Ube Cheese Pandesal (The Purple Bread of Your Dreams)

Pandesal is the quintessential Filipino breakfast bread. Soft, slightly sweet, and perfect with coffee. But this version? It’s a whole vibe. We’re adding ube (purple yam) for color and a hint of nutty sweetness, then stuffing it with melty cheese.

The result is pillowy, purple, and packed with gooey cheese pockets. Your morning coffee just found its soulmate. Let’s bake.

Ingredients

Makes 12 rolls.

For the Dough:

• 3½ cups (440g) bread flour or all-purpose flour
• ½ cup (65g) ube halaya (purple yam jam) or ube powder + water
• ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
• 1 packet (2¼ tsp) instant yeast
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup (180ml) warm milk (about 110°F)
• ¼ cup (60ml) melted butter
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon ube extract (optional, for deeper color)

For the Filling and Topping:

• 4 oz (115g) quick-melt cheese or mozzarella, cut into 12 small cubes
• ½ cup (50g) breadcrumbs (for rolling)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Make the Dough

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.
2. Add warm milk, melted butter, egg, ube halaya, and ube extract. Mix until a dough forms.
3. Knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. The dough should be purple and slightly sticky.

Step 2: First Rise

1. Place dough in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour, until doubled in size.

Step 3: Shape and Fill

1. Punch down dough. Divide into 12 equal pieces.
2. Flatten each piece. Place a cheese cube in the center. Seal tightly.
3. Roll each ball in breadcrumbs until coated.

Step 4: Second Rise

1. Arrange rolls on a parchment-lined baking sheet, seam-side down.
2. Cover and let rise for another 30-45 minutes until puffy.

Step 5: Bake

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Bake for 15-18 minutes until golden brown on top. The cheese might ooze—that’s a good thing.
3. Serve warm. Pull apart. Watch the cheese stretch.

Summary

Prep Time: 25 minutes | Rise Time: 1.5 hours | Bake Time: 18 minutes | Total Time: ~2.5 hours

Yield: 12 rolls

Difficulty: Medium (needs patience for rising)

Storage Notes

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Reheat in a microwave for 10 seconds or in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes to bring back the softness and melty cheese. Freeze baked pandesal for up to 1 month. Thaw and reheat straight from frozen.