Mallorcan Ensaimadas

My Favourite Breads

Mallorcan Ensaimadas myfavouritepastime.com_2935Today my bread journey takes me to Mallorca, Spain, to sample one of the best sweet buns I ever tasted. They are called Mallorcan Ensaimadas, ensaïmada de Mallorca or the traditional sweet bread of Mallorca. Frankly speaking I had to google the map of Europe to confirm where Spain is in relation to other countries and I also had to search for Mallorca for several minutes, and then realized it’s an island off the mainland, on the East. Funny eh? After landing on some tourism website, I also realized Mallorca is the perfect place for me to go. This is how the website describes it: “the island is well-known for its purpose built resorts and package and if you want all night partying and lazy days on the beach, then this is the place to come… and sailing is of course a big thing in Mallorca too!”

Mallorcan Ensaimadas myfavouritepastime.com_2933Who wouldn’t want to party all-night, have lazy days on the beach and sail in a yacht? Mallorca, here I come! Exactly when, I really don’t know. I guess you need to carry a pot of gold to live in a resort, party all night long and charter a yacht. The recipe was traditionally made with some pork lard but I used butter instead. You can eat them for breakfast, as a snack or dunk them in your tea or coffee. I made 16 for breakfast and they were demolished in seconds! I hope you love them too!

  • Ingredients
  • 225g (8oz, 2 cups) all-purpose flour
  • ¾ teaspoon Fleischmann’s instant yeast
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 50g (2oz, ¼ cup) sugar
  • 75ml (5 tablespoons; ⅓ cup) warm milk
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 30ml (2 tablespoons) canola or sunflower oil
  • 50g (2oz) butter, melted
  • Icing (confectioners) sugar for dusting

Mallorcan Ensaimadas myfavouritepastime.com_4361Please always remember to assemble all ingredients before you start. Line two baking sheets with parchment (greaseproof paper).

Mallorcan Ensaimadas myfavouritepastime.com_4362Sift the flour, yeast, salt and sugar into a bowl

Mallorcan Ensaimadas myfavouritepastime.com_4365and make a well in the centre. Add the milk, egg and canola oil to the well and mix with a spoon until combined..

Mallorcan Ensaimadas myfavouritepastime.com_4366 Turn over on to a lightly floured surface

Mallorcan Ensaimadas myfavouritepastime.com_4369and knead 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.

Mallorcan Ensaimadas myfavouritepastime.com_4370Place in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with cling film and leave in a warm place until doubled in size for about 1 hour.

Mallorcan Ensaimadas myfavouritepastime.com_4373Knock back the dough, and divide into 16 equal parts.

Mallorcan Ensaimadas myfavouritepastime.com_4374Shape each piece into a thin rope about 15 inches (38cm) long.

Mallorcan Ensaimadas myfavouritepastime.com_4377Pour melted butter onto a plate and dip the ropes into the butter to coat. Curl each rope on the plate, into a spiral,

Mallorcan Ensaimadas myfavouritepastime.com_4379and transfer onto the baking sheet, spacing well apart. Tuck the ends under to seal.

Mallorcan Ensaimadas myfavouritepastime.com_4380Cover with a lightly oiled clear film or transparent bag and leave to rise in a warm place, about 45 minutes, or until doubled in size.

Mallorcan Ensaimadas myfavouritepastime.com_4397Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Brush the rolls with water and dust with icing sugar. Bake for 10 minutes or until light golden brown.

Mallorcan Ensaimadas myfavouritepastime.com_4404Cool on a wire rack. Dust again with icing sugar

Mallorcan Ensaimadas myfavouritepastime.com_2925and serve warm

Mallorcan Ensaimadas myfavouritepastime.com_2929The buns were delicious. I’ve no words to describe them!

Mallorcan Ensaimadas

Preparation time: 40 minutes + 1 hour 45 minutes standing time; Baking time: 10 minutes Makes: 16

Ingredients

  • 225g (8oz, 2 cups) all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 50g (2oz, ¼ cup) sugar
  • ¾ teaspoon Fleischmann’s instant yeast
  • 75ml (5 tablespoons, ⅓ cup) warm milk
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 30ml (2 tablespoons) canola or sunflower oil
  • 50g (2oz) butter, melted
  • Icing (confectioners) sugar for dusting

Instructions

  1. Line two baking sheets with  parchment (greaseproof paper). Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) ten minutes before using.
  2. Sift the flour, salt, sugar and yeast into a bowl and make a well in the centre.
  3. Add the milk, egg and canola oil to the well and mix with a spoon until combined. If it seems too dry add a little more milk, a tablespoon at a time until you have a soft dough. Turn over on to a lightly floured surface and knead 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
  4. Place in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with cling film and leave in a warm place until doubled in size for about 1 hour.
  5. Knock back the dough, and divide into 16 equal parts. Shape each piece into a thin rope about 15 inches (38cm) long. Pour melted butter onto a plate and dip the ropes into the butter to coat.
  6. Curl each rope on the plate, into a spiral, and place on the baking sheet, spacing well apart. Tuck the ends under to seal. Cover with a lightly oiled clear film or transparent bag and leave to rise in a warm place, about 45 minutes, or until doubled in size.
  7. Brush the rolls with water and dust with icing sugar. Bake for 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Dust again with icing sugar and serve warm.
  8. For cup measures: spoon the flour into the cup, heaping it up over the top, then slide a knife across the top to level off the extra. Be careful not to shake or tap the cup to settle down the flour or you will have more than you need. I use a 240ml American cup.

Points to Note

  1. Please note that oven temperatures are given as a guideline only. You may need to add or reduce the suggested temperatures depending on your oven. I baked the at 375°F (190°C) for 10 minutes. You may need to adjust the time depending on your oven.
  2. Last Updated: October 30, 2019

myfavouritepastime.com 

Author: Liz

I love everything food: eating, cooking, baking and travelling. I also love photography and nature.

85 thoughts

    1. Please just add more milk, one tablespoon at a time until you get a soft dough. I usually weigh the flour, if you didn’t weigh it then sometimes you might end up with more flour than required. Happy Baking!
      Stay safe
      Liz

      Reply

  4. Hi Liz, The sweet buns looks lovely and I would love to bake some to try myself. Do you mind if I reproduce the recipe to my site for easy reference? With link back to you of course! Thanks in advance!
    Jeannie.

    Reply

      1. Sinabung is still spewing ashes. It does not really erupt but has never gone back to sleep.

        I am actually worried about those people who returned to their villages near the volcano. I think they should consider moving a.s.a.p.

        How are you, Liz?
        Christmas is coming and things must be exciting there!

        Reply

        1. Mmm I know what you mean about christmas. People are already buying and dispatching gifts and our houses are gleaming with X-mas lights. That Sinabung is very scary. I fear for those people too! I have never seen an erupting volcano, live. It must be so damn scary!!!
          Liz

        2. Oh it is scary to see a volcano but there is one thing scarier than that. There have been small quakes caused by the volcanic activities. It is such a scary thing to wake up in the middle of the night and feel the earth shaking beneath.

        4. Hi Liz,

          I’m getting so much busier lately because many of my colleagues are on their annual holiday-off, meaning more tasks for local employees like me to do. 😀

          It is exciting though, seeing that X’mas is just one week a way. 😀

        5. Merry X-Mas and a Happy New Year Hari. I wish you the best of the last week of December!!! I am rather busy lately too, so I’ve sort of ‘abandoned the blog’
          Have fun…
          Liz

    1. Ha ha I hope you find time to try them. I’m still on a bread journey. it will take some two or so years. Have a wonderful week!
      Liz

      Reply

    1. ha please find the pot of gold quickly and yes I shall accompany you. I know we would really have lots of fun eating and laughing and eating some more. Have a great week and thanks for visiting!
      Liz

      Reply

  9. These look fabulous. I must try sometime. Mallorca is a very popular travel destination for the Germans, I remember hearing about it all the time when I lived in Germany.

    Reply

  16. Wow, Liz, I can’t believe you just made a batch of ensaimadas mallorquinas!!!!! I love them, though I’ve never made them myself. Yours are so lovely… If you happen to visit Mallorca any time, please, let me know 😉 (you’d surely have a wonderful time there…)
    Un beso

    Reply

    1. Hi Rosa,
      I had never made them before but we adored them. They are delicious. Mallorca is on my bucket list. I hope I’ll be able to visit it in the near future! Have a great week!
      Liz

      Reply

    1. Thanks, Debbie. I’ve just been reading about peeling garlic and learnt some interesting tips. I think I would also eat myself sick. They are delicious! have a great week!Liz

      Reply

    1. Next time I make them, I’ll add a photo showing the inside. They are light, soft and slightly crunchy on the outside. I really enjoyed eating them! Have a lovely week!
      Liz

      Reply

    1. Ha ha Lignum of course I’m going. My driveway is full of snow right now so what a relief to party all night and lay around on the beach….when other Canadians are freezing!!!! Have a lovely week!
      Liz

      Reply

  23. I’ve been in Mallorca a lot of years ago, when I was young. It’s really easy to go there when you live in Italy! Unfortunately I was to young to remember these amazing buns! I’ve noted this recipe down!

    Reply

    1. Lucky you. I didn’t even know it was an island but the buns are very, very tasty and soft and light..thanks for noting down the recipe. I hope you find time to make it!
      Liz

      Reply

  29. Liz – these look ‘to die for’… like little bits of light, fluffy goodness! About the ‘partying all night and lazing on the beach all day’… but NO YACHT…. you can do that cheaper, I believe at one of the resorts around Cancun, Mexico. The one I recently stayed at is very affordable and was really lovely. However, I didn’t do any ‘partying all night’. The friend I was with is not a Party Person. If I’d have gone with my sister-in-laws… that would’ve been a whole different vacation! ; o )

    Reply

    1. Hi there Cecile,
      Nice to hear from you. These Ensaimadas were so delicious. The sort, you eat without talking and listen to and savour the taste and flavour. I haven’t been to Mexico either. Maybe one day I shall have an opportunity to be there, like you, and probably party the whole night long…ha ha! Have a lovely week and thanks so much for leaving me a ton of messages. I noticed you have several new posts. Let me check them out right now! Goodnight!
      Liz

      Reply

  30. Yum!! I grew up with the Filipino version of these. It’s one of my favorite things! I haven’t had the Mallorcan version, which the Filipino one is based off of, I’ve read somewhere.

    Reply

    1. Hi Dave,
      They were super delicious. I really loved them. My kids loved them too! I should try the Filipino version too. Have a great week!
      Liz

      Reply

  33. These are gorgeous, Liz! I bet they would melt in your mouth. I definitely want to put these on my list of breads to try. I have a question for you. What temperature do you usually get the milk or water to when using yeast? Or do you even need to use a thermometer any more? I have breadsticks in the oven rising (hopefully) right now, but I always feel nervous until I can see that the dough is growing.

    Reply

    1. Hi Shari,
      I don’t use a thermometer anymore. I just feel it with my hands. It shouldn’t feel like burning. just warm enough. How did the breadsticks go? I’ve been procrastinating about making some. Let me pop over and see them. I wish you a lovely week!
      Liz

      Reply

    1. Ha ha all sixteen? that would be really filling but I bet you can eat them all coz they are quite light and fluffy, almost. Have a wonderful week!
      Liz

      Reply

  36. Oh, my! I can’t think of any words, either. Nothing sufficient to describe how delicious these look comes to my mind at all! I just read a recipe for Parker House Rolls, which are very good, too. But I may scrap those and try these. GASP! ;->

    Virtual hugs,

    Judie

    Reply

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