Ensaimada

Instructions

1. 1

   Combine Ingredients for Dough

   8 min

   In a mixing bowl, mix 5g of yeast with 230ml of lukewarm water and let it activate for about 3 minutes until it becomes frothy. Incorporate 200g of caster sugar, 2 medium eggs, 600g of strong white bread flour, and 1 tsp of sea salt flakes into the mixture. Combine until a cohesive dough forms, then knead it for approximately 10 minutes with a stand mixer using a dough hook, or 15 minutes by hand until the dough is smooth, elastic, and can be stretched thin without tearing. Once kneaded, cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes before dividing it into four equal pieces, placing them on a parchment-lined baking tray to rest for another 30 minutes.

2. 2

   Roll Out Dough Portions

   6 min

   Prepare your work surface by lightly greasing it and your rolling pin with vegetable oil. Take one of the dough portions and flatten it slightly, then roll it out into a thin rectangle, approximately 30 x 50 cm in size. Allow the rolled dough to rest for 2 minutes before spreading 25g of lard evenly over its surface. For a flavor twist, you can mix 50g of lard with sobrasada de Mallorca and spread that on instead. Gently stretch the corners of the dough to increase its size, alternating directions every 10 cm until it reaches about 50 x 70 cm.

3. 3

   Shape the Ensaïmada

   5 min

   Cut strips from the shorter sides of the rolled rectangle and place them side by side along one of the longer edges; this forms the core of the ensaimada. Begin rolling the dough tightly from this edge, creating a long, snake-like shape. Repeat this shaping process with each of the remaining dough portions, ensuring they are all rolled consistently.

4. 4

   Form Spirals and Rest

   5 min

   For the first roll, stretch it out to over a meter in length before spiraling it up, ensuring there’s about 1 cm of space between each coil to allow for rising. Gently flatten the spiral and transfer it to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat for the rest of the dough portions, then cover them and let them rise in a warm area for at least 12 hours, or ideally up to 24 hours, to develop flavor and texture.

5. 5

   Bake the Ensaïmadas

   ~24 hr

   Preheat the oven to 200°C (or 180°C if using a fan). Once preheated, place the ensaimadas in the upper third of the oven, then reduce the temperature to 180°C (or 160°C with a fan). Bake them for about 18 minutes or until they achieve a deep golden brown hue. After baking, transfer the ensaimadas to a wire rack to cool. Optionally, you can slice them open and fill with whipped cream, dust with icing sugar, and cut into pieces for serving.

FAQ