Puto

Recipe by Gravity84. Wikified by Kenning.

Easy Puto

Traditionally made with ground sweet rice, I failed my first time trying to make this. Based the following on one of the "easier" recipes that use wheat flour instead. Came out tasting exactly right, but slightly off in texture from the rice ones.

Ingredients
2 cups AP flour, sifted
1 cup sugar
1 1/4 tbsp baking powder
1 1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup water
3 tbsp butter, melted

flavoring:
1/4 tsp ground anise, star anise, or anise extract for Puto Puti (White Puto)

or
1/2 tsp pandan essence for Puto Pandan

or
replace 1/2 cup of flour with 1/2 cup ube powder for Puto Ube

This is basically a steamed quick bread so follow the muffin method: Mix and combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl, wet in another. Fold in wet ingredients into dry. Dispense into cups, ramekins, mini muffin pans (I imagine the silicone ones would be ideal for this) or whatever. For puto puti, top with grated cheddar or edam (optional). Place in a steamer of some sort and cover, steam for 20-25 minutes. Remove from steamer and cool. To remove from container, slide butter knife around the edge and turn over onto hand.

Variations
Besides the listed ones with pandan and ube, you can also line your containers with banana leaves. This makes removal easier and also adds an earthy, tea-like flavor to the puto.

Serve with butter, cheese, or dinuguan. Sweetness level should resemble cornbread, slightly, not overly sweet, but sweet enough to make you want to shove a billion in your face.