''Biscocho'', also spelled ''biskotso'' (from ), refers to various types of
Filipino
Filipino may refer to:
* Something from or related to the Philippines
** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines.
** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...
twice-baked
breads, usually coated with
butter
Butter is a dairy product made from the fat and protein components of churned cream. It is a semi-solid emulsion at room temperature, consisting of approximately 80% butterfat. It is used at room temperature as a spread, melted as a condimen ...
and
sugar, or
garlic in some cases. ''Biscocho'' is most strongly associated with the versions from the province of
Iloilo
Iloilo (), officially the Province of Iloilo ( hil, Kapuoran sang Iloilo; krj, Kapuoran kang Iloilo; tl, Lalawigan ng Iloilo), is a province in the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Its capital is the City of Iloilo, the ...
, although it actually exists nationwide in various forms.
It is also known as ''biscocho duro'', ''machacao'', or ''matsakaw''.
It is also historically known as ''pan de caña'' (literally "
ugar Ugar may refer to:
* Ugar Khurd, town in the state of Karnataka, India
* Ugar Budruk, village in the state of Karnataka, India
* Ugar (river), Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Ugar Island, census locality in the Torres Strait, Queensland, Australia
**Step ...
ane bread").
History
![Biscocho (twice baked bread) Philippines](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e2/Biscocho_%28twice_baked_bread%29_Philippines.jpg)
The term ''biscocho'' is derived from
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Can ...
''
bizcocho
Bizcocho ( or ) is the name given in the Spanish-speaking world to a wide range of pastries, cakes or cookies. The exact product to which the word ''bizcocho'' is applied varies widely depending on the region and country. For instance, in Spain ...
''. However, they are not the same pastries. The original Spanish ''bizcocho'' refers to a type of sponge cake known as ''
broas'' in the Philippines. The crunchy twice-baked and sugar-coated Philippine ''biscocho'' (more properly ''biscocho duro''), does not exist in Spanish cuisine. There are multiple claims of people who "invented" the ''biscocho'' in the Philippines, usually varying depending on the region.
Variants
There are several types of ''biscochos'' from various parts of the Philippines. All of them are usually referred to as "''biscocho''" colloquially, which can be confusing. A common characteristic of ''biscocho'' is that they are typically stale bread that are baked a second time. They include:
Biscocho de caña
''Biscocho de caña'' is the most well-known variant of ''biscocho''. It is a specialty of the
Western Visayas
Western Visayas ( hil, Kabisay-an Nakatundan; tl, Kanlurang Kabisayaan or ''Kanlurang Visayas'') is an administrative region in the Philippines, numerically designated as Region VI. It consists of six provinces (Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras ...
islands, particularly the province of
Iloilo
Iloilo (), officially the Province of Iloilo ( hil, Kapuoran sang Iloilo; krj, Kapuoran kang Iloilo; tl, Lalawigan ng Iloilo), is a province in the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Its capital is the City of Iloilo, the ...
. They are pieces of stale bread with a small amount of sugar (and no butter) that is then baked to achieve a crunchy texture. The breads used can range from flat sliced breads to sliced pieces of ''
pan de monja
Monay, also known as pan de monja, is a dense bread roll from the Philippines made with all-purpose flour, milk, and salt. It has a characteristic shape, with an indentation down the middle dividing the bread into two round halves. It is a commo ...
'' (''monay'').
Biscocho de Manila
![05545jfFoods Cuisine Desserts of the Philippinesfvf 07](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ea/05545jfFoods_Cuisine_Desserts_of_the_Philippinesfvf_07.jpg)
''Biscocho de Manila'' originates from
Manila
Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...
. It is characteristically small and round and dusted with white sugar.
Biscocho de rosca
''Biscocho de rosca'', more commonly known as ''
rosca
Rosca (ring or bagel) is a Spanish and Portuguese bread dish eaten in Spain, Mexico, South America, and other areas. It is made with flour, salt, sugar, butter, yeast, water, and seasonings. It is also called ka'ake and referred to as a "Syrian ...
'', is technically a cookie, and not a type of ''biscocho''. It is from the towns of
Barugo and
Carigara of the island of
Leyte
Leyte ( ) is an island in the Visayas group of islands in the Philippines. It is eighth-largest and sixth-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total population of 2,626,970 as of 2020 census.
Since the accessibility of land has be ...
. It is made with
lard,
anise, flour, sugar, butter, and eggs.
Biscocho de sebo
''Biscocho de sebo'', also known as ''corbata de sebo'', is a
bow tie
The bow tie is a type of necktie. A modern bow tie is tied using a common shoelace knot, which is also called the bow knot for that reason. It consists of a ribbon of fabric tied around the collar of a shirt in a symmetrical manner so that t ...
-shaped ''biscocho'' from
Malolos, Bulacan. It is characteristically made with lard and thus has an oily texture. It is only minimally sweetened.
Biscocho principe
![06581jfCuisine foods delicacies of the Philippinesfvf 19](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/41/06581jfCuisine_foods_delicacies_of_the_Philippinesfvf_19.jpg)
''Biscocho principe'', also spelled ''biscocho prinsipe'', is another type of ''biscocho'' from
Iloilo
Iloilo (), officially the Province of Iloilo ( hil, Kapuoran sang Iloilo; krj, Kapuoran kang Iloilo; tl, Lalawigan ng Iloilo), is a province in the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Its capital is the City of Iloilo, the ...
. It is similar to ''biscocho de caña'' but uses butter and more sugar. It can use any type of bread, but usually uses slices of stale ''
ensaymada'', as it is already slathered in butter.
Garlic biscocho
Garlic ''biscocho'' is a variant of ''biscocho principe'' that is topped with butter and garlic (instead of sugar).
Kinihad
''Kinihad'' literally means "sliced", from
Hiligaynon ("to slice"). It refers to plain thinly sliced bread (without butter or sugar) that is baked to a crunchy texture. It originates from the
Ilonggo regions of the Western Visayas.
Pasuquin biscocho
''Pasuiquin biscocho'' is named after the town of
Pasuquin in
Ilocos Norte
Ilocos Norte, officially the Province of Ilocos Norte ( ilo, Probinsia ti Ilocos Norte; tl, Lalawigan ng Ilocos Norte), is a province of the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region. Its capital is Laoag City, located in the northwest corner ...
from where it originates. ''Pasuiquin biscocho'' is shaped like small rolls. It comes in soft and crunchy versions. It does not use butter or sugar, instead it is flavored with
anise or anise liqueur, giving it a tangy and slightly salty taste.
See also
*
Pan de regla
''Pan de regla'', also known as ''kalihim'', is a Filipino bread with a characteristically bright red, magenta, or pink bread pudding filling made from the torn pieces of stale bread mixed with milk, sugar, eggs, butter, and vanilla. It is ...
*
Mamon tostado
*
Otap
Otapi ( ab, Уатаҧ, ka, ოტაფი) is a village and municipality in Ochamchira District, Abkhazia, a partially-recognized state claimed by Georgia (country), Georgia. The village lies on the Otapi River. Otapi is noted for its karst cav ...
*
Garlic bread
Garlic bread (also called garlic toast) consists of bread (usually a baguette or sour dough like a ciabatta), topped with garlic and olive oil or butter and may include additional herbs, such as oregano or chives. It is then either grilled un ...
*
List of bread dishes
This is a list of bread dishes and foods, which use bread as a primary ingredient. Bread is a staple food prepared from a dough of flour and water, usually by baking. Throughout recorded history it has been popular around the world and is one of ...
References
{{Filipino food
Philippine pastries
Bread dishes
Twice-baked goods
Culture of Iloilo
Philippine breads