Putok Recipe – There are all kinds of sweet buns and rolls you can try in Filipino cuisine and one of them is Putok. Putok, otherwise known as Star Bread, is a popular type of bread roll in the Philippines. It is made using simple ingredients such as all-purpose flour, milk, and salt. One of its distinctive features is the crown or star-shaped top. This is achieved by making a cross-shaped cut on the dough before baking. After baking, the bread is lightly dusted with coarse white sugar. The name “putok” translates to “explosion” or “fissure” in Tagalog, reflecting the unique appearance of this delicious bread.
Putok
Ingredients
Ingredients for the Dough
- 4 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour
- ½ cup milk powder
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ -1 cup lukewarm water
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
- ¼ cup unsalted butter or margarine softened to room temperature
Ingredients for the Egg Wash
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 tablespoon sugar for topping
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread flour, milk powder, sugar, and salt. Mix them together until well distributed, creating a well in the center.
- Pour ¾ cup of lukewarm water into the well, then sprinkle the instant yeast over the water. Use a wooden spoon to stir the water and moisten the yeast.
- Add the softened butter and slowly fold in the rest of the flour mixture with the liquid to create a dense dough.
- Knead the dough for 7-10 minutes until it becomes smooth. If the dough is too dry when you start kneading, add a bit more water, a tablespoon at a time, and knead to check the consistency again. Be careful not to add too much water. The dough should be dense, not elastic, but it should feel smooth.
- Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rest for 1 hour in a warm place.
- After the resting time, divide the dough into 20 pieces or approximately 50 grams each. Shape each piece into a ball and arrange them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
- Using kitchen scissors, snip the top of each ball with two intersecting lines to form a cross. Cover the dough with a tea towel and let it rest again for 30 minutes. Note that they may not rise much during this time.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and milk to create the egg wash.
- Brush each piece of dough with the egg wash and sprinkle some sugar on top.
- Bake the star bread in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, or until the top becomes golden.
- Once baked, transfer the star bread to a bread basket or plate. Serve and enjoy with a cup of hot beverage.
Other Options for a Putok Recipe
Putok is just one of the many popular dense bread varieties in Filipino cuisine. Along with it are monay and pinagong. The three are all sweet and dense bread varieties made with similar ingredients. The main difference lies in their appearance after baking. Star bread has a cross-shaped cut on top, creating a fissure that looks like an explosion. Monay has a single cut in the middle, making it easy to split into two portions, while Pinagong is cut with parallel lines resembling a turtle’s back. Star bread is denser compared to the others, and just one or two rolls can be satisfying.
If you are a fan of bread with filling, you should try Pan de Coco or Señorita Bread. For something simpler, you can try Pandesal. Otherwise, you can check out our Walnut Brownies and Coffee Cookies Recipes.
