Ensaymada with White Cheddar

Soft, buttery Filipino buns. A little sweet, a little savory, very swirly, and truly fantastic. I topped my Ensaymada with shredded white cheddar though traditionally they're topped with powdered sugar and Edam cheese or queso de bola. The sweet/savory combination was what first drew me to them. I loved the restrained–but definitely-still-there sweetness of these buns. Plus, if you've been following along my baking adventures, by now you'll know that I'll try pretty much any baked good with cheese in it! My understanding is that this is the traditional style, but if you check out the Ensaymada Project bakery site, you'll see really creative versions of them. 

Photo by Daniel Marks

I used the  Ensaymada recipe by Tricia Manzanero for the May/April 2021 issue of Bake from Scratch Magazine. The brioche-like dough was easy to work with and I found creating the shape to be one of those zen activities…like rolling out pie dough. I didn't have the refined coconut oil prescribed in the recipe, so I used vegetable shortening since they're both neutral in flavor and it worked out just fine.

If you aren’t familiar with Ensaymada, Manzanero tracks the history behind them in the magazine.  Spanish, Muslim, Jewish, French and obviously Filipino influences. So interesting how beloved food evolves through time.  Ensaymada Project bakery also shares an Ensaymada origin story on their site.

Find the recipe I used in this magazine available in print or digital versions:

https://www.bakefromscratch.com/product/march-april-2021/

(I don't receive any money for posting this link, I just don't believe in re-printing the works of others without permission.)