Authentic Ensaïmada de Mallorca Recipe
Mallorca, Spain
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We strongly advise you to read the cooking tips before jumping to the recipe though
Introduction & history
Ensaïmada is a Mallorcan coil-shaped pastry served with hefty amounts of powdered sugar. It is made with a sweetened yeast dough that is thinly stretched and then generously coated with pork lard. It is then rolled and twisted into a coil. When baked, the pastry has a golden, crispy top while the center is flaky and layered. Ensaïmada does not call for the use of many ingredients — the basics include flour, eggs, sugar, yeast (masa madre), water, and pork lard—but the process of making it can be technically challenging and requires a lot of patience. This traditional pastry is one of the most popular Mallorcan souvenirs — it is sold throughout the island and typically comes packed into octagonal or circular cardboard boxes.
Cooking tips
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time
It is best to let the pastry proof overnight, so start the preparation a day early. -
strong flour
Ensaïmada should always be made with strong flour. This type of flour is sometimes referred to as strong bread flour since it is commonly used in bread baking. Strong flour is traditionally made with hard wheat, and it typically has about 12.5 percent gluten protein or more. This type of flour develops more gluten and gives the dough a better stretch—which is crucial for ensaïmada and other similar ... Read more -
kneading
The dough for this Spanish pastry is best made and kneaded in a stand mixer. The longer the dough is kneaded, the more gluten it develops. Kneading the dough by hand is possible, but it can be pretty challenging and time-consuming, so it is recommended to use a mixer—preferably a stand mixer with the dough hook. The mixers save time and generally tend to be better at mixing high gluten dough. -
resting
Resting the dough before rolling it is one of the key elements when making ensaïmada. During the resting period, the dough develops gluten and becomes more elastic. It will be easier to handle, and it will better hold its shape. -
fermentation
After it is shaped into a coil, the pastry is left to ferment for a minimum of 12 hours. During this stage, the dough will gain more elasticity, the pastry will rise, and the gaps between the coils will be filled. The ideal temperature for proofing is around 20ºC (68°F). -
yeast
Ensaïmada was traditionally made with sourdough starter (masa madre), but modern varieties mainly use fresh or dry yeast, though the former is more traditional. If you only have dry yeast, before adding it to the dough, use approximately 2 tsps and dissolve it in a small amount of water that is listed in the recipe. -
lard
Although many contemporary ensaïmadas are made with butter, the traditional version is exclusively made with pork lard, in Catalan known as saïm. Using pork lard will have a significant influence on the form and the flavor profile. Make sure you take the fat (or butter) out of the fridge before rolling the dough. It needs to be soft and pliable, but not so soft that it starts melting. -
variations
Standard ensaïmada is typically only filled with lard, but another option is to use a combination of cooked pumpkin pulp and sugar. This variety goes by the name of ensaïmada de Mallorca de cabello de ángel. Less traditional varieties may include various fillings, and one of the most common versions is spread with sobrasada — a soft, pâté-like sausage from Mallorca. -
stretching
The dough for ensaïmada is first rolled with a rolling pin, and it is then slowly stretched by hand. The traditional technique is to place your hand underneath the rolled dough and then gently, using a palm of your hand, pull the dough from the center towards the edges. -
shaping
Tradition suggests that the spiral should always be twisted clockwise. -
serving
Ensaïmada is best served on the day it is made, preferably still warm, but it can keep for several days.
Ensaïmada de Mallorca
PREP 1h
COOK 20min
cooling 1h 30min
READY IN 2h 50min
This recipe gives step-by-step instructions on how to prepare the traditional, lard-based version of ensaïmada de Mallorca. The dough is thinly rolled and stretched by hand until paper thin, then smeared with lard and rolled and shaped into a coil. Once assembled, ensaïmada should be left to proof for a minimum of 12 hours, so take that into account when planning on preparing it.
Ingredients
250g (2 cups) strong white flour
80g (1/3 cup) caster sugar
70g (1/3 cup) water, approximately
1 large (55g) egg
25g (2 tbsp) pork lard
7g fresh yeast/2 tsps dry yeast
FILLING
200g (1 cup) pork lard
DECORATION
powdered sugar
Preparation
Take the lard out of the fridge and leave it at room temperature while preparing and resting the dough.
Attach a dough hook to your stand mixer. Put flour, sugar, water, 2 tbsp pork lard, and eggs into the stand mixer bowl and slowly knead the dough for approximately 30 minutes. The dough will be sticky, so you will need to scrape it down off the sides and the hook during kneading. If you are using your hands, follow the same procedure, but knead the dough on the counter or a table and in intervals, leaving it to rest between kneading periods.
When you notice that the dough has gained enough elasticity, add crumbled fresh yeast and knead for several minutes until the yeast is incorporated.
Shape the dough into a ball and lightly oil the top. Place the dough into a well-oiled bowl and cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap. Let the dough rest for at least one hour.
To stretch the dough, you need a large, flat, oiled surface. Pull out the dough from the bowl and lightly flatten it. Use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll the dough into a rectangle shape. You want to roll it until it is 3-4 mm thick.
Use a palette knife or your hands and evenly spread the lard all over the dough.
Stretch the dough by pulling the edges and then placing your hand underneath the dough and gently pulling it outwards with the palm of your hand.
When the dough is thinly rolled—it should be smooth and almost see-through—start rolling it from the longer end. Roll until you attain a uniformed roll.
The thickens of the roll will probably not be equal, so you should gently squeeze and stretch the roll with your hands.
Grease a flat tray or cover it with baking paper, and then gently swirl the roll into a spiral. Make sure you leave some room between the rolls as they will expand during the proofing period.
Cover the pastry with a cloth or plastic wrap and let it proof for at least 12 hours, preferably more.
THE FOLLOWING DAY Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350°F).
Bake the ensaïmada for 20-30 minutes until it is cooked through and golden.
Remove it from the tray and leave it on a wire rack to cool down.
Once it is cooled, generously dust it with powdered sugar.
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