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+ servings
Tender milk bread, a swirl of mildly cinnamon scented caramel-like filling, and a topping of crispy crumbs all combine to make Senorita Bread; a classic Filipino popular afternoon snack that's beloved by all ages. There's nothing quite like a Señorita roll with your cup of coffee, tea, or even dipped into cold milk. Filipino cuisine is a delicious amalgam of the many cultures that have impacted the Philippines over its history whether through trade, conquest, or political influence. It's impossible to cover all of these within the confines of a little blog post about a delicious bread roll with sweet buttery filling.

Senorita Bread

Rebecca Lindamood
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 25 minutes
Tender milk bread, a swirl of caramel-like filling, and a topping of crispy crumbs all combine to make Senorita Bread; a classic of Filipino baking.

Equipment

  • Large Bowl (or Stand Mixer with dough hook)
  • Dough Whisk or Sturdy Spoon
  • Plastic Wrap or Damp Tea Towel
  • parchment paper
  • Rolling Pin

Ingredients
  

Dough:

  • 3 cups all purpose flour 12 ¾ ounces
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • ¼ cup neutral oil

Filling:

  • 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • cup plain breadcrumbs can be panko or “regular”
  • ½ cup granulated sugar or raw sugar
  • ½ cup whole milk
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Topping:

  • ½ cup plain breadcrumbs preferably panko
  • 2 tablespoons whole milk

Instructions
 

To Make the Dough:

  • Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix until a shaggy dough forms. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic. You can use a dough hook on a stand-mixer or do this by hand.
  • Form the dough into a ball, rolling it around gently on the counter to smooth the surface of the dough. Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl, cover, and put in a warm, draft-free place for 30 minutes.
  • Lightly dust your countertop with flour, turn the dough out, and gently knead for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the dough is very smooth and supple.
  • Form the dough into a ball again and return it to the bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm and draft-free place until doubled in bulk, about 30 to 45 minutes.

To Make the Filling:

  • Scatter the flour in a 2 quart, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Place the pan over medium heat and toast, whisking it, for 2 to 4 minutes, or until it is slightly darker in colour and smells fragrant and toasty.
  • Whisk in the butter, breadcrumbs, and sugar, stirring until the butter is thoroughly melted and the sugar and flour are thoroughly incorporated.
  • Once the sugar is melted and the mixture is light gold in colour, whisk in the milk and cinnamon. Whisk until the mixture thickens, about 3 minutes. The filling should be a light caramel colour. Set the pan aside off of the heat to cool completely.

To Make the Senorita Rolls:

  • Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper or grease it lightly. Set it aside.
  • Once again, lightly flour your countertop. Turn the dough out and gently deflate before dividing it into 12 equal portions. Roll each portion into a ball, cover lightly with plastic wrap, and let them rest for 15 minutes.
  • Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll the dough into an oblong oval that’s about 4 inches across and about 8 inches long. Spread a generous tablespoon of the filling over the whole oval.
  • Roll up the dough tightly, starting at a more narrow end of the oval. Brush the top of the dough with milk and roll it in breadcrumbs.
  • Place the roll, seam side down, on the prepared pan. Repeat with the rest of the dough and filling.
  • Cover the rolls lightly with plastic wrap and let them rise in a warm, draft-free place until they’re doubled in bulk and puffy looking, about 45 minutes to an hour.
  • About halfway through the rise, preheat your oven to 350ºF. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the rolls are a lovely golden brown.
  • Allow the rolls to cool on the pan for at least 10 minutes before eating or transferring to an airtight container. Señorita Bread will be good for 3 days at room temperature.
  • You can store them longer -tightly wrapped in a double layer- in the freezer for up to a month. To reheat the frozen rolls, wrap loosely in foil and heat in a moderate 350ºF oven for about 10 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 280kcalCarbohydrates: 42gProtein: 6gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 14mgSodium: 269mgPotassium: 116mgFiber: 2gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 171IUVitamin C: 0.01mgCalcium: 56mgIron: 2mg

Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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