Ensaymada..sweet bread from the Philippines

My son has a number of staff that are from the Philippines. They appreciate it if I bake breads that they are accustomed to from their country. Since I love baking with yeast I was really intrigued by this recipe. I got a thumbs up from them. Maybe mine look a little more rustic than they should look but they are really delicious! In the Philippines this bread is a popular gift to bring when visiting someone's home especially at Christmas time.

• 5 cups flour
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon instant yeast
• 1 cup milk, warm
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 3 eggs

1. In mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Set aside.
2. In another bowl whisk together warmed up milk, melted butter, and beaten eggs.
3. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, mix and knead until the dough holds together and lets go from the side of the bowl. It will still be a little sticky. 
4. Place in a slightly greased bowl and let rise for 2 hours or until doubled in bulk. 
5. Remove from bowl to a slightly greased surface. Cut into 4 pieces and cut each piece into another 4 pieces. You should have 16 pieces.
6. In a small bowl combine melted butter and sugar (filling/topping amounts shown below) and place over a bowl of hot water to keep the mixture thin enough for brushing. 
7. With a rolling pin flatten each piece. Brush with butter/sugar mixture in the middle part only as the photo shows, sprinkle a bit of cheese on the brushed part and bring both sides of dough over the middle. Pinch to seal the edge and ends. Roll into a cylinder until it's long enough to loop over, then insert one end into the middle from the bottom and tuck the other end underneath. You can simplify this step if you like and just roll into a coil.
8. Place on parchment lined pan, cover with a tea towel and let rise 40 minutes.
9. Bake 15 minutes in a 350º oven.
10. Remove from oven and while still hot brush rolls with remaining butter/sugar mixture and sprinkle remaining cheese on top.
11. If you have run out of the butter/sugar mixture mix up a little extra as needed. Just remember one-to-one ratio.

Filling and topping:

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1 1/2 cups grated mild cheddar cheese..you can be generous and use more if you like:)

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