Monggo Loaf Bread

Monggo Loaf Bread with soft, pillowy bread and sweet mung bean filling is a fabulous breakfast or midday snack. Enjoy a slice (or two) with coffee or tea.

Hello everyone! It is me again, Sanna. It’s been a while since my last post here on Kawaling Pinoy, and I am excited to be back with a special recipe you’ll surely love.

Baking bread is my absolute favorite activity. I just love the feeling of wrestling dough with my bare hands and watching it puff up proudly as it proofs. There is no sweeter scent than the aroma of freshly-baked bread in my book!

I haven’t done any baking this last month since my husband renovated our basement, which happens to be the center of my baking projects, but now that he’s finished with the work, I am excited to jump back in.

When Lalaine asked me to do a post this month, I straight away suggested monggo bread. It uses one of my favorite dough recipes, which is beginner-friendly, foolproof and requires only one rise.

It also bakes up soft and pillowy, the perfect canvas for the perfectly sweetened monggo filling! You can slice the loaf neatly with a knife or pull it apart with your hands for more fun. Either way, you will love it paired with coffee or tea.

Baking steps

Pan de monggo has two components, namely, the filling and the bread dough. Please don’t let the long series of steps intimidate you. Just refer to my tips and instructional photos, and you’ll have this delicious loaf ready to enjoy in no time. Ready? Let’s get started.

Making the monggo filling

• This bread loaf uses red mung beans, which a different variety from the green ones we use in our savory soups. Also known as adzuki beans, they’re smaller in size with shiny red skin. They’re abundant in East Asia and mainly cultivated in China, Taiwan, Japan, and Korea. They’re also readily available in the Philippines and applied in many Filipino sweets and baked goods such as halo-halo, buchi, and hopia
• I like to pre-soak the beans to help them soften quickly, but you can skip this step if you prefer and just cook them longer.
• The filling can be made a day before and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use. Just take it out of the fridge about half an hour before assembly so it will be easier to spread.

Making the bread dough

• In a large mixing bowl, add flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Whisk to combine.
• In a microwave-safe bowl, combine, butter, milk, and water. Microwave until butter is melted, and the temperature of the mixture is at 110-115 F. If it exceeds this, cool down to the right temperature. Too hot, and you will kill the yeast.
• Pour the butter mixture into the dry ingredients. Using a wooden spoon, mix the ingredients until flour mixture is moistened. Add the egg and mix until incorporated.
• Add just enough of the reserved flour and keep mixing just until the dough starts to gather in the center. You do not need to add the entire 1/4 cup. Set the rest aside for kneading later.
• Turn the dough into a floured board and knead for 7-10 minutes. Place the dough in a bowl, cover with a towel and let it rest for ten
  minutes.

Kneading the dough

• Kneading is a process of working with the dough to develop the gluten which will help hold its shape and give it texture.
• In a floured surface, use the heels of your palms and push the dough downwards and away from you. Use the weight of your lower torso as you push the dough.
• Once the dough has partially flattened out, fold it in itself and repeat the pushing/ flattening motion. Use a bit of flour to prevent the dough from sticking too much to the surface and your hands.
• As you make progress, you will notice that the dough starts to stick less. It would turn from being shaggy and sticky to smooth and stretchy.
• To test, pull out a small portion, spread it using your fingers into a square. The dough should stretch thinly and forms a translucent window in the center.

Assembling the bread loaf

• In a floured surface, roll the dough into a 14 x 10-inch rectangle. Slightly stretch the sides as necessary to make the edges somewhat straight. Spread the mongo filling over the surface. Use a spatula to even it out.
• Starting on the* short side of the rectangle, roll the dough, tightening it up as you go, into a log. Do it carefully to keep filling from oozing out.
• Using a sharp knife, divide the log into four equal portions. Score the dough first before cutting so you get nice, even cuts. Place the cut logs side up in a greased 9×5 inch loaf pan.

Proofing and baking the bread loaf

• Turn oven to 200 F and once the temperature is reached, turn off. Place the rolls inside, uncovered, and let rise for about 60 to 80 minutes or until puffy and doubled in size.
• Take the risen dough out of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 F. Bake the loaf for about 18 to 22 minutes or until nicely golden.
• Check halfway through bake time and loosely tent with a foil if it’s browning too quickly.

Whew, that was long! I hope you had as much fun following me through this tutorial as I had to make it. Please do give this monggo bread loaf recipe a try. As a long-time baker, I can’t tell you how rewarding it is to take that first delicious bite of the bread you made yourself. Priceless.

If you want more bread-making projects, check out my corned beef pandesal and yema bread rolls posts. Enjoy!