Ah, yes. We’re all familiar with the ever-famous Puto Bumbong that conquers the streets of every Barangay in the Philippines during the Holiday season. Filipinos are known to hold and celebrate the longest Christmas celebrations in the whole world. When the “ber” months arrive, expect the scenery in public places to change! Malls will start decorating with the theme of the Christmas season, 3-Day-Sales will become regular news every weekend, and many more. Just as the celebration for Christmas begins, Puto Bumbong vendors will also start selling their popular Puto Bumbong and Bibingka outside local churches and chapels. 

As the years went by, Filipinos loved the classic Puto Bumbong even more. This purple glutinous rice treat just gives you a unique satisfaction especially when you spread a handful of butter and sprinkle coconut shreds and sugar on top! Yes, Filipinos loved the Puto Bumbong so much that we have created countless Puto Bumbong-inspired dishes that we can enjoy even before the “Ber” months. One of these delicious creations is Quezon province’s Puto Bao. 

Puto Bao or Puto sa Bao looks like it’s made of ube or yam at first glance. However, it is actually made of glutinous rice, hence the inspiration from our very own Puto Bumbong. The purple appearance of the Puto Bao isn’t everything there is, the real treat awaits on the inside! Inside the Puto Bao is a filling called the bukayo, it is made by simmering young coconut shreddings with muscovado sugar, which then results in a chewy and caramel-like filling that’s really fun to eat! The Puto Bao is best served right after steaming but the quality of its taste and texture remains the same even after a long time! 

The Quezon province usually highlights its famous Puto Bao during one of its popular festivals called the Niyogniyugan Festival. This celebration features all of the products created from the province’s primary agricultural product, the coconut. The towns of Unisan and Agdangan were said to make the best-tasting Puto Baos in the province, so make sure to try them out sometime! 

Alright, I know that you’re already drooling over the idea of the amazing Puto Bao of Quezon, so let’s get started! Today, Panlasang Pinoy Recipes brings you the recipe for their version of the Homemade Puto Bao!

Homemade Puto Bao Recipe

Don’t worry, once you get a hold of the needed ingredients for this recipe, the preparation process will just be a piece of cake! Moreover, all of the required ingredients are readily available in your local markets and groceries. Are you ready? Then let’s begin!

Firstly, the ingredients we’ll need are glutinous rice flour, rice flour, food coloring (violet), sugar, water, coconut milk, desiccated coconut, and grated coconut. You can usually buy the coconut milk and grated coconut from your local markets, so check them out! 

Now, we will be dividing the preparation process into two (2) parts. The first part is for preparing the bukayo filling. To start, pour the coconut milk into a preheated pan and let it boil. While boiling, add the brown sugar and be sure to mix well. Then, you can now add the grated coconut, while continuously stirring the mixture. Keep in mind that the key to the perfect Puto Bao is the constant stirring in low heat. Just keep on stirring until the bukayo turns into a thick mixture. Once the desired consistency is achieved, let the bukayo filling cool and set it aside. 

For the second part, we’ll be preparing the Puto Bao mixture! Just add all of the dry ingredients including the glutinous rice flour, rice flour, and desiccated coconut in one bowl then mix it well. After that, add the brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of food coloring, and water. Gradually mix them all well until it reaches the consistency of a dough mixture. To achieve the best results, I recommend that you grate the Puto mixture. 

Now, we’ll start cooking the Puto Bao! Simply pour the Puto mixture into the mold until it reaches about ¼ of its height. Then add the bukayo mixture in the middle. After doing that, just fill up the mold with Puto mixture until it fills out. Cover the molds with banana leaves then flip them into the steamer. Finally, just steam the Puto Bao mixture for about 30 to 45 minutes in medium heat and you’re good to go! You can now serve and enjoy one of Quezon province’s best-tasting delicacies, the Puto Bao!

So, what did you think? It’s very easy to do, right? You can always be creative and add a few toppings to your Puto Bao. For example, you can always grate a handful of quick melt cheese on top of the Puto Bao after steaming! This adds a new layer of texture and flavor to your recipe. I hope you enjoyed this edition of our Homemade Puto Bao Recipe. For more quick and amazing recipes of your favorite Filipino dishes, follow Panlasang Pinoy Recipes!