Ube Ensaymada

Soft & Buttery Ensaymada

A pillowy soft and rich Filipino brioche topped with creamy buttercream and cheese, made using Elufa Instant Dry Yeast for a quick yet fluffy rise. Perfect for merienda or gift-giving!

Time

• Dough Prep & Rising: ~1 hour 15 minutes

• Baking: ~7.5 to 9 minutes

• Cooling & Topping: ~15 minutes

Ingredients

Dough:

• 1 ½ tsp Elufa Instant Dry Yeast

• ½ cup warm Alaska evaporated milk

• ¼ cup white sugar

• 80g salted butter (softened)

• 3 egg yolks

• 1 whole egg

• 1 cup bread flour

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• ¼ tsp iodized salt

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

• 1 tsp white vinegar (optional, for softness)

• 2 tbsp Alaska powdered milk

• 1–3 tbsp warm water (only if dough feels stiff)

Buttercream Topping:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

• ¼ cup cream cheese

• ½ cup premium powdered sugar

Optional Garnish:

• Grated cheese (for topping)

Directions

1. Activate Yeast

   In a bowl, mix warm evaporated milk, white sugar, and Elufa Instant Dry Yeast. Let sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy.

2. Prepare Wet Mixture

   In a separate bowl, whisk together egg yolks, whole egg, softened butter, vegetable oil, and vinegar. Add the foamy yeast mixture.

3. Combine Dry Ingredients

   In a large bowl, whisk together bread flour, all-purpose flour, powdered milk, and salt.

4. Form Dough

   Gradually add the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix until a soft dough forms. Add 1–3 tbsp warm water only if the dough feels stiff.

5. Knead Dough

   Knead for 8–10 minutes by hand or 5–6 minutes with a mixer until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.

6. First Rise

   Place dough in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise for 20–30 minutes or until doubled in size.

7. Shape Ensaymada

   Punch down the dough and divide into 28 portions (approx. 50g each). Roll each into a rope and coil into a spiral. Place into greased molds or muffin tins.

8. Second Rise

   Let the shaped dough rise again for 20–25 minutes until puffy.

9. Bake

   Preheat oven to 150°C for 1 hour. Brush with milk before baking. Bake for 7.5 to 9 minutes or until light golden brown.

10. Add Toppings

    Cool slightly, then spread buttercream topping and finish with grated cheese if desired.

Extra Tip

For even richer flavor, you can infuse the buttercream with a hint of Elufa Vanilla FlavorPlus.

A recipe by Chef Irish Manrique