Pandesal is the most popular local bread in the Philippines. It is the Spanish term for “salt bread,” since the name originated during the 16th century Spanish colonial era. Most bakeries all over the country, from small backyard establishments to industrial bakeries, produce and sell this bread.
This staple food has become part of the typical Filipino breakfast as a substitute for rice. Four pieces of pandesal are equivalent to one cup of rice. Consumers like pandesal to be served hot and freshly baked from the oven. They expect it to have a soft crumb texture and a slightly crunchy crust that is light brown in color. The Filipinos’ unique way of eating pandesal is by dipping it into hot coffee. It can also be served with a variety of spreads or fillings such as butter, cheese or jam. Nowadays, some bakeries sell pandesal not only for breakfast but also as a snack at any time of the day.
Formulation and Method
Pandesal accounts for about 50% of total bakery production. The formulation consists mainly of flour, water, sugar, fat, salt and yeast. The bread is shaped into long logs (bastons), rolled in fine breadcrumbs, allowed to rest, and then cut into individual portions using a dough cutter. Finally, it is proofed and baked.
The most common bread-making method for pandesal is No Time Dough. Some bakeries also prepare an overnight proofing in which the percentage of yeast used is very low (about 0.05% to 0.25%).
Traditionally, the bakers work the dough by hand, using the dough break system which is still common practice. However, modern bakeries now rely on mixers to develop the dough. The mass production of pandesal remains manual from shaping the dough into logs (bastons) to cutting it into individual portions.
Classic to Reinvented Pandesal Variants
The trend toward innovation plays a vital role in enabling bakeries to offer more value-added pandesal varieties and compete in the market. Because of this, the classic pandesal is being reinvented by the bakers so that they can offer healthier and better tasting options. There are new pandesal variants such as malunggay (horseradish) pandesal, squash pandesal, cheese pandesal, to mention a few.
Quality of The Flour
The flour used for making pandesal is typically medium to high protein (about 12% to 13%) and has good tolerance to mixing and fermentation. Flour protein correlates with dough stability and bread volume. If the flour protein is too low, the dough will have poor handling properties and the volume of the bread will be small. The rheological properties of the flour correlate with the handling of the dough. A good balance between resistance and extensibility is essential for shaping the pandesal into logs (bastons).
According to the flour mill’s technical team, the typical quality concerns of pandesal bakers are dough development, dough handling and proofing. The dough development stage is very subjective for small neighborhood bakeries that work with the dough break method. A baker may use time as a guide and rely on his feeling for the dough. Handling is also critical in respect of the ease or difficulty of shaping the logs. Judgement of proofing may also be subjective on the part of the baker.
Flour improvers, particularly the oxidizing agents and enzymes, are essential for achieving consistent quality in flour. Enzymes such as α-amylase, hemicellulase and oxidases improve the dough handling properties and make for better symmetry and volume.
Minimizing Faults in Production
The following is an overview of the most common problems in production, and how to avoid them:
Problem: Stiff dough
Possible causes:
-flour too strong
-insufficient water
-undermixed dough
Solution:
-increase the hemicellulase dosage in the flour (e.g. Alphamalt HCTE)
-add more water
-extend mixing time or proper sheeting to achieve optimum dough development
Problem: Soft and sticky dough
Possible causes:
-flour low in gluten
-too much water
-overmixed
Solution:
-use stronger flour and increase oxidation (vitamin C (ELCO P-100K) and glucose oxidase (e.g. Alphamalt Gloxy 12082)
-reduce the amount of water in the formulation
-shorten mixing time
Problem: Poor proofing stability
Possible causes:
-proofer humidity too high
-too much water
-dough is weak
Solution:
-reduce proofer humidity
-reduce water
-increase oxidation in flour (vitamin C (ELCO P-100K) and glucose oxidase (e.g. Alphamalt Gloxy 12082)) and the addition of lipase (Alphamalt EFX) and emulsifier (SSL, CSL, DATEM (Mulgaprime SSL or CSL, Mulgaprime 16))
Problem: Low volume
Possible causes:
-undermixed
-fermentation time too short
-too little yeast
-short fermentation
-weak flour
Solution:
-extend mixing time or proper sheeting to achieve optimum dough development
-ferment longer
-check yeast quantity
-use stronger flour; increase or adjust flour treatment
Problem: Tough crumb
Possible causes:
-too little water in formulation
-undermixed
Solution:
-increase the amount of water in the formulation
-extend mixing time or proper sheeting to achieve optimum dough development
-add maltogenic enzyme (Alphamalt Fresh 23) or DMG (Mulgaprime 90 F) to improve softness
FAQs
Pandesal is the most popular local bread in the Philippines. It is the Spanish term for “salt bread,” since the name originated during the 16th century Spanish colonial era. Most bakeries all over the country, from small backyard establishments to industrial bakeries, produce and sell this bread.
What is an interesting fact about pandesal? ›
Pandesal is the most popular style of bread in the Philippines. The name comes from the Spanish word meaning “salt bread" and it originated during the 16th century era of Spanish colonization in the Philippines. Pandesal is known for its pillowy texture and signature breadcrumbs on top.
Why is pandesal so popular in the Philippines? ›
Modern pandesal and other wheat-based foods flourished in the Philippines when the price of American wheat became cheaper than rice.
How long does pandesal stay good? ›
Make-Ahead and Storage. Baked pandesal can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days at room temperature. To reheat pandesal, preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Transfer pandesal to a baking sheet and reheat until hot, about 5 minutes.
What is the English name for Pandesal? ›
Pandesal, also known as Pan de sal (Spanish: pan de sal, lit. "salt bread") is a staple bread roll in the Philippines commonly eaten for breakfast. It is made of flour, yeast, sugar, oil, and salt.
What is the mother of all Filipino bread? ›
Monay is one of the most basic bread types in the Philippines and is sometimes known as the "mother of all Filipino breads" as it can be modified to give rise to various other bread types. These include breads like pinagong and putok.
Is eating Pandesal healthy? ›
HEALTH BENEFITS OF PAN DE SAL: Pan de sal has 4 grams of protein, 25 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, and 3 grams of fat. Pandesal also has iron, which is necessary for developing hemoglobin, for carrying oxygen in the blood. This is helpful for people with anemia and pregnant women.
What does pandesal mean in Spanish? ›
“Pandesal is the most popular style of bread in the Philippines. The name comes from the Spanish word meaning “salt bread” and it originated during the 16th century era of Spanish colonization in the Philippines.”
What is the culture of Pandesal? ›
This bread is a staple food for Filipinos, like rice is in other cultures. Pan de sal is a traditional breakfast–just that and coffee. In the Philippines, people just walk down the block to their local baker and pick up fresh pan de sal daily.
Why do Filipinos dip their bread in coffee? ›
Whether it's a cup of creamy coffee or the bold simplicity of black coffee, the dunking ritual is a comforting way to infuse flavour into the bread, especially when spreads are scarce on the breakfast table.
Pandesal usually ends up hard and dense because it's underproofed. Make sure you give your dough time to rise, I'll be giving time cues in this recipe, but fermentation can vary greatly depending on the activity of your starter and the temperature in your kitchen.
What is the Philippines most iconic food? ›
1. Adobo. No list of the top 10 Filipino foods can begin without the famous Adobo on top. The unofficial Philippines national food is made with pork or chicken simmered in soy sauce and vinegar with loads of black pepper and crushed garlic.
What to eat with pandesal? ›
Some prefer to dunk Pandesal in their morning coffee and eat it that way. Others fill their Pandesal with Reno Liver Spread, Mayonnaise, Scrambled Eggs, Fried Spam or Hotdog, Ham, Peanut Butter, Coconut jam or just plain good old butter…
Can you reheat pandesal? ›
Pandesal are best eaten directly from the oven. You can store them for 2-3 days in an airtight container and reheat them in a toaster oven — if you happen to have any leftovers. They're delicious with peanut butter (as I've told you) or smeared with salted butter and honey or jam.
What bread takes the longest to go bad? ›
Type of bread: Certain types of bread have longer shelf lives, including loaves made with preservatives and sourdough bread. The lactic acid bacteria found in sourdough slows down the staling process, while the acidity of the bread inhibits microbial growth (read: mold).
What is the most famous bread in the Philippines? ›
Arguably the most famous and the most popular bread in the Philippines, pandesal is also one of the easiest to make at home. You'll only need simple ingredients like all purpose flour, yeast, milk and bread crumbs that pandesal is known for.
Is Filipino pandesal healthy? ›
HEALTH BENEFITS OF PAN DE SAL: Pan de sal has 4 grams of protein, 25 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, and 3 grams of fat. Pandesal also has iron, which is necessary for developing hemoglobin, for carrying oxygen in the blood. This is helpful for people with anemia and pregnant women.
What is the national bread of the Philippines? ›
Pan de sal, literally translated as salt bread, is the national bread of the Philippines and while we think we're all initiated with it, there are as many pan de sal varieties as there is adobo.
What goes with pandesal? ›
Pandesal is most commonly served warm and can be enjoyed as is, dipped in a morning beverage (coffee, tsokolate (hot chocolate), or milk. It can be enjoyed on its own or with a sweet or savory spread of filling. Ideas include vegan butter, vegan cheese, jam, peanut butter, a chocolate spread, vegan eggs, or vegan meat.
