Dough Culture of the Philippines

Hello Po,

This is a series of posts dedicated to our interpretation of Filipino Bread.

An archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean, the Republic of the Philippines is a product of its geography and history, as a trading post, a location of strategic military importance, a passing point for global trade and home to successive colonialist rulers until 1945. As a result, its bread, cakes and confectionery present a fascinating world to explore.

Filipino cuisine has evolved, and continues to evolve, but taking a little from other cultures and passing trends. There is significant Chinese influence when it comes to working with sweet and savoury dough products. The American influence through sponge based cakes and confectionary. Not to forget the indigenous kakanin which is the original petit four.

Rice is the staple grain in the Philippines, with the grain standing alone at mealtimes and forming an essential ingredient in baking. Wheat and butter are costly to import, so native ingredients like rice, mangoes, yams and other pulses remain central to culinary culture. Bread itself doesn’t play as significant a role as a meal in itself or an accompaniment, with just small portions more likely to be taken throughout the day, usually with a good coffee. With an outrageous sweet tooth, Filipinos enjoy merienda – in much the same way as the Swedes might ‘fika’ or the Germans take ‘Kaffee und Kuchen’ – where time is allowed to simply sit and share something small and tasty with a drink.

Such simple combinations are what Kapihan brings to London, setting down traditional and contemporary takes on a largely unknown cuisine. Using naturally-leavened doughs and natural, fresh, seasonal ingredients of the highest quality, the brothers only ever import products to ensure an authentic taste of the Philippines such as cacao from Malagos and coconut blossom sugar, mangostein, guava and macapuno from Kablon Farms, South Cotobato.