Monay is a dense Filipino bread roll, cut across the middle so the top bakes into two rounded halves. It is a slow bread rather than a difficult one: about 20 minutes of actual work, 15 minutes in the oven, and a little over two hours start to finish once both rests are counted.
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Recipe
Monay
Ingredients
Method
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread flour, milk powder, sugar, and salt. Mix until everything is well distributed, and make a well in the center.
- Pour the lukewarm water into the well, then sprinkle the instant yeast over the water. Use a wooden spoon to stir and moisten the yeast.
- Add the softened butter and egg to the bowl. Slowly mix the rest of the flour mixture with the liquid to create a dense dough.
- Knead the dough for 8-10 minutes until it becomes very smooth and elastic. If the dough is too dry, add a bit more water, a tablespoon at a time, and knead to check the consistency.
- Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a greased bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 1 hour in a warm place.
- Transfer the dough onto a flat surface and fold and knead it 1-2 times just to release the air. Shape it into a log and divide it into 4 equal parts. Shape each part into a ball and let them rest for 5-10 minutes.
- Take a ball and cut it in half. Shape each half into a smooth ball. Repeat this step with the remaining dough, making a total of 8 balls.
- Arrange the balls on a baking tray. Using a sharp knife or blade, make one deep cut (about half of the height of the dough) across the middle of each ball. Cover them with a tea towel and let them rest again for 30 minutes or until they have risen a bit and the cuts have opened up.
- Preheat the oven to 160°C/350°F. Bake the dough balls for 15 minutes for a light brown top or 20 minutes for a golden brown top.
- Once they are done, take them out from the oven and lightly brush them with milk while they are still hot. This will give them a shiny appearance as the milk gets absorbed.
Step by step, in pictures
The ten steps in the card, condensed to six.
Make a well, then add the water and yeast.- Knead until smooth and elastic, 8–10 minutes.
- Rest the dough for 1 hour in a warm place.
- Divide and shape into 8 balls.
- Cut one deep slit across each ball.
- Brush the hot buns with milk.
Why monay is split down the middle
Step eight is the one that makes it a monay: a single deep cut across the middle of each ball, about half the height of the dough. The cut balls then rest for another 30 minutes, and the card says to wait until the cuts have opened up before they go in the oven. That opening is what leaves the two rounded halves you can see in the photograph.
Two tests that tell you the dough is ready
Neither is in the step list, and both are worth doing before you trust the clock. The windowpane test checks the kneading: stretch a small piece of dough between your fingers until it goes translucent. If it stretches that far without tearing, the gluten is developed and the dough can go on to rise. The ripe test checks the first rise: press two fingers into the risen dough up to the second knuckle and take them out. If the dents stay, it has risen enough and is ready to be knocked back.
Where the name monay comes from
It is commonly traced to the Spanish pan de monja — nun’s bread — which shifted to pan de monay and then to monay on its own. That is the usual account rather than a documented one, so it is worth taking as the common explanation. Monay is also often called the mother of all Filipino breads, on the grounds that others, putok among them, are built on it.
How to keep monay fresh
In an airtight container at room temperature the buns keep for about three to four days. To hold them longer, wrap them tightly in plastic film, seal them in a bag and freeze them; thaw and reheat in a toaster oven before eating.
More Filipino breads to bake
Monay takes butter, coco jam or cheese well, and goes with coffee or hot chocolate. For the other everyday roll there is pandesal. Pan de Siosa is on the plain side, and pastel with yema is the sweet end of the range.
Questions about monay
What makes monay different from an ordinary bread roll?
Density and the cut. Monay is a dense roll rather than a soft, airy one, and it is scored once across the middle before baking. The flavour is milky and only slightly sweet.
