First, marinate the duck. In a glass container, add all the marinade ingredients except for the duck, and mix well.

Add the duck and toss until thoroughly coated.

Cover and marinate in the fridge overnight, up to 24 hours.

When ready to make the filling, remove the duck breasts and shake off any excess marinade. Arrange in a single layer in your air fryer basket. Reserve the marinade.

Brush the ducks with the reserved marinade, and air fry at 200 degrees C for 5 minutes. You can also use a grill at medium high heat.

Flip to the other side, and brush with the marinade. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Repeat this process one more time, for a total cook time of 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 75 degrees C.

Remove from heat and let rest, 15 minutes. Chop the duck into small pieces.

Make the filling. In a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium high heat, heat the oil or fat.

Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are soft and transclucent, 3 minutes.

Add the duck and all the reserved marinade. Mix well.

Add 1 cup of water and the mushroom powder if using, and stir to combine.

Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, until the meat is very tender and the sauce thickens, 20 minutes.

Whisk the cornstarch into the remaining 1/4 cup water.

Add the cornstarch slurry into the pan, and stir until mixture has thickened.

Spread the filling in a large tray, and set aside to cool. Discard the star anise and bay leaf.

Make the buns. In the bowl of your stand mixer or breadmaker pan, add the milk, oil, sugar, and eggs.

Then, add the flour, salt, and yeast. Be careful not to let the salt come into contact with the yeast.

Transfer the bowl to your mixer, and mix at the lowest speed, until a shaggy dough forms. Then, increase to Speed 2 and knead, until dough is smooth and elastic, 15 to 18 minutes.

After 10 minutes of kneading, observe the dough. If the dough is still sticking to the sides, add additional flour a tablespoon at a time, until the dough pulls apart from the sides and gathers into a ball in the center of the machine.

Transfer the dough to a clean work surface, and shape into a tight ball.

Let rest in a lightly greased bowl in a warm place, until doubled in size, 1 hour 30 minutes.

If using a breadmaker, follow the same steps using the Dough program. By the end of the Dough program, the dough should have doubled in size.

Divide the filling into 20 equal-sized portions, about 60 grams each.

Transfer the dough to a lightly flour-dusted or oiled surface. Personally, I find using oil works better for pandesal, as it helps the breadcrumbs to stick better at a later step.

Divide the dough into 20 equal-sized pieces.

Working with one piece at a time, shape the dough into a ball.

Roll the dough into a disc, leaving the center thicker and the edges stretched out thinner.

Put 1 heaping tablespoon of filling in the center of the disc.

Gather the edges over filling, and pinch to seal.

Shape into a smooth ball.

Roll the bun in the breadcrumbs to coat. You can just coat the top if you like.

Shake off any excess breadcrumbs and place, seam-side down, in a baking tray lined with parchment.

Cover and let rest, until puffy and a gentle poke with your finger leaves an indentation, about 1 hour.

About 15 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 180 degrees C (fan 160 degrees C). Place your oven rack on the bottom rung.

Let cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!