’ll see that this versatile ingredient goes well with a lot of things.

This time around, the spotlight is on another cheesy pair: ube and cheese. This dynamic duo was recently introduced in pandesal, and it has captured a lot of foodies’ hearts (and stomachs)?

If you can’t get enough of this treat, you can now make your very own Ube and Cheese Pandesal, thanks to this recipe by Nina Tolentino of Takaw Tikim. It’s sweet, salty, yummy goodness— all encased in soft, warm bread. Yum!

Ube and Cheese Pandesal

Ingredients

• 6 cups of all-purpose flour
• 3 tsp of instant dry yeast
• 1/2 tsp of salt
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 1/4 cup of ube powder
• 3/4 cup of warm water
• 3/4 cup of milk
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup of butter
• 1 tbsp of ube flavoring
• 1 cup of ube halaya (for filling)
• 200g bar of Quickmelt cheese, cut into cubes (for filling)
• Bread crumbs for dredging

Procedure

1. In a small microwave-safe bowl, heat your milk for 1 minute until warm. Get another microwave-safe bowl for your butter and heat it in the microwave for about 30 seconds or until melted.
2. Place your eggs in a bowl of warm water for 1 minute. Drain the water, and crack the eggs into the bowl. Beat lightly with a fork.
3. In a separate bowl, run your dry ingredients – flour, ube powder, salt, and yeast – through a strainer. Mix until well-combined.
4. Set up your mixer with the dough hook on. While running the mixer on low, add your wet ingredients— melted butter, warm milk, sugar, and beaten eggs. Gradually pour in your dry ingredients and mix until a dough forms.
5. Place the dough in a bowl, and cover it with cling wrap and a cloth. Leave it to rise in the oven for at least 1 hour, but make sure not to turn it on. You just need an enclosed place to proof the dough.
6. When the dough has doubled in size, transfer the dough to a greased bowl. Press onto the dough to deflate it. Roll it out and cut it into 24 oval pieces of equal size.
7. Preheat the oven to 375F. Meanwhile, flatten each piece, spread ube halaya, and add a cube of cheese. Cover, and roll into a ball. Repeat until all of the pieces are done.
8. Pour your bread crumbs onto a shallow plate, and roll your dough balls in breadcrumbs until fully coated.
9. Arrange close together in an ungreased baking pan. Cover it with cling wrap and a towel, and let it proof for 30 minutes.
10. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Serve and enjoy!

What other cheese recipes would you like us to feature?

(All photos from Nina Tolentino of Takaw Tikim)

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