Tasty Pan de Leche Recipe from Spain

It is time to give a new spin to your Spanish breakfasts and afternoon snacks.

You can say goodbye to plain white toast or scrambled eggs, and welcome the pan de leche recipe to your life.

The pan de leche recipe is easy to make and calls for classic ingredients (nothing fancy or expensive), and thanks to this article you will learn how to make it. If you are looking for an inexpensive Spanish dessert recipe, here it is.

You, dear reader, support this blog. If you purchase through a link, we earn a small commission. As an Amazon Affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Background of the Dish

There are thousands of sweet milk bread recipes, like the popular Filipino pastries, however, the pan de leche recipe still manages to stand out.

The famous Spanish book called “The life of Lazarillo de Tormes” (from the year 1554) has multiple references to Spanish sweet bread, although it didn’t specify the fillings.

This makes this Spanish bread recipe one of the oldest, but it still has a place in the hearts (and tummies) of every single Spaniard. 

Pin for later!

Things You’ll Need for Pan de Leche Recipe

To make this pan de leche recipe you need milk, eggs, bread flour, sugar, and yeast.

You don’t need any machine for making this bread, but you better prepare your arms for the kneading process (take it as a great free workout session)

Ingredients

For the sweet bread dough

• 2 3/4 cups (350 gr) bread flour 

• 1/2 cup (120 ml) milk

• 2 eggs

• 1/2 small package (25 gr) of fresh yeast

• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence

• 4 tablespoons (50g) sugar

• 3 tablespoons (50 gr) butter

• 1 egg (for brush)

For the custard

• 2 cups (500 ml) milk

• 4 egg yolks

• 1/2 cup (125 gr) sugar

• 4 tablespoons (50 gr) Cornstarch

• 1 tablespoon vanilla essence

How to Make Pan de Leche Recipe – Step by Step Guide

1. For this pan de leche recipe you should start by making the custard cream (you could skip it if you use storebought).

2. To make the custard cream, heat the milk with half the sugar.

3. Beat the yolks together with the rest of the sugar, the vanilla essence, and the cornflour.

4. Once the milk boils, add 1/4 of the hot milk little by little over the egg yolks and mix vigorously (this will help prevent them from turning into scrambled eggs).

5. After that, pour the yolk mixture over the rest of the milk and cook over medium heat on the stove until the cream begins to thicken.

6. When it takes creamy consistency, remove it from heat and set aside.

7. Now for the Spanish sweet bread, form a “volcano” (circle with a hollow interior) on the clean countertop with the flour.

8. Then add the milk, eggs, vanilla essence, sugar, and yeast to the center of the volcano. Mix little by little, from the center out.

9. Once all the ingredients are united, add the butter (which has to be soft) and keep kneading until it is fully integrated.

10. Now you have to let the dough rest for about 60 minutes. This will make your sweet milk bread get the right soft texture.

11. After that, cut pieces of approximately 35 to 50 grams.

12. Make buns from each of the pieces, giving them a circular shape, and place them on a previously greased baking sheet.

13. Let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size (this time it shouldn’t take more than 30 minutes).

14. Fill each pan de leche with a little custard cream (you can do this with the help of a piping bag).

15. Bake in the oven at 180°C for approximately 30 minutes.

16. For the final step on this Spanish bread recipe, let them cool down a bit and serve them.

Substitution of Ingredients

There are a few substitutions that you can make to this pan de leche recipe.

For example, you could use store-bought custard cream, or any other type of filling, such as chocolate custard cream, Nutella, dulce de leche, or whipped cream.

Try the Spanish dulce de leche cupcakes as well, if you want something fancy and Spanish at the same time.

You could even do other sweet milk bread recipes and use a savory filling such as cheese, ham, ground beef, etc.

The bread flour is key to getting the right texture for this milk bread recipe, however, you could use all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour.

Try other Spanish custardy recipes such as:

• Fantastic Spanish Custard Dessert Recipe

• Best Natillas De Leche Recipe

• Easy Spanish Orange Flan Recipe

• Best Spanish Cream Puffs Recipe

Tips on Serving Pan de Leche Recipe

Once you finish making the sweet milk bread recipe you have to let it cool for at least 20 minutes or until it reaches room temperature.

Then you can serve the milk bread for breakfast, as a snack at any time of the day, or even as a dessert.

This pan de leche goes well with any beverage, from tea, coffee, or hot chocolate, to lemonade, orange juice, or even a glass of soda. 

Remember that even though the name is similar, this Spanish bread isn’t like de Filipino sweet bread, which is usually served with cheese or as savory bread.

If you are having a tea party, or some guests are coming over in the afternoon, you can serve this pan de leche with other Andalusian treats such as a soft Ensaymada, a Spanish sponge cake, or some Spanish magdalenas.

How to Store Pan de Leche Recipe

There are multiple ways of storing the pan con leche, so you get to choose the one that works best for you.

You could store it for one day on your countertop, just put the Spanish rolls on a plate and cover them with a clean plastic bag or plastic wrap.

You can also store the Spanish sweet bread in the fridge (so that the custard cream doesn’t go bad) for 3 days, always in a covered container.

In any case, if the pan de leche is too hard when you want to eat it, just heat it in the oven for 5 minutes or in the microwave for 30 seconds.

The other thing you can do is to prepare the bread and milk recipe without making the custard cream and freeze the rolls for up to 45 days.

Once you are ready to eat them, let them thaw overnight and prepare the custard cream, then take the pan de leche to the oven for 15 minutes.

Recipe Card: Pan de Leche Recipe

---

---