Nothing communicates the spirit of a sweet Ilonggo than the smell of freshly baked pastries, soft and coated with refined sugar. Ilonggos would know. Recipes for bitso-bitso is one of the things that make Iloilo great. For those of you craving local doughnuts during this trying time, now you’ll know all about how to make bichokoy in your own house.
Bichokoy is in every tiangge… I personally grew up with a wealth of this dessert, anticipating the treat every afternoon after school. It can get a little messy, with sugar falling all over you lap, but what’s a bichokoy experience without the mini-mess, right?
How to Make Bichokoy at Home
Other people call it shakoy, and some call it bichokoy. Whatever you call it, it’s still a local and twisted doughnut. If you know how to make bichokoy, then you know that the process of making this treasured Ilonggo dessert is very much just like a doughnut.
Bichokoy comes in various shapes and a range of glazes. But for this bichokoy recipe (from DelishPH), margarine and sugar is used to coat it.
When you’re learning how to make bichokoy, here’s what you’ll be needing:
2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 tsp. of sugar
1 tbsp. active yeast
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup of warm water
Oil
Margarine
And even more sugar.
What to do next:
Pour in a cup of warm water into a bowl. Add the sugar, and then the yeast. Set it aside and wait until bubbles begin to appear.
In another large bowl, pour in the all-purpose flour. Mix-in salt and vanilla extract. Create a well in the center and pour in the activated yeast.
Mix and knead. Add more water or sprinkle some flour if needed. Knead the dough until its firm and smooth.
Put the dough back in the bowl, and cover it with a cloth and let it rise for about an hour.
After it doubles its size, punch and start kneading again.
Divide the dough into equal sizes. Roll into small logs and twist. Seal the end part by pressing.
Cover the twisted dough and allow it to rise for about 30-40 minutes.
Heat a good amount of oil in a pan, and fry the dough until its golden brown.
And to finish, brush some margarine on it and coat them with sugar.
Want to Try Making Your Own Bichokoy Now?
Iloilo is rich in desserts, and there are lots of varieties and versions of a recipe for a single dessert. But if you’re interested in learning and reading about other Ilonggo recipes, then you can definitely check out more for Iloilo Blog.
Featured image credit: Flavours of Iloilo on Facebook
About the Author
Joni Dulos
Joni is a passionate writer and a certified geek. She scours the internet rabidly for interesting facts and morbid events in human history. She’s also really into Japanese cartoons, and video games.
