Homemade Bread: Pandesal & Simple Loaf

There’s something magical about homemade bread.
Yung amoy pa lang, grabe, the whole house feels warm and cozy.
And honestly, kaya kami na-hook ni Ykaie sa baking bread this year is because it became our little weekend ritual… plus, mas tipid kaysa bili nang bili sa bakery. 😅

Back when everyone was obsessed with breadmaking years ago, I remember trying to make pandesal using our tiny oven. The first batch? Tigas! Parang pwede nang gawing sandbag. 😂 But I kept trying—and now, making bread feels second nature.

So for 2025, I’m sharing our simple, beginner-friendly way of making pandesal and loaf bread at home—nothing fancy, just comforting, everyday bread na masarap with coffee.

Homemade Pandesal

Ingredients (Half Batch → makes 12–14 pandesal)

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ¼ tsp instant yeast
• ¼ cup sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp softened butter
• ¾ cup warm milk (or warm water)
• 1 egg
• Breadcrumbs for coating

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Instructions

1. Activate yeast (optional if using instant yeast):
   Mix warm milk + 1 tbsp sugar + yeast. Let sit for 5 minutes until frothy.
2. Make the dough:
   In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Add egg, butter, and yeast mixture. Mix until shaggy.
3. Knead:
   Knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth.
4. First rise:
   Cover and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled.
5. Shape:
   Punch down the dough, form into a log, slice into 12–14 pieces. Roll each piece in breadcrumbs.
6. Final rise:
   Arrange on a tray, cover, and rise for 20–30 minutes.
7. Bake:
   180°C (350°F) for 15–18 minutes, or until light golden.

Tips & troubleshooting

• If dough is too sticky add flour 1 tbsp at a time; too dry add warm milk 1 tbsp.
• For extra fluff, use bread flour (substitute half or all).
• Overproofed dough will collapse — if rolls don’t puff, check yeast freshness.
• To get classic pandesal crust, roll generously but not overly in breadcrumbs.

Storage

• Room temp: 2 days in airtight container.
• Fridge: not recommended (dries bread).
• Freeze: cool completely, wrap in foil + ziplock, freeze up to 1 month. Reheat in oven 5–8 min at 160°C.

Basic Soft Bread Loaf (Tasty-Style)

Ingredients (Half Batch → 1 small loaf)

• 1 ½ cups bread flour (or all-purpose flour)
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp instant yeast
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp softened butter
• ¾ cup warm milk

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Instructions

1. Mix dry ingredients:
   Combine flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.
2. Add wet ingredients:
   Pour in warm milk + add butter. Mix to form a sticky dough.
3. Knead:
   Knead 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
4. First rise:
   Place in a greased bowl, cover, and rise for 1 hour.
5. Shape:
   Punch down dough, roll into a log, and transfer to a greased loaf pan.
6. Second rise:
   Let rise 30–40 minutes until it reaches near the top of the pan.
7. Bake:
   Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 22–25 minutes.
8. Optional:
   Brush the top with butter while warm for a soft glossy finish.

Tips & troubleshooting

• Use bread flour for chewier, taller loaf; AP flour works fine for softer sandwich bread.
• For a softer crust, brush butter right after baking. For a crisper crust, skip the butter.
• Dense loaf? Check yeast freshness, proofing times, and kneading. Underproofed or undermixed dough yields dense bread.
• If loaf dome sinks, it may be overproofed or oven temp too high early on.

Storage

• Room temp: Keep in airtight bread box or ziplock for 2–3 days.
• Freeze: Slice, wrap, and freeze up to 1 month. Toast from frozen for best results.

Easy Variations & Add-Ins

• Cheesy pandesal: Add grated cheddar inside the dough ball before rolling in breadcrumbs.
• Garlic herb loaf: Mix 1–2 tsp dried herbs + 1 tsp garlic powder into dough.
• Sweet loaf: Add 50–75 g sugar and swirl in cinnamon sugar before rolling.
• Whole-wheat blend: Replace up to 150 g flour with whole-wheat flour (expect denser crumb).

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Quick FAQ

• Can I use instant dry yeast? Yes — it’s fine. You can mix it directly with flour.
• Can I proof in the oven? Yes — put bowl in oven with oven light on (don’t turn oven on).
• No oven — can I pan-bake? Loaf needs oven for even bake, but small rolls can be steamed (puto style) or cooked in covered heavy pan on low heat (takes practice).
• How to tell if dough is properly kneaded? The dough should be smooth and spring back when poked slightly; the windowpane test is best.