How to Make Ube Pandesal (Plain, Cheese, Ube Jam)

5 from 68 votes

How to Make Ube Pandesal (Plain, Cheese, Ube Jam)

Ube pandesal is your favourite Filipino bread roll but ube flavoured! Make it plain, with cheese, with ube halaya, or with cheese and ube halaya. Have it for breakfast, dip it in coffee Filipino-style, enjoy.

Prep Time30

Cook Time15

Resting Time3

Total Time3 45

Course: Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine: Filipino

Servings: pieces

Calories: 123kcal

Author: Jolina

Equipment

Ingredients

Yeast Mixture:

2 cups warm water around 110F
2 tsp active dry yeast
1 tsp granulated sugar

Dough:

⅔ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup canola oil plus more for the bowl
2 tbsp ube extract
2 tsp salt
6 cups all-purpose flour plus more for kneading, see notes

Optional Fillings:

cheddar cheese cubed
ube jam softened to room temperature

Topping:

¼ cup bread crumbs see notes

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Yeast Mixture:

In a measuring cup or small bowl, stir warm water, active dry yeast and sugar until combined. Set aside and let stand until bubbly (about 10 minutes).

Dough:

In a large bowl, stir sugar and oil until combined.
Add salt, yeast mixture, ube extract and 1 cup flour. Stir until well blended.
Proceed to add the rest of the flour ½ cup at a time, combining well after each addition.
Once the dough starts pulling and sticking together in a ball, transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (8-10 minutes).
Oil another large bowl and transfer dough there. Turn to ensure all sides of the dough is coated.
Cover the bowl with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and allow to rise in a dry, warm place (about 90F) until it doubles in size (about 2 hours).
When ready, turn the dough into a lightly floured surface, knead slightly and divide into 32 pieces.
Shape each piece into an oval - like an egg - and place onto a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking pan (you'll need 2 baking pans).
Optional: if filling - flatten each piece of dough slightly, place a piece of cheese, a dollop of ube jam, or both, in the middle. Fold the dough over the filling completely, pinch to seal (like a dumpling), then shape.
Cover baking pans and allow to rise a second time (about 1 hour).

Bake:

Preheat oven to 375F.
Sprinkle bread crumbs on top of the ube pandesal and bake for 15-20 minutes or until they spring back when gently pressed.
Remove from oven. Best enjoyed freshly baked.

Video

Notes

This dough is very sticky and you'll need flour to make it easier to knead. Add flour a little a time, making sure not to add more than ⅓ cup in total.
If the dough is still sticky, instead of adding more flour, knead with lightly oiled or damp hands instead.
I use ready-made, plain bread crumbs.
For best results, use a kitchen scale and weigh your ingredients.
Since you’re using 2 baking pans, it’s good practice to rotate the pans halfway through baking.
See post for more baking tips and FAQs, plus step-by-step photos.

Nutrition