November 7, 2014

Goldilocks™-Style Ensaymada

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I've loved ensaymada (the Filipino version of the Spanish ensaïmada) since I was a small child but I have rarely eaten the fluffy cake-like Goldilocks™ version. To me it's not ensaymada; it's more like a variety of sweet bread and the only thing it has in common with the Spanish ensaïmada is the procedure of rolling the small pieces of dough, brushing with butter, and shaping into a coil. The coil serves no purpose because the bread becomes one fluffy thing, no visible layers in the crumb. Filipinos often call it Philippine brioche but I again disagree. I've made brioche many many times and they are not the same; not even close.

I can't remember a single time I've been to any Goldilocks™ store in the Philippines or here in the US. I think I bought 1 each of ensaymada and mamon a few years ago from the Asian store. I'm just not into their baked goods and I can't explain why. When they published their cookbook, I asked my sister in the Philippines to buy a copy for me out of curiosity and because I'm a cookbook hoarder. I also wanted to know why they became so successful and to try baking their most popular recipes. Unfortunately, the recipes are not very special after all, they already are in my collection of Filipino and American cookbooks.


After 2 years, I finally decided to bake their version of ensaymada just to compare with the other Filipino recipe I've already done. The verdict: the ensaymada following the recipe in their cookbook are NOT the same as the ensaymada they sell in their stores. The ones I made are very soft but not as fluffy and the flavor is very bland, nothing to write home about. It's fine I guess as I already lowered my expectations after reading the ingredients and the baking process. No surprise. I won't be making them again. Or maybe I could use this recipe for cinnamon buns or other sweet breads or dinner rolls.

Ensaymada Goldilocks™-style
adapted from GOLDILOCKS BAKEBOOK
Notes:
Temperature of milk and water are not specified in the bakebook
Butter for dough not specified if softened or melted
Eggs not specified if cold or at room temperature
Melted butter for brushing is missing
Therefore, I added the specifics in the following recipe

dough
2 teaspoons instant yeast
2/3 cup warm water, divided
3¾ cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
¼ cup evaporated milk, at room temperature
1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
melted butter for brushing

topping
creamed unsalted butter
sugar
grated cheddar or Edam cheese
  • In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in half of the water; set aside. 
  • In the mixing bowl of a standing mixer, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt. Add yeast mixture, remaining water, eggs, and milk. Mix at low speed for 2 minutes;, increase speed to medium and continue mixing for 4 minutes. 
  • Add butter and knead until smooth and elastic, about 4 minutes. Transfer dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and leave to rest for 15 minutes at room temperature (I left it for 45 minutes on my slightly cool kitchen counter). 
  • Knead dough lightly to remove air bubbles; divide into 60 gram portions. 
  • Leave the dough pieces, covered with plastic wrap, on the kitchen counter for 15 minutes. Roll out each dough piece into thin 8 x 5 inch rectangles, brush all over with melted butter. Roll into a long cigar and shape into a coil. Place on a greased ensaymada mold. Place each mold in a cookie sheet. Repeat with the rest of the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and leave to rise for 1 hour and 30 minutes. 
  • Preheat oven to 325°F. 
  • Bake for 17 minutes or until top is golden. 
  • Remove from molds and let cool on a wire rack. 
  • Spread creamed butter, sprinkle with sugar, then add cheese on top.

heated in a hot toaster oven until cheese has melted and has become crusty

13 comments:

cusinera said...

Hi Oggi,

I got the same book too....tried the maja blanca but it came up too wet, it stated a can of milk but didn't state the size (mls).

xoxoThea

Oggi said...

Thea
Goldilocks didn't hire a professional editor. Daming mali. :)

Anonymous said...

Do you think goldilocks will reveal their real recipe? I guess not... I also have the same book but i was so dissapointed coz nothing in their recipe comes in true measurements.... P700 pa more.....

Anonymous said...

Thanks for letting me know about the Goldilocks recipe..... I won't be attempting it now :-)

Anonymous said...

Why would they write a book that is not correct and have people pay for it!! It's BAD enough that they lie in their books, it's WORSE that they accept payment for those!! That's too much!! Sobrang kapal naman......nakakahiya at kapwa Pilipino pa naman!!

Unknown said...

Basically,kinukuha ko lang yong recipe at ako nag a adjust...dapat matuto tayong gumawa ng sarili nating measurements.

Oggi said...

Unknown 7/24/2016

No no no! Baking has to be precise measurements. You may alter the salt and sugar perhaps but not the liquids and solids. Try reducing or adding more solids andor liquids and let see what happens. You don't seem to be an expert in baking breads or cakes.

One more thing, I never mentioned measurement of ingredients. You might want to read the post all over again. I criticized the book's lack of full instructions for a newbie baker. I have been baking for more than 10 years, both Spanish ensaimada and Filipino ensaymada as well as brioche, croissants, white loaf, etc. I KNOW what I'm talking about.

Anonymous said...

and I thought it's just me ;)

Anonymous said...

waaaa....get a life people!
First of all Goldilocks would NOT give away their recipe they might as well close shop and become cookbook writer second they are a business and there to make money

Oggi said...

Anonymous @ 8/20/16
Pierre Herme, the French patisserie owner famous for his macarons, published a cookbook, MACARONS, which I own BTW. The book is well written and there are zero stupidity with procedure and measurements. The macarons in the book are available to buy from his stores all over the world. In other words, he respects his readers unlike the authors of Goldilocks who presumed that all Filipino readers are ignorant about baking. Your argument is idiotic at best.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for writing this. I was also suspicious of their very own bakebook: I did not believe from the start that they would actually publish the "real recipe". Why would they divulge all the secrets of their real recipes in a book if it means that they will lose business because people would instead be making them at home, right?

I doubt that they put all the secrets in the bakebook. I believe (strongly) that they deliberately adjusted the recipes (and held back a lot of ingredients / procedures) so that it's not going to come out "as good" as they actually make it for store sale. I tried the leaked recipe for TAISAN - the result was not the same - my own recipe turned out better.

Anonymous said...

LOL

Anonymous said...

I agree. The best people to follow recipes from are from amateur vloggers who are not in business and yet just want to share their success on the internet (youtube / recipe site sharing, etc) who have nothing to lose but pleasure to gain the experience of sharing.

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