Bicho-Bicho

Bicho-Bicho is a Filipino twisted donut made of yeast dough that is deep-fried to golden perfection. Soft, fluffy, and coated in sugar, it makes a great breakfast, snack, or dessert. It's also delicious paired with coffee or your favorite refreshments.

Hello, everyone! I'm Sanna, and I am excited to be back with another delicious treat for you.

Over the years of guest posting here on Kawaling Pinoy, I've shared many of my tried-and-tested baked goods recipes, from the elegant Sans Rival with French buttercream to hearty pandesal with corned beef filling to holiday-worthy crema de fruta with from-scratch sponge cake. Although I've enjoyed making all these fabulous treats, I have to say this bicho-bicho recipe is my favorite of the lot.

What is Bicho-Bicho

Bicho-bicho or bitsu-bitsu is a type of Filipino delicacy made with a yeasted wheat dough or glutinous rice flour dough shaped into twisted ropes, deep-fried in hot oil until golden, and then coated in sugar or caramel syrup and sesame seeds.

Also known as lubid-lubid or shakoy, it comes in many variants including the sticky and chewy carioca, hard and crunchy pilipit, and this soft and fluffy version here.

How to Make Bicho-Bicho

The process for these Filipino-style donuts is the same as for any yeast bread, but braiding the dough into twisted knots makes it a fun baking project!

Making the Dough

1. Combine yeast, warm water, and a small amount of sugar in a large mixing bowl. Stir and let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes or until thick and foamy.
2. Add the warm milk, eggs, butter, the remaining sugar, and salt to the bowl. Stir everything well with a wooden spoon.
3. Add the flour gradually while stirring, just until the dough gathers into a soft, shaggy mass in the center of the bowl. You might not need all of the flour.
4. Turn the dough on a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Dust with flour as needed to help with the stickiness. The dough will lose some of its stickiness as you knead it.
5. Shape it into a ball and place it inside a bowl. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise for about an hour until doubled in size.

Shaping the Dough

1. After the dough has risen, it is time to make the knots. Gently deflate the risen dough and divide it into four equal parts, and then each part into four smaller portions.
2. Take one portion and flatten the dough into a rectangle with your hands or a rolling pin.
3. Roll the dough sideways to form a log. Using your hands, roll the log back and forth against the kneading surface to elongate it to 13 to 15 inches long.
4. Braid the elongated dough into twisted ropes by folding in the middle and overlapping each side on top of each other.
5. Repeat the process with all the remaining logs.
6. Arrange the twisted dough in a single layer on a large baking sheet.
7. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for about 30 minutes or until puffy.

Frying the Bicho-Bicho

• Heat about 3 inches of cooking oil in a heavy-bottomed pan to 350 F. Gently lower 2 to 3 donuts at a time, starting with the puffiest ones.
• Cook one side of the donut for about 1 minute or until golden, and turn to cook the other side for another 1 minute. Each donut should take only 1 to 3 minutes to deep-fry; watch closely, as it can burn in seconds.
• Drain each fried donut on a plate lined with paper towels and toss in sugar on a shallow plate to coat.

Tips on How to Make Shakoy Donuts

• The warm water for proofing the dough should be 105-115 F. Boiling temperature can kill the yeast.
• To make the dough, add only enough flour until you form a shaggy dough that gathers into a soft, moist mass in the center of the bowl. If the dough is too dry, you have added too much. It is better to add less flour, as you will still add more flour as you knead the dough.
• As you knead, dust with flour sparingly. Again, over-flouring will make the dough dry.
• Kneading is done once the dough is smooth and can stretch thinly.
• When frying, maintain the temperature at the optimal 350 F. Too hot, the dough will burn before sufficiently cooking. Too low, the donuts will absorb a lot more grease. Make sure to adjust the heat from time to time.

How to store

These Filipino donuts don't last long in our house, with everyone vying for a piece as soon as they're off the stove and coated with sugar. However, if you have leftovers, store them in a covered container at room temperature, and they'll stay soft and fluffy for up to 3 to 4 days.

If you're looking for baking projects, check out my Monggo Bread Loaf and Yema Bread Rolls on Kawaling Pinoy, or find more on my blog, Woman Scribbles. Until next time!