I have always loved baking bread. The experience of kneading, watching the dough rise, shaping it into the many possibilities you want to do with it, is mind-blowing.

Last week, I conducted a bread-making class and made all sorts of Filipino-style breads. Because everyone in class loved the breads, I am sharing the most po pular and easy-to-do recipes: pan de coco and cheese roll.

I taught both these breads decades ago to the God Love’s Prayer community in Agoo, La Union. With other baked goods, these breads became their source of livelihood.

Though Panaderong Kristiano is no longer in operation, I have kept the base recipe, though I have tweaked it many times through the years. I believe that it is now the tastiest it has ever been.

For those who do not fancy baking, I am including the recipe for roast pork with burong mangga that I did in another class.

I hope the dishes delight your taste buds.

Dough for Pan de Coco
and Cheese Roll
2 c all-purpose flour
2 c bread flour
¾ c sugar
2½ tbsp instant yeast
1 tsp each—bread improver, baking powder, salt
¼ c water
4 eggs
½ c milk
¼ c butter, melted and cooled

In a bowl, combine the flours. Mix well. Set aside 1 cup of this flour mixture, as bench flour to knead into the dough later.

To the 3 cups of flour, mix in the rest of the dry ingredients.

Combine liquid ingredients: water, egg, milk, melted butter and whisk to blend.

Gradually add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients, tossing gently to incorporate.

Once a dough is formed (at this point the mass is rough and very sticky), turn the mass out onto a table that has been dusted with flour.

Start kneading it gently, while gradually incorporating the 1 cup of bench flour.

Continue kneading the dough gently until it is smooth, elastic and no longer sticky.

Shape the dough into a ball.
Transfer it to a greased bowl.
Cover and proof or let rise until double in size.

For Pan de Coco:
Divide the dough into balls weighing 50 g each.
Flatten the dough balls with a small rolling pin or with your hands. Fill with about 1 tbsp of coconut filling.
Encase filling by gathering the edges together, pinching to seal.
Put on a lined tray seam side down.

Let rise once more for 15 minutes or until double.

Brush with egg wash (1 egg beaten with 2 tsp water). Bake at 325 °F for 15-17 minutes.

Coconut filling:
2½ c grated coconut
1 c white sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ c softened butter
1 tbsp flour
Mix well.

For Cheese Roll:
Divide the dough into balls weighing 50 g each.

Roll each piece into a oval 5-6” in length and 3-4” wide.

Brush with softened butter. Generously sprinkle with sugar.
Put a strip of cheese on one end.

Roll, tucking in sides as you do so. Pinch to seal all openings well.

Put on a lined baking sheet, seam side down. Let rise 15-20 minutes until double.

Brush with egg wash (1 egg beaten with 2 tsp water). Bake in 325 °F oven for 15-17 minutes.

Remove from oven.

Grate or put a slice of cheese on top of bread.

Put back into the oven and bake just until cheese melts.

Cheese filling:
Magnolia Quick Melt cheese, cut into sticks
Butter, softened
Sugar

Roast Pork with Tita Charito Sambile’s Burong Mangga

I learned this delicious buro recipe from my mom’s sister when I was around 6 years old.

1 slab of pork for roasting, I used a 1.5 kilo pork neck
2 tbsp garlic, pounded to a paste
2 tsp pepper flakes
2 tsp sea salt
3 tbsp patis
2 tbsp Knorr seasoning
¼ c vinegar
¼ c brown sugar
Combine ingredients, mix well.
Put pork in a large Glad Freezer Bag; pour marinade.
Marinate overnight in the chiller.
Transfer pork to a roasting pan and roast at 300 °F until fork-tender covered with foil.
When tender, remove foil and brown pork.
Serve with dipping sauce.

Dipping sauce:
2 tbsp each shallots & tomatoes
1/3 c vinegar
1 tsp pounded garlic
Thai chilies, to taste
2 tbsp parsley
2 tbsp cilantro
2 tbsp patis
3 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp olive or vegetable oil
Salt, freshly ground pepper
Combine. Adjust salt, chilies, sugar to taste.
Charito’s Burong Manga:
4 green mangoes, shredded
1½ c water
½ c salt
Bring water and salt to a boil. Cool. Pour over mangoes. Leave to soak for 2 days.
Drain mangoes well.
Make sugar syrup. Pour syrup over drained mangoes.
Leave to pickle indefinitely.
Serve with pork garnished with, cherry tomatoes, shallots and chilies.

Sugar syrup:
2 c sugar
2 c water
Combine sugar and water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Cool.

Thanks to Imelda Tan for taking down notes, and thank you Stevie Villacin for taking all the beautiful photos!