ENSAIMADA

After the Pastissets, I bring you the second post of Menorcan baking, showing off the island’s other favourite sweet dish. More specifically, all the Balearic islands love Ensaimadas. 

Anyone who has visited these islands will have eaten one of these light and delicious sweet breads over breakfast or with a morning cup of coffee, after an hour’s shopping in Mao or Cuitadella. The recipe origins go back several hundred years, when pork fat was used instead of butter. The recipe below is easily doubled for one huge one, or divide the dough after the first rise for little individual Ensaimadas.

At airports you will see large Ensaimadas in hexagonal boxes piled up for folk to take back. So, instead of that, I set about working out how to make it myself.

It does take time to make, but very little actual hands on. Mostly you are waiting for it to rise! Get on with some shopping or gardening! The final rise is for several hours, so start in the morning.

In a jug place:

2 teaspoons active dried yeast

4 fl oz warm milk, preferably whole

Leave until it starts working, meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your mixer, with a dough hook, place:

12 oz strong plain flour

large pinch salt

3 oz caster sugar

combine well, then add the warm and frothy milky yeast mix. Then add:

1 large beaten egg

3 oz very soft butter

Knead well until soft and smooth, then cover the bowl [I like using a shower cap!] and put to rise in a warm spot until double in size. This will take well over an hour because of the high fat content. The dough is pretty wet, so if kneading by hand you might need to add a tad more flour.

Knock back on a well floured surface then, by stretching and using a rolling pin, roll the dough out as thinly as possible into a large rectangle [see photo on my Blog]. Don’t worry, it does not have to be too perfect.

Brush the entire surface with very soft, but not melted butter [probably about 2-3 oz]. Roll the dough into a long sausage shape, trying to keep it fairly tight, lightly cover with a tea towel then leave to rise for another hour.

Roll the dough up into a loose coil and place onto a large round baking sheet as you go. Leave a small amount of room between the rounds for the rise though. Cover the coil with an upside down large mixing bowl, making sure it is big enough so that the dough will not touch it. 

Leave to rise for a third time for 2 - 3 hours in a warm spot.

Pre heat your fan oven to 175C and bake for about 30-35 mins. When it comes out of the oven, quickly brush a little more very soft butter across the top, cool for a bit, then dredge with icing sugar. If you like, add some vanilla seeds to the icing sugar the day before to take the flavour to another level.

Yes, it does have a very high butter content!! Just absolutely wonderful.

Note: Ensaimadas can also be sparingly filled with a light custard, or similar before rolling up. Equally delicious.