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Ube Cheese Braided Buns

Did you give in to the ube cheese pandesal hype in 2020?

Interestingly, it seemed like a newly discovered, soon-to-be fad—when the flavor combination has been with us for ages, and in the streets no less. You will almost *always* find ube and cheese together in dirty ice cream carts.

A sweet-salty match made in Filipino heaven, it’s hard to believe it took us this long to popularize it in our baked goods.

My version uses a milk bread base, which I’ve braided to expose stripes of ube and cheese. Think of it as a localized babka! Worth trying, worth braiding, and worth making all over again (with other fillings, too!).

P.S. You can also check out this recipe on my TikTok!

RECIPE: UBE CHEESE BRAIDED BUNS

Yield: 10 buns
Prep Time: 45 minutes active, 90 minutes wait
Airfry Time: 15 – 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

  • Buns

    • 375g bread flour
    • 75g granulated sugar
    • 6g instant dry yeast
    • 10g fine salt
    • 50g egg (1 large)
    • 236g whole milk
    • 75g unsalted butter, melted and cooled

  • Filling

    • 250g ube jam
    • Ube extract to taste
    • 120g cheese

  • Egg wash

    • 1 egg
    • 1 tbsp. water

METHOD

  1. MIX. In your stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine bread flour, sugar, and instant dry yeast. Mix for a few seconds, then stream in your milk, egg, and melted butter. Knead on low-medium speed until it forms a rough dough, then add salt.
  2. KNEAD. Starting on medium speed, gradually increase to high speed and knead until the dough is smooth, stretchy, and passes the windowpane test. This step can take anywhere from 15-30 minutes, depending on the strength of your mixer. See tips.
  3. PROOF. Shape the dough into a ball, then place into a large bowl. Cover with cling wrap and allow to proof in a warm area for 45-60 minutes or until at least doubled in volume.
  4. PREP FILLING. While the dough is resting, prepare the filling. Place ube jam in a bowl and mix with a spoon or spatula until spreadable, then add ube extract to intensify the flavor. In a separate bowl, shred cheese using a fork or grater.
  5. DIVIDE. After proofing the dough, uncover and punch down the gases. Divide the dough into 10 equal pieces, about 78-80g each.
  6. FILL AND FREEZE. Flatten each piece into a 6×8-inch rectangle. Add about 2-3 tablespoons of ube jam and spread to cover the entire surface. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top, then roll the rectangle into a 6-inch log, making sure to pinch the seams. Repeat for all pieces then place on a parchment-lined plate or baking tray. Freeze for about 15 minutes or until firm.
  7. SHAPE. Working one piece at a time, place each log vertically on your work surface. Cut in half lengthwise to form two half-logs with exposed ube and cheese ‘stripes’. Place them side by side and pinch the top together. Twist over each other to resemble a braid, then roll into a bun and pinch the seams underneath. Place on parchment-lined trays. (Check out my shaping video here.)
  8. PROOF. Cover the buns with cling wrap and proof in a warm area for 30-40 minutes or until at least doubled in volume. (Note: This may take longer depending on how frozen your logs were before shaping). Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 180°C.
  9. EGG WASH. Prepare the egg wash by beating the egg and mixing with water. Lightly brush on the proofed buns.
  10. BAKE. Bake at 180°C for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack and enjoy!

TIPS

For the best tasting ube-cheese filling… Customize your jam! I add about 2 teaspoons of ube extract to my store-bought ube jam to intensify the flavor, but this also varies depending on the brand I’m using. If you want your ube jam sweeter (this pairs well with cheddar cheese!), you can also add a little condensed milk.

For easier shaping… Keep your other logs cold while you shape the buns. Braiding cold, firm dough is much easier than working with room temperature dough, but do note that it may take longer for the buns to complete their final proofing.

How do I know when to stop kneading? The total kneading time is highly variable. Factors such as the strength and size of your mixer, the brand of your bread flour, and more can affect this step. It’s important to note that the main objective of kneading is to build structure through gluten development. Follow these visual cues, you’re in for a successful batch:

    • The dough is much smoother.
    • The dough is very stretchy and less sticky.
    • The dough passes the windowpane test.

If after 20 minutes of kneading your dough is still very sticky, you can sprinkle small amounts of flour, no more than a teaspoon at a time.

Thank you for checking out my recipes! Let me know when you try them out. If you have any questions, comment below or reach me on TikTok/Instagram!

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