S’mores always remind me of summers spent camping out under the stars, but I could honestly eat that perfect combination of gooey marshmallow and melted chocolate all year! I brought back my homemade porg marshmallows to show you how to turn them into an un-porg-etably delicious treat.
Homemade marshmallows can seem intimidating at first, but the secret to getting them smooth and the right shape is just a little water. Once you get the first few piped the rest of your batch will be a breeze! Add chocolate and your favorite graham crackers, and you’ll definitely want s’more of these cute s’mores!
Ingredients:
Condiments
1 tbsp Corn syrup, light
Baking & Spices
1/4 cup Cornstarch
1 Icing fitted with a, Black small
1 Orange and grey/silver sanding sugar
1/2 cup Powdered sugar
1 Pinch Salt
12 Squares of chocolate
1 cup Sugar
1 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
Oils & Vinegars
1 Vegetable oil
Snacks
12 Chocolate graham crackers
Desserts
1/4 cup Candy melts, orange
1 Candy thermometer
1 envelope Gelatin, unflavored
24 Nonpareils, black jumbo
Liquids
1 3 + 1/4 cup cold water
Other
Cardstock
Piping bags
1/2 ” round piping tip
Large, round piping tip
Scissors
Toothpicks
Small zip-top bags
Helpful Tip
All cutting should be done by an adult.
Directions
1. Download, print, and cut out porg template.
2. Melt the orange candy melts by heating in the microwave in 30-second intervals at 50% power until smooth, stirring between each set. You can add a teaspoon of vegetable oil if they are lumpy once completely melted.
3. Place the porg template under a piece of wax paper, and use a toothpick to draw the feet with the orange melts. Set aside to harden.
4. Prep your sanding sugars by placing a little of the orange, and a little of the grey sugars into separate small zip-top bags. Cut a tiny corner off of each and set aside.
5. Prep 2 piping bags by fitting one with a large round tip, and the other with a 1/2″ round tip. Lay a piece of wax paper over a baking sheet. Combine the marshmallow coating ingredients in a bowl, and lightly sift the powder over the wax paper. Set aside.
6. Pour 1/3 cup cold water in the bowl of an electric mixer, and stir in the gelatin. Allow the gelatin to soften while you make the syrup.
7. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, 1/4 cup water, light corn syrup, and salt. Stir, and cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Then turn the heat up to high, and continue to cook (without stirring) until the syrup reaches 240° F on a candy thermometer.
8. With the mixer on low, slowly pour the syrup into the softened gelatin. Gradually increase the speed to high, and whip until soft peaks form and hold their shape, about 8-10 minutes. Add the vanilla extract, and whip just until it is incorporated.
9. Transfer the marshmallow to the 2 prepared piping bags. You can place the porg template underneath the wax paper, on your baking sheet that you’ve prepared with coating powder, as a guide.
10. Using the bag with the 1/2″ tip, pipe a large circle for the body, and then a smaller one on top for the head. Use the other piping bag fitted with the smaller round tip to make the wings. If you are left with any lumps or peaks on the marshmallow you can lightly wet a clean finger and smooth out the marshmallow. You want to work quickly before the marshmallow begins to set, so only pipe 2 at a time, and then add the decorations.
11. To decorate, start with the orange sugar, and carefully pour it in a pattern that replicates the look of the porgs. Then pour the grey sugar over the wings, edges of the body, and top of the head of each porg.
12. Add a nonpareil to each side of the face for the eyes, placing them just over the orange sugar, and then place 2 of the candy melt feet at the bottom.
13. Allow the marshmallows to set, uncovered, for at least 7 hours, or overnight before adding the decorating icing.
14. Use decorating icing to pipe the mouths and nostrils onto the porgs. Carefully unpeel the marshmallows from your baking sheet. You can lightly coat any sticky areas with the marshmallow coating mixture.
15. When you are ready to turn them into s’mores, break your graham crackers in half. Place 1 half on a plate and top it with a porg. Heat in the microwave for 5-7 seconds, then add the chocolate square and the other half of your graham cracker. (Extra marshmallows can be stored in an airtight container for up to a month.)
What is a Manapua? Simply put it’s the Hawaiian name for the yummy Chinese Bao, that slightly sweet dough stuffed with barbecued pork then steamed to form a shiny outer skin surrounding the fluffy bread and sweet savory filling.
In the 19th. century Cantonese Chinese immigrants came to the Hawaiian islands to work in the sugarcane plantations. They brought with them their heritage and cuisine. One of the delectable foods they brought to the islands was the Cha Sui Bao, that barbecued pork filled steamed bun. It soon became a favorite with the locals who called them Mea’ono’pua’a (Mea’ono means bread and pua’a means pork). Over time that name morphed into Manapua, which is what we call it today.
Along with the name change the traditional Manapua also evolved into different flavors. These days one can easily find Shoyu Chicken, Lap Cheung (Chinese Sausage), Pizza and Curry Manapuas at the 7/11 and other Manapua Shops and trucks. Actually you can stuff the dough with just about anything you want; I make adobo manapuas!
Manapuas are found everywhere in Hawaii, but homemade ones are still the best! They’re great for snacks, picnics, and even as a light lunch. They are one of my family’s favorite foods!
When I make manapua I usually use store bought Char Siu pork or chicken. Both are readily available at our local supermarkets. But sometimes I make my own, it’s not that hard. So today I’ll share the recipe for makng manapua and the barbecue meat filling we call Char Siu.
Char Siu – It can be used to fill steamed buns or sliced mix with noodles or rice.
1 lb. skinless pork belly or boneless skinless chicken thighs (trim off excess fat from the meat)
2 Tbs. Shaoxing Cooking wine
2 Tbs. Soy Sauce
2 Tbs. Sugar
3 Cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs. Hoisin Sauce
1 Tsp. Five Spice Powder
1/8 Cup Honey except honey together and pour in to a ziplock bag.
Marinate in the fridge for 2-3 hours.
Place meat in a roasting pan and brush top with honey.
Bake in a 325° oven for 40 – 45 minutes or until meat is cooked. The meat is done when it starts to turn crisp on the outside and the center is firm.
Remove from oven and cool for about 10 minutes.
Slice into thin strips or if using for manapua filling dice into 1/4″ cubes.
Manapua
Filling:
3/4 Cup diced char siu meat (pork or chicken)
1 Tbs. Sesame Oil
1 Stalk Green Onions chopped
1/3 Cup Fresh Cilantro chopped
2 1/2 Tbs. sugar
1/4 cup Soy Sauce
1/8 Tsp. Salt
2 Tsp. Flour
2 Tsp. Corn Starch
1/4 Cup water
2 – 3 drops red food coloring
Heat oil in a pan. Fry diced char siu for about 30 seconds. Add green onions, cilantro, sugar, soy sauce, and salt. Stir so it doesn’t burn.
Dissolve Flour and cornstarch in the water.
Stir into char sui mixture to thicken.
Remove from heat and cool.
Buns:
2 Cups Cake Flour
1 1/2 Cup Flour
1 Tbs. Vegetable Shortening
1/4 Cup Baker’s Sugar
1 Tbs. Dry Yeast
1 Cup warm water
Combine 2 flours and put 3 cups of the mixture in the bowl of your standing mixer. (or in a bowl if you’re mixing with your hands)
Using a dough hook cut in shortening.
Stir in about 2 tbs. sugar.
In a separate bowl combine remaining sugar with the yeast and add 1/3 Cup warm water.
Stir until yeast is dissolved.
Add the rest of the flour mixture to the yeast and mix well.
Add the yeast mixture and the remaining water to the flour mixture in the bowl.
Knead with the dough hook until smooth and elastic.
Turn dough in to a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel.
Let it sit at room temperature until dough doubles in size, about 1 hour. If it’s too cold proof in the oven until it doubles in size.
Divide dough into about 18 balls.
Flatten each ball with a rolling pin into a circle about 1/4″ thick.
Place 1 Tbs. filling in the center.
Pull sides of dough around filling and pinch to seal the seams.
Place buns on little squares of wax paper to keep them closed.
Place in a rack or a bamboo steamer and steam for 15 minutes.
My favorite Spanish Bread. Soft, fluffy, filled with butter and sugar then rolled in breadcrumbs. Make it at home and eat it warm fresh out of the oven.
Soft, fluffy Spanish Bread filled with butter and sugar then laid in breadcrumbs. A bread like no other and definitely every Filipinos favorite merienda.
Spanish bread was the bread of my childhood in the Philippines. My siblings and I call it ‘potpot’ bread.
Every afternoon, we await the loud horn sound of the bread vendor. He goes around the neighborhood carrying a huge basket of warm and freshly baked Spanish bread at the back of his bicycle. It was so good! I still wish I had a chance to ask for his secret recipe. Alas, I was busy with play and friends back then. I just eat and never cared to cook nor bake. Hahaha…
The recipe we’re making today is not from the bread vendor. It is, however, the recipe I’ve been using for years. I’ve worked on this for a long time and I’m finally excited to share it with all of you bread lovers out there!
Filipino Spanish Bread Ingredients
Bread flour and All-purpose flour: Mixing these two kinds of flour allows us to control the protein content of the bread. Which just means that it will give the bread a soft and delicately chewy texture.
Egg yolks: No egg whites. This is the secret to a really soft and fluffy dough.
Pure unsalted butter: I love using butter when making bread. It makes my kitchen smell so good!
Sugar: We Filipinos love our buns sweet. We need this for the dough and for the butter filling.
Milk and Water: These will serve as the base liquid for the dough. The water is combined with the yeast to activate.
Active Dry Yeast or Instant Dry Yeast: Both can be used interchangeably. Activate in lukewarm water until foamy.
Bread crumbs: You can use Plain bread crumbs or Panko. If you are using the former, place it in a thick plastic bag and pound it to make it finer.
Bread making tips for beginners
Make sure the water is lukewarm before putting in the yeast. If it’s too hot the yeast will die. If it’s cold, it will not activate. To make sure that the water is at the right temperature, use a kitchen thermometer. The water should be between 30c/86f to 40c/104f.
Add a teaspoon of sugar to the water before stirring in the yeast. This will help easily activate it.
Activate the yeast in a bowl even if it’s instant yeast. This ensures that the yeast is fresh and alive.
Do not let the dough rise for too long if proving in a warm place. The maximum should be at least 1 hour. Otherwise, the bread will end up having a yeasty taste. The trick is (according to professional bakers) is to let it rise until it doubles in size and volume.
Knead dough until smooth and elastic, it should spring back when poked. Add more flour only when the dough is too wet and clings heavily to the sides of the bowl.
Spanish Bread recipe notes
Can I substitute bread flour with all-purpose flour?
Yes, you can substitute with all-purpose flour if bread flour is not available. Replaced in the same amount as mentioned in the recipe. Bread will just be less chewy with all-purpose flour.
How can I prove the dough during colder months?
For colder months, I use the oven to prove the dough. Place a glass baking dish on the bottom rack of the oven and fill it with boiling water. Put the dough in the middle or top rack and shut the door. The steam and heat from the boiling water will create a warm environment to help raise the dough.
Make-ahead tips
Make the dough ahead of time then place it in the fridge. The dough will slowly rise and double in size overnight. On the day of baking, remove from the refrigerator 30-40 mins before you’re going to shape them into rolls.
Another option is to make the dough and finish the first rise on the same day. Shape them into rolls then do the second or final rise in the fridge. Bake them the next day and you’re done! Bake them the next day and you’re done! Note: Once the shaped dough rolls have proved, you can’t remove or touch it in the pan. Otherwise, it will lose its shape.
Storage and re-heating
Store in an air-tight container in the fridge. Spanish bread is best eaten within 2 to 3 days.
Re-heat in a mini-oven toaster for 1 to 2 minutes over low heat.
I love having this with Chicken Sopas. How about you?
Prep Time:1hour Cook Time:18minutes
Equipment
Stand Mixer
Kitchen Scale
Parchment Paper
Ingredients
2 1/4teaspoonyeast(mixed with 1 teaspoon sugar)
1/2cupwater(lukewarm)
3cupsbread flour
1cupall-purpose flour(i used wholemeal flour)
1/2cupsugar
3/4teaspoonsalt
3/4cupfresh milk(lukewarm, evap can also be use)
3largeegg yolks
1/2cupbutter(softened)
oil for the bowl
Butter Filling
1/2cup/ 113.4g butter(softened)
3/4cupbreadcrumbs
1/2cupbrown sugar
3teaspoonmilk
Breading
1/4cupbreadcrumbs
2teaspoonsbrown sugar(optional)
Instructions
For the Dough
In a medium-size bowl, combine lukewarm water, 1 teaspoon of sugar, and yeast. Stir until completely dissolved. Let it stand for 5 to 10mins until yeast begins to foam.
Meanwhile, in the bowl of your stand mixer, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Mix thoroughly.
Add warm milk, yeast mixture, egg yolks, and butter to the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined. Attach the dough hook and turn the mixer on to the lowest speed and mix until flour is incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes. Add additional flour as necessary, start with 2 tablespoons and go from there. Continue beating for 5 to 6 minutes until the dough is slightly sticky and elastic, and pulling away from the edge of the bowl. Be careful not to add too much flour.
Rise # 1 Warm rise or cold rise
Wipe or spray oil on the sides of the bowl then form dough into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm spot for 1 hour until it doubles in size. To make ahead, do a cold rise by placing the dough in the refrigerator. The dough will slowly double in size the next day. See the notes for more information.
Spanish Bread Filling
Combine all the ingredients of the filling in a small bowl. Make this just before the dough finishes rising.
Rise #2 Shape the rolls
Remove the plastic wrap and punch the dough down. Transfer onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 20 to 24 portions. (see video). For an evenly sized dough, use a kitchen scale. Mine was about 50g each. Adjust based on your preference.
Using a rolling pin, flatten each portion into an oval shape. Spread 1 tablespoon of the filling, then roll it into a log (see video). Lay it in the bread crumbs. Shake off excess then place inside the baking tray greased or lined with a parchment paper. Repeat with all the other portions. Make sure that the dough is arranged two inches apart. Cover with a towel or cloth and let it rise for 40mins to 1 hour.
Baking
Preheat oven at 180c/356f, 15 minutes before the dough rolls finishes rising. Bake the Spanish bread for 18 to 20 minutes until the top turns light brown.
Recipe Notes and Tips:
Bread flour – substitute with all-purpose flour if bread flour is not available. Replaced in the same amount as mentioned in the recipe. Bread will just be less chewy with all-purpose flour.
Proving dough in colder months: For colder months, I use the oven to prove the dough. Place a glass baking dish on the bottom rack of the oven and fill it with boiling water. Put the dough in the middle or top rack and shut the door. The steam and heat from the boiling water will create a warm environment to help raise the dough.
Spanish Bread Filling – double the recipe if you prefer a thicker filling.
Make-ahead: Make the dough ahead of time then place it in the fridge. The dough will slowly rise and double in size overnight. On the day of baking, remove from the refrigerator 30-40 mins before you’re going to shape them into rolls.
Baking tip: If you’re using two racks, switch the trays after 12 minutes so all the rolls will brown evenly. Applicable only to 60cm/23 ovens and above. Bake in two separate batches if using compact ovens.
Storage and re-heating: Store in an air-tight container. Re-heat in a mini-oven toaster for 1 to 2 minutes over low heat.
Course : Snack
Cuisine : Filipino
Keyword : filipino bread, spanish bread recipe
Spanish Rolls
Print Recipe
My favorite Spanish Bread. Soft, fluffy, filled with butter and sugar then rolled in breadcrumbs. Make it at home and eat it warm fresh out of the oven.
My favorite Spanish Bread. Soft, fluffy, filled with butter and sugar then rolled in breadcrumbs. Make it at home and eat it warm fresh out of the oven.
Pandesal or Bread of Salt (which is also the title of a popular short story written by NVM Gonzales) is probably the most popular bread in the Philippines. Pandesal is the favorite “agahan or almusal” (breakfast food) of most Filipinos. Pandesal can eaten plain or with filling. It is best to have it while freshly hot from the oven. Common fillings or palaman for pandesal are: Cheese pimiento, CheezWhiz, a slice of cheese, coco jam, butter, and liver spread. In the Philippines, most bake shops and bakeries sell Pandesal. Sometimes, this is sold in rolling stores (usually a honking bicycle with a big box on the back). When purchasing from a neighborhood bakery, be sure to be there before 8 in the morning because the supply runs out after that time. Pandesal can also be eaten as it is. I like having pandesal along with hot coffee. I am one of those people who loves to dip it in hot black coffee. How do you eat pandesal? Try this easy Pandesal recipe and let me know what you think.
Combine the yeast, sugar, and warm milk and stir until the yeast and sugar are fully dissolved
In the mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients starting with the flour then the sugar, salt, and baking powder . Mix well by stirring
Add the egg, butter, cooking oil, and yeast-sugar-milk mixture in the mixing bowl with the dry ingredients then mix again until a dough is formed. Use your clean hands to effectively mix the ingredients.
In a flat surface, knead the dough until the texture becomes fine. For faster and easier kneading, you may use a Stand Mixer with dough hook.
Mold the dough until shape becomes round then put back in the mixing bowl. Cover the mixing bowl with damp cloth and let the dough rise for at least 1 hour
Put the dough back to the flat surface and divide into 4 equal parts using a dough slicer
Roll each part until it forms a cylindrical shape
Slice the cylindrical dough diagonally (These slices will be the individual pieces of the pandesal)
Roll the sliced dough over the breadcrumbs and place in a baking tray with wax paper (makes sure to provide gaps between dough as this will rise later on)
Leave the sliced dough with breadcrumbs in the tray for another 10 to 15 minutes to rise
Pre-heat the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes
Put the tray with dough in the oven and bake for 15 minutes
Turn off the oven and remove the freshly baked pandesal.
Kick off a festive party with our easy canapés. These sticky-sweet bites can be partly prepared ahead for fuss-free entertaining
Roast the pork belly ahead then chill before cubing, roasting and glazing on the day.
Ingredients
pork belly 1.25kg, skinless and excess fat trimmed
marmalade 150g
dried chilli flakes 1 tsp
soy sauce 2 tbsp
orange 1, juiced
Method:
STEP 1
Heat the oven to 170C/fan 150C/gas 3. Put the pork belly into a roasting tin, cover tightly with foil and roast for 2 hours 30 minutes. Cool to room temperature, or chill if making ahead, and cut into bite-sized pieces.
STEP 2
Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Put the pork belly squares into a roasting tray and roast, turning regularly, for 30 minutes.
STEP 3
Put the marmalade, chilli flakes, soy sauce and orange juice in a small pan and bubble until reduced and syrupy.
STEP 4
Pour over the pork belly, gently toss and roast for another 5 minutes until the pieces are glazed. Pierce with cocktail sticks to serve.
