Puto Cheese

This Puto Cheese is so soft, fluffy, light, and definitely better tasting than the store brought Puto mix in a box but equally easy to make and more affordable. Make this as a perfect kakanin if you are looking for a snack or dessert during Holidays or anytime of the year.

I had a vacation this summer in the Philippines, and it was a blast. A month well spent with my family is so precious. Of course, food is included all the time. Going to goldilocks to buy puto is one of my excitement. Goldilocks puto is insanely delicious with a perfect balance of sweetness that we buy more than a dozen all the time.

Coming back here in the United States makes me crave for a tasty and fluffy puto like the ones in Philippines. Also, Holiday is approaching and it is my very best favorite time of the year because my birthday is close! I'm glad I bought a puto molder with me. Then I went to a second-hand store to find a bamboo steamer (its where you can find treasures). I make this twice a week since my son loves it too.

Ingredients to make puto cheese

All the ingredients I use to make this white puto cheese are always easy to find around the world. I know, living abroad can sometimes be challenging to find ingredients.

• All-purpose flour - although traditional puto uses rice flour, all-purpose flour is more accessible and affordable to everyone. The difference is of using all-purpose flour is a lighter and cake-like texture, while rice flour tends to be denser and stickier, both are delicious!
• Granulated sugar - Sweetener
• Baking Powder, do not use baking soda - A baking powder is added as a leavening agent to make the batter puff, soft and moist. Its ideal to use fresh baking powder that is about less than 3-6 months from opening.
• Egg - Make sure it's room temperature.
• Whole Milk - You can substitute this with evaporated milk or water and 1 tablespoon of powdered milk. Evaporated milk will yield a deep milk flavor, so I recommend using ¾ evaporated milk and ¼ water if you go this route.
• Sliced Cheddar Cheese - You can use any types of cheese you like in this recipe.
• Melted Butter - You can also use margarine or cooking oil.
• Salt

Instead of cheese, you can top this white puto with a slice of salted egg.

Step-by-step Instructions

Sift together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Sifting to make sure you don't have any lumps in the mixture that will make it difficult to create a smooth batter. It also helps distribute the baking powder more evenly through the flour.

In a separate bowl, combine milk, egg, and melted butter, and mix until well blended. Make sure that the egg is at room temperature and the butter is completely melted to avoid lumps. Combine both of the mixtures in one bowl to make a batter.

Boil enough water in a pot to steam the puto. Grease the bottom of the puto molder with oil. Fill a puto molder 4/3 full and transfer them into the steamer. Steam them for ten minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. It takes about 10-12 minutes.

Top the steamed puto with a sliced of cheese and steam for one more minute until the cheese is slightly melted. Let it cool and remove from puto molder. Serve and enjoy!

Helpful Tips

• You can make puto without a steamer! Yes, everything is possible with an oven and water bath. Simply add hot water to a pan or tray and put it in the oven while the puto is steam-baking. This will take longer, and you need to check if puto is ready by inserting a toothpick in to see if it comes out clean.
• Sift the dry ingredients to make sure the baking powder is well blended and to achieve a fine flour mixture that could avoid big lumps.
• Making sure the puto batter is well-mixed (but not overmixed) is key in creating fluffy cheese puto. The gluten from all-purpose flour is what will give your puto structure, but if you develop too much by overmixing, your puto can turn from fluffy to rigid. As soon as there are no more loose clumps of flour, you can stop mixing: at this point, your batter should already be smooth and silky.
• It is essential to ensure the water is boiling before steaming it with puto. Just like preheating the oven before baking. The baking powder in baking reacts to the heat by creating bubbles in puto that make it so fluffy. Boiling your water first will also help to create a perfect dome in puto.
• If you are not using a bamboo steamer, you might want to cover the lid with muslin (katsa) or any lightweight cotton to absorb the condensing steam.
• Add the cheese on top just after the puto is cooked. The reason is we want the cheese to be just slightly melted and still in shape for looks since we eat with our eyes.

Questions and Answers

What to eat with puto

Puto is very versatile. This kakanin can be enjoyed and eaten on its own as a snack or dessert. I love eating them with my coffee or tea. You can also pair it with meatless pancit or a bowl of cooked rice and dinuguan for a meal.

Storage and Reheating Tips

• Storage: Cool it completely. Store leftover puto in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It lasts for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. You can freeze puto if you want to keep it longer in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
• Reheating: Puto can be eaten cold, but you can also reheat it. To reheat, simply use the microwave for 30 seconds until warm enough.