Biscocho is the perfect use for day-old pandesal or sliced bread! Crisp and buttery, this twice-baked bread is delicious for breakfast or as a midday snack with coffee or tea.
Since I don't know of any Filipino bakery here in our part of Central Texas, I bought a good supply of our favorite goodies such as polvoron, mamon, and pandesal from Goldilocks during our recent trip to Southern California to bring back home with us. I might have gone a little overboard with stocking up because even after days of eating pandesal filled with chicken salad or cheese pineapple for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and all the snacks in between, I was still left with a couple of bags on the counter needing to be consumed.
So what do we do with day-old bread? Make crunchy, gooey cheese dog bread rolls or crispy, buttery Biscocho!
What is Biscocho
Biscocho or biskotso refers to various Filipino oven-baked goods cooked twice until dry and crunchy.ย Bread such as monay, ensaymada, and pandesal are coated with either a sweet mixture of sugar and butter or a savory spread of garlic and butter and are then baked a second time to draw out excess moisture, thus prolonging shelf life.
These crisp, buttery "biscuits" are traditionally served as a midday snack or after-dinner dessert and are usually enjoyed with coffee or tea.
Quick Tips
- As the twice-baked method is meant to draw out moisture, it's best to start with day-old bread that is already beginning to dry out.
- Cut the rolls into about ยฝ-inch thick; the thicker the slices, the longer the bake time.
- For a nice sugary crust, use softened and not melted butter.
- Although you can use regular pandesal, try to use the Baliwag variety if you can. They have a deep yellow color and sweet, rich flavor that work really well in this recipe.
Low and slow is the key here;ย please do not rush the bake time by increasing the temperature, as the bread slices might brown too much before they're sufficiently dried out.
It takes about 1 ยฝ to 2 hours at 200 F to crisp them up, but I promise these buttery biskotso are worth the wait. They're golden and crunchy yet have a tender crumb that melts in your mouth.
How to Store
You might want to double or triple the batch, as everyone would be vying for a piece!
Allow the biscuits to cool completely and transfer them into an airtight container. Kept in a well-sealed container, they'll last for up to 2 weeks at room temperature or up to 2 months in the freezer.
Instructions
- Using a serrated knife, trim off the top and bottom of the pandesal very thinly and cut each roll into halves, about ยฝ-inch thick.
- In a small bowl, combine butter and sugar and stir until smooth.
- Spread the butter-sugar mixture thinly on each side of the bread slices.
- Arrange the coated bread on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Bake in a 200 F oven for about 1 ยฝ to 2 hours or until dry and crunchy.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Notes
- As the twice-baked method is meant to draw out moisture, it's best to start with day-old bread that is already beginning to dry out.
- Cut the rolls into about ยฝ-inch thick; the thicker the slices, the longer the bake time.
- For a nice sugary crust, use softened and not melted butter.
- Although you can use regular pandesal, try to use the Baliwag variety if you can. They have a deep yellow color and sweet, rich flavor that work really well in this recipe.
Video
Nutrition Information
โThis website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.โ
Melissa Lowe Long says
Where can we find this product? It is very good and light, crisp and sweet. I live in Kingsburg, California 93631.
Which retail outlet sells this product?
Dulce says
Hi I don't know exactly whr Kingsburg, Ca is, I live in SoCal n Filipino markets n bakery are all over so you can get these scrumptious foods in any of these places, Goldilocks, Valerios, Seafood city
n Island Pacific to name a few.