Got the recipe from Martha Stewart. Strawberries here in Tasmania are HUGE, so I just used half of what was indicated in the recipe.

When I was a kid, I remember eating spanish bread for merienda. I love the sweetness of this bread, and I’ve been craving on these for ages. Because I am nowhere near the vicinity of any panaderia, I finally resolved to bake my own spanish bread. When wrapping the filling, make sure that you don’t spread too much as it will leak and will make a mess while baking.

Ingredients

Dough
1 tbsp. yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup melted butter
1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. salt
3 cups flour
melted butter for brushing
Filling
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

1) Dissolve yeast in warm water. In a bowl, combine milk, butter, sugar, eggs, and salt. Blend well then add the yeast mixture and enough flour to make a moderately stiff dough. Transfer dough to a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Place dough on a greased bowl, cover and let it rise until double in bulk.

2) Punch down dough then divide into 16 equal portions. Combine all the ingredients for the filling. Roll out each dough into a small rectangle. Brush with butter then spread with some of the filling. Roll up as in a jelly roll. Placed on a greased baking sheets seam side down. Do the same for all the dough. Sprinkle the top of the rolled dough with more of the filling. Let it rise for about an hour then bake in a preheated 375-degree F oven for 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Baking bread is something I really wanted to learn. I think there is something fulfilling with eating bread that you have made with your bare (and clean) hands. I got the pandesal recipe from my grandmother.

Crusty Pandesal

• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup lukewarm water
• 1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
• 5 cups sifted flour
• mozzarella cheese (optional)

1. Preheat oven at 425 degrees.
2. Combine first 4 ingredients in large bowl (shortening, salt, sugar, water).
3. In separate small container: dissolve yeast in lukewarm water until foamy.
4. Gradually add 5 cups sifted flour.
5. Mix well until smooth, place in greased bowl and brush top with shortening.
6. Let rest until double in bulk  (about 30 minutes to an hour).
7. Punch down to subside and turn lightly on floured board.
8. Divide dough into halves and roll into bastones (about 4 bastones).
9. Place rolled dough or bastones on cookie sheet or flat tray sprinkled w/bread crumbs. I rolled mozzarella cheese inside the dough (optional).
10. Let rest for 30 minutes.
11. Cut into desired sizes and let proof for another 30 minutes.
12. Bake for 15-18 mins, until golden brown.

Earlier this year, I resolved to learn how to bake bread. I have baked brownies and meringue pastries before, but somehow I still don’t feel fulfilled with what I have done.

My one major hindrance for this Baking Challenge is: We don’t have an oven! Well, we do have a small electric oven, which can fit a 9×9 square pan, but that’s about it. I wanted a bigger oven for me to bake my bread. We also have an old style La Germania oven hand me down, but I don’t know how to operate it properly though. The temperature keeps fluctuating, it doesn’t keep steady – resulting in under/over baked goodies.

Having been sent onsite to Australia, I was blessed once again with an oven. And I have finally made up my mind to pursue my Panaderia/Baking challenge. Wish me luck!

It’s the start of 2010, and I would like to kick it off with my own Project 365. Happy New Year!