Ensaimadas

These sweet bread rolls are a popular snack in the Philippines and come with various fillings, several of them savoury. This version includes cheese.

Ingredients

30ml / 2 tbsp caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
150ml / ¼ pint / ⅔ cup warm water
15ml / 1 tbsp dried active yeast
450g / 1Ib / 4 cups strong white flour
5ml / 1 tsp salt
115g / 4oz/ ½ cup butter, softened, plus 30ml / 2 tbsp melted butter for the filling
4 egg yolks
90-120ml / 6-8 tbsp warm milk
115g / 4oz / 1 cup grated Cheddar cheese (or similar well-flavoured hard cheese)

Preparation

Dissolve 5ml / 1 tsp of the sugar in the warm water, then sprinkle in the dried yeast. Stir, then set aside for 10 minutes or until frothy. Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl.
Cream the softened butter with the remaining sugar in a large bowl. When it is fluffy, beat in the egg yolks and a little of the sifted flour. Gradually stir in the remaining flour with the yeast mixture and enough milk to form a soft but not sticky dough. Transfer to an oiled plastic bag. Close the bag loosely, leaving plenty of room for the dough to rise. Leave in a warm place for about 1 hour, until the dough doubles in bulk.
On a lightly floured surface, knock back the dough, then roll it out into a large rectangle. Brush the surface with half the melted butter, scatter with the cheese, then roll up from a long side like a Swiss roll.
Knead the dough thoroughly to distribute the cheese, then divide the dough into 10-12 pieces.
Roll each piece of dough into a thin rope, about 38cm/15in long. On greased baking sheets, coil each rope into a loose spiral, spacing them well apart. Tuck the loose ends under to seal. Leave to rise, in a warm place, for about 45 minutes or until doubled in size. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/Gas 7.
Bake the ensaimadas in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until golden and cooked through. Remove from the oven, then immediately brush with the remaining melted butter and sprinkle with caster sugar. Serve warm.