Easy Cheese Rolls (Porto's Bakery Inspired)

Have you heard of Porto's Bakery in Southern California? My husband's co-worker recommended this place to us when he heard we were planning a trip to Legoland and Sea World. After a quick check on Yelp and finding out it's rated 4-1/2 stars out of over 2,000 reviews - we decided to add it to our itinerary.

We tried their most raved about items. The cheese rolls and potato balls did not disappoint. Between these two, the cheese roll will be easier to make at home since driving 6 hours to Porto's is out of the question when we crave for it.

Here's a super easy version I made. Only three people have tried it so far and have compared it to the original - me, my husband and a friend. Their feedback?

Chicken Siopao (Steamed or Baked)

My husband will rave about his mom's siopao every time he craves for them. Siopao is popularly known as steamed buns. It has a sweet dough with a delicious chicken filling. Anyway, my mother-in-law's final project for her Masters in Diet and Nutrition (University of the Philippines) was this recipe of siopao. They have a family friend who used this recipe and had thriving Siopao business in the Philippines. So, I wanted to make sure that I have permission to share this before I posted anything.

I used the exact ingredients but modified the procedure. Mom didn't have a stand mixer with a dough hook back in the late 80's. And I also tried a baked version because I don't have a big steamer.

Mom also advised me to make the filling ahead of time and freeze it. That way, it is easier to assemble and seal the siopao without the hassle of a seaping sauce. But of course, I have to learn it the hard way myself. I made the filling AFTER I made the dough. I wanted something to do while I waited for the dough to rise. LISTEN TO MOM! So, I'm writing down this recipe according to the better way it should be done.

Steamed Buns

Baked Buns

Here's the recipe and the pictures I took when I made them. I've done this three times already. I halved the recipe the time I took this photos so don't be confused.

Cream Cheese Spirals

I wanted to try baking something different but had no idea what to do. So, I grabbed this Baking book I picked up from Barnes & Noble for $5 and looked for something that's simple and easy to do.

I picked Cream Cheese Spirals. I had all the ingredients and it will allow me to learn something new. It looked like it would be good with coffee for breakfast or dessert.