Ube Ensaymada

Yes! it is another ube thing… Ube Ensaymada is a Filipino type of brioche called ensaymada mixed with ube extract and filled with ube jam then topped with loads of grated edam cheese.

It is another ube flavoured thing and we will not stop making these creations for the love of ube. We had made tons of ube flavoured dishes in the past but because this purple tuber is so versatile and delicious, we will try to use it in many food items and dishes we think it will make sense like our bread today, the ensaymada.

While this creation is not new what we are offering here is a different style of ube ensaymada, most ube ensaymada you see online are either fully purple in colour due to food colour and flavouring or just a normal ensaymada that is filled with ube jam on top or in the middle, what Ang Sarap will offer you is a marbled type ube ensaymada, where the rich fluffy moist bread is swirled with ube flavoured dough then of course filled with ube jam in the middle.

This recipe was a product of a failure because the first time I was planning to make an ube ensaymada many years ago, I was thinking of a full purple coloured one. As I made them during that time, I had forgotten to put the ube flavouring when I first kneaded it. I just realized it after I proofed it overnight, when I removed it from the fridge, I was wondering why was it not purple in colour and in order to rectify the issue, I added the flavouring and colour during the time I was deflating them, hoping for it to spread out evenly to the prepared risen dough. What happened then was the flavouring was unevenly distributed and for me not to knead it fully again and let it proof again, I kept it that way, it looked nice anyway. Since then, I made my ube ensaymada this way, giving a nice marbled colour.

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Ube Ensaymada

  • Author: Raymund
  • Prep Time: 35 mins
  • Cook Time: 15 mins
  • Total Time: 50 mins
  • Yield: 24 1x
  • Category: Snack
  • Cuisine: Filipino

Description

Ube Ensaymada is a Filipino type of brioche called ensaymada mixed with ube extract and filled with ube jam then topped with loads of grated edam cheese


Ingredients

Units Scale

Dry Ingredients

  • 4 1/2 cups high grade flour, plus more for kneading
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup full cream milk
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 2 whole eggs
  • 1 cup cold butter, cut into small cubes
  • ube flavocol (also called McCormick Ube Flavor Extract)

Yeast Mixture

  • 1/2 cup lukewarm water
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp yeast

Topping and Filling

  • ube jam
  • margarine
  • white sugar
  • grated edam or cheddar cheese

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl combine together all yeast mixture ingredients, set it aside and let the yeast bloom
  2. In a mixing bowl sift together dry ingredients, set it aside
  3. In a bowl whisk together wet ingredients apart from the butter and ube flavocol, set it aside
  4. Place mixing bowl in a stand mixer using the kneading hook, knead in low speed while adding the bloomed yeast mixture slowly. Once yeast mixture are added fully, slowly add the whisked wet ingredients next until finished continue in low speed until a dough is formed.
  5. Increase the speed into the next speed setting, add cold butter one cube at a time. Once everything has been added increase the speed further to the next speed setting. Knead for 20 to 25 minutes or until dough is elastic and smooth. At the first 15 minutes it will be sticky, the dough will stick to the walls of the mixing bowl but once you’re in the last minutes, it will all come together and there will be no more sticking dough on the walls of your mixing bowl, this is the stage when you know your dough is ready. If it is still sticky add 5 minutes of kneading time, this all depends on the room temperature you are making your ensaymada as well as the humidity.
  6. Remove mixing bowl from the stand mixer, cover with cling wrap then place it in a warm location.
  7. Let it rise to double its size, at this stage you can continue to bake it and proceed to step 10, especially if you are in a hurry but I suggest to at least proof it overnight (Step 8) to a maximum of two nights for best results.
  8. Proof the dough, place in the refrigerator still covered tightly with a cling warp then cover with a plate on top. Leave it in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours to a maximum of 48 hours.
  9. Remove dough from the refrigerator.
  10. Remove dough from the mixing bowl, deflate, flatten and put 1/2 tsp of ube flavocol on the top surface, fold it. Put another 1/2 tsp of ube flavocol on the top surface, fold it again then put another 1/2 tsp of ube flavocol on the top surface. Fold and flatten multiple times to make a marbled effect.
  11. Divide dough into 24 equal parts then flatten each dough into a circle, place a teaspoonful of ube jam in the middle, bring the sides together then seal. Seam side down, place it in a baking paper lined baking tray, giving ample space for each ensaymada to rise. Once all dough pieces are shaped, set it aside in a warm place loosely covered with cling warp then let it rise and double its size.
  12. Place baking tray with ensaymada in a 180C preheated oven then bake for 12 to 15 minute or until top turns light brown.
  13. Remove from the oven then let it cool.
  14. Once cooked down, mix margarine and sugar, spread on top of ensaymada, sprinkle more sugar on top then grated cheese. Serve.

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12 Responses

  1. They look sensational…so soft and yummy.

  2. Michelle says:

    Yum! Love the marbled effect, rather than the full purple dough! Looks like we both have marbled ube on the brain! 😉

  3. So beautiful, Raymund! I promise to get my Ube experiments going during the holiday break!

  4. Oh beautiful! I haven’t (still!) tried ube, but these brioche-type buns looks and sound terrific! Love the addition of cheese.

  5. suituapui says:

    Yam buns? Oooo…so much filling! I’d love that!!!

  6. It’s unusual to see sweet things mixed with cheese- something I should try! I’ll try and buy storee-bought Ube jam at my local Filipino store! Have you been able to leave New Zealand or are you still in lock-down?

    • Raymund says:

      While we can leave NZ the problem is getting back, the Managed Isolation Facility if full to the brim, if you plan to go back you will have to fight for space with 30K plus people who wants to comeback here. Missing travel, hopefully this Pandemic comes to an end. How about on your side? hows things there?

  7. Eva Taylor says:

    The combination of sweet dough and cheese in quite intriguing. The look of these buns is beautiful,.

    • Fletcher says:

      Hi! Two questions:
      a) I’m looking for Flavacol but I get a popcorn seasoning. Is Ube extract what I should be getting?
      b) Am I putting the risen dough in the fridge after step 7? Just a little confused. Is step 8 in addition to step 7 or an alternative to step 7?

      • Raymund says:

        Hi apologies for the confusion. Anyways to clarify things.
        1. Flavocol is a combo of flavour and colour in one, so if you can get a flavouring with colour then you can use that. I am exactly using this https://amzn.to/3BSXGUm , I guess its called McCormick Ube Flavor Extract in the US but here in NZ it was called Ube Flavocol.
        2. Yes step 8 is in addition to step 7, this step is proofing, giving your dough an even better texture. You can skip step 8 if in a hurry then move to 10 and not 9 as indicated on step 7 (will update that bit).
        Hopefully this clarifies this, otherwise just send me more questions, will be happy to help.

  8. Hannah says:

    That marbling effect is so beautiful! I’m also very intrigued by the sweet and savory balance here. Sounds like a hit!

  9. Laica says:

    Looking Good! I will try this

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