Puto with Cheese Recipe (2024)

5 from 1 vote

Course: Snack

Cuisine: Filipino

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes minutes

Author: Nora Rey

• ▢ 2 cups cake flour sub: all-purpose flour; see note
• ▢ 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon kosher salt (use half for table salt)
• ▢ ¾ cups granulated sugar​
• ▢ 2 eggs at room temperature
• ▢ ⅓ cup melted butter
• ▢ ¾ cup whole milk or evaporated milk
• ▢ ½ cup water
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 ounce shredded or grated quick-melting cheese see note
• ▢ 2 ounces quick-melting cheese cut into thin squares; see note
• ▢ Pandan or ube extract optional

US Customary - Metric

• In a bowl, combine the cake flour (sift, if lumpy), baking powder, and salt. Mix until well blended.

• In a larger bowl, combine the sugar, eggs, melted butter, milk, water, and vanilla extract. Whisk together until the mixture is smooth and the sugar is dissolved.

• Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Using a whisk, gently mix until just combined and there's no visible dry flour. Be careful not to overmix to prevent the batter from becoming tough.

• As an option, you can add ubeextract or pandan extract to the batter, adjusting the amount to achieve the desired color to your liking.

• Mix the shredded or grated cheese into the batter. Do this gently to evenly distribute the cheese without overmixing the batter.

• Bring water in a steamer to a boil. Wrap the steamer cover with a cloth to catch any condensation, preventing it from dripping onto the puto.

• Lightly grease your molds with oil or butter. Place them into the steamer basket, evenly spaced for proper steam circulation. Pour or spoon the batter into the molds, about ¾ full to allow space for rising without spilling over.

• Steam the puto over medium-low heat. If using mini-sized molds, steam for 12-15 minutes. For standard-size molds, steam for 18-20 minutes. The puto is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The top should be slightly springy to the touch.

• After steaming, carefully open the steamer and add the cheese on top of each puto. Cover and steam for another 1-2 minutes, just until the cheese melts.

• Remove the puto from the steamer and allow them to cool slightly before removing from the molds.

• Cake flour: This is finely milled, low-protein flour that creates lighter, softer puto. If all-purpose flour is all you have, you can still use it; just know that your puto might be slightly denser.
• Cheese: Quick-melting cheese is ideal for puto for a smooth and creamy texture. Eden or Quickmelt are popular choices, but American cheese or cheddar cheese can also work well.