Star Bread
Star Bread or Putok with its trademark crack on top, which looks like it has exploded. A sweet bun with sugar sprinkled on top that has a shiny crust, a bit hard outside but soft inside. A favorite snack in the Philippines that you and your family will enjoy too!
Putok is a Filipino word that translates to “explosion” or “fissure” achieved from a cross-shaped cut on the dough prior to baking. This dense bread from the Philippines made with flour, milk, and salt is an offshoot from the standard monay dough. Back in the Philippines, we’d buy from the local bakery for our afternoon snack with tea or coffee. Another variant of Putok is called Pinagong. Both are the same in terms of ingredients. The difference is the more complex pattern of scoring on top.
Long before fast-food chains, Filipinos have flocked for generations to their neighborhood bakeries or panaderia. We always have a soft spot for the cheap, fragrant buns in those glass display cases by the road. And in this post, I was hoping to share with you one of the beloved buns that I truly love!
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The secret ingredient is always LOVE
Tips for Star Bread or Putok
- If you love baking, I highly encourage you to invest in a weighing scale. Properly measured ingredients guarantee better results.
Star Bread (Putok)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups bread flour
- 1/2 cup cake flour
- 6 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp instant yeast
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 28 grams vegetable shortening (or margarine/butter)
- 3/4 cup warm water
- 2 tbsp powdered milk
- 1 egg (for eggwash)
- sugar (for topping)
Instructions
- In a bowl. Mix bread flour, cake flour, sugar, powdered milk, baking powder, salt and instant yeast.1 1/2 cups bread flour, 1/2 cup cake flour, 6 tbsp sugar, 1/2 tsp instant yeast, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 2 tbsp powdered milk, 1/4 tsp salt
- Make a well in the center of the mixture and add vegetable shortening, and warm water. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, mix well until incorporated and turns into a rough dough.3/4 cup warm water, 28 grams vegetable shortening
- Grease work surface with vegetable shortening then place dough on top. Knead for at about 10-15 minutes until dough becomes smooth, heavy but not stretchy. Shape dough into a ball and divide in two parts.
- From one part of the dough, cut a portion and weigh approx. 80 grams using a kitchen scale. Repeat the process until remaining dough is weighed then shape into smooth, small buns.
- Transfer the buns into a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Cover with kitchen towel for 30 minutes to rest. NOTE: The dough will not rise since it's a dense bread. Pre-heat oven at 200°C.
- To make the star bread's signature crack on top. Slit an "x" or star slice on top of the dough using a scissor or sharp knife.
- Before baking, brush the top of the buns with egg wash then sprinkle sugar. Bake the bread for about 15-20 minutes or until the top is lightly browned. Remove from oven and let it cool. Bon appetit!1 egg, sugar
We love this. Delicious bread. Good with black coffee. I added a pinch of cinnamon for extra aroma and flavor.
Hi Cathy,
Thank you for trying my Star bread recipe and I’m glad that you love it.
Hi! I tried this but not sure why my dough didn’t rise as much. When i left it for 1hr it just grew a little. When i do the usual punchdown… no air even came out. 🙁 or is that how its supposed to be since the yeast in the recipe is only 1tsp instead of the usual or common 2 1/4tsp. I still baked it kesa sayang. 🙂
Hi Shine,
I usually just use 1 tsp of instant yeast for this recipe and it rises with no problems at all. Sometimes the dough won’t rise well if the yeast is stale or inactive. Perhaps the yeast has been languishing in the kitchen for too long or kitchen is too cold. To have a good rise, ambient temperature plays a big role. Hope this helps.
Me too it didnt rise actually. And likes very dry the dough.
Hi Tinz,
If it look that the dough is dry you can add 1 tbsp of lukewarm water/milk as needed until desired consistency. As for the dough rising, if using instant yeast make sure that the water or milk added is lukewarm, if it’s too hot
the dough might not activate. If you are using dry-active yeast make sure to activate in lukewarm water for 5 minutes or until bubbles form indicating that the yeast is active.
Hi, mine didnt rise very well and i found the mixture quite dry. I will try adding warm water if it is too dry next time. Also your recipe says 1tsp baking powder but in your instructions there is no baking powder so I added it to the first step
Hello Steffie,
Thank you for trying the recipe. With the dough not rising well, there are many factors that can have an effect.
If you leave in a cold place, let the the rise in a warm part of your home e.g. near heaters. Check the expiration date of the yeast. If the dough is a bit dry, yes, you can add some warm water or milk
until the dough is moist and elastic. Hope this helps. Cheers!
I’m making it this week-end!
Hi,
Good luck and happy baking!
How much baking powder?
Hi Ime,
I updated the recipe and removed the baking powder. Cheers!
Can we substitute powdered milk with fresh milk?
Hi Rachel,
you can use any other powdered milk like creamer. or ommit the powder milk