{"id":8352,"date":"2026-10-19T23:31:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-19T14:31:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/parade.kyoto\/?post_type=sweetlore&p=8352"},"modified":"2026-10-31T18:49:55","modified_gmt":"2026-10-31T09:49:55","slug":"ensaimada","status":"publish","type":"sweetlore","link":"https:\/\/parade.kyoto\/en\/sweetlore\/ensaimada\/","title":{"rendered":"Ensaimada"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The ensaimada is a Mallorcan pastry made by rolling up a thin dough spread with pork fat and leaving it to ferment for a long time. It is shaped in two stages: the dough is first rolled into a rope, which is then coiled into a spiral. Sa\u00efm, the word from which its name derives, refers to pork fat. Spread over the thinly stretched dough, the lard adds its flavor and also forms layers of fat between the rolled sheets of dough. The pastry crossed the sea and changed along the way, becoming a cheese-topped bread in the Philippines and a bread called \u201cmallorca\u201d in Puerto Rico.<\/p>\n

\n\"Spiral\n
An ensaimada coiled into a spiral and dusted with powdered sugar (October 11, 2008; location unknown). Its shape leaves a large open space in the center. Photo: Lisa Stevens from Sutton Coldfield, UK \/ Wikimedia Commons<\/a> \/ CC BY-SA 2.0<\/a>. Downscaled version obtained from Commons. No alterations to the content and no cropping made by us.<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n

Thin dough spread with lard and rolled in two stages<\/h2>\n

The dough is made from high-gluten flour, water, sugar, eggs, a starter dough, and the pork fat called sa\u00efm. This lard is what gave the pastry its name. When it is spread over the thinly stretched dough and the dough is rolled up, layers of lard are trapped between the layers of dough.<\/p>\n

\n\"Ensaimada\n
Mixing ensaimada dough (date and location unknown). The photographer published this photo as part of the steps for making the pastry. Photo: Pedro Servera \/ Wikimedia Commons<\/a> \/ CC BY-SA 3.0<\/a>. Full-size image obtained. No alterations to the content and no cropping made by us.<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n

The lard is softened at room temperature so that it spreads easily over the dough. The kneaded dough is rolled out thin, coated all over with the fat, and then stretched further until it becomes a thin film. The film is rolled up from one edge into a long rope, which is then wound clockwise at least two full turns and laid out in a spiral. Rather than rounding the dough into a single ball and packing it into a round mold, the pastry is distinguished by its two-stage shaping, in which a rope rolled from the film is coiled once more.<\/p>\n

\n\"Shaping\n
Ensaimada dough stretched into a long, thin strip, partway through being shaped into a spiral (date and location unknown). The same photographer captured this step separately from the mixing. Photo: Pedro Servera \/ Wikimedia Commons<\/a> \/ CC BY-SA 3.0<\/a>. Full-size image obtained. No alterations to the content and no cropping made by us.<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n

A long fermentation after shaping, then baking<\/h2>\n

Under the specification for \u201cEnsaimada de Mallorca,\u201d which is protected as a geographical indication, the pastry is fermented for at least 12 hours after shaping. During that time the spiral swells and fills the gaps between neighboring coils of dough.<\/p>\n

During baking, moisture in the dough turns to steam, and the films of fat hold back part of it, pushing the layers apart. On the surface, moisture evaporates quickly, forming a thin, brittle crust, while inside, bubbles from fermentation and the layers of rolled film remain. Although it has layers similar to those of laminated puff pastry, it is distinctive in the way those layers are made and in its long fermentation.<\/p>\n

\n\"Ensaimada\n
An ensaimada with figs and sobrasada from a bakery on Pla\u00e7a Vella in Pollen\u00e7a, Mallorca (September 15, 2017). An example combining fruit with a pork product, prepared differently from the two types covered by the protected name. Photo: Malopez 21 \/ Wikimedia Commons<\/a> \/ CC BY-SA 4.0<\/a>. Downscaled version obtained from Commons. No alterations to the content and no cropping made by us.<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n

The two protected types and the island\u2019s many fillings<\/h2>\n

Two kinds are protected under the name \u201cEnsaimada de Mallorca\u201d: one with no filling, and one filled with cabello de \u00e1ngel. This \u201cangel\u2019s hair\u201d is a filling made of squash fibers cooked with sugar. Because it is laid in a long strip on the thinly stretched dough before rolling, a continuous strand of sweet fruit flesh runs through the baked pastry. Dusting with powdered sugar is optional.<\/p>\n

On the island there are also versions filled with cream, custard, or chocolate, and versions topped with apricots. The carnival tallades are topped with sobrasada and candied squash, pairing the sweet dough with the saltiness and spices of the pork. These are part of the island\u2019s pastry culture but are distinguished from the two types defined by the geographical indication.<\/p>\n

Convent records from 1642 and 1648<\/h2>\n

The specification for \u201cEnsaimada de Mallorca\u201d cites production records from 1642 and 1648 at the Convent of Santa Elisabet in Palma. There is a theory that the Arabs invented the pastry and a story that converts added the pork fat, but who began using sa\u00efm, and when, remains uncertain.<\/p>\n

In the 19th century, Archduke Ludwig Salvator recorded the custom of eating it with chocolate at breakfast or as a snack. The spiral pastry handed down on the island later crossed the sea with emigrants and took root at tables in other lands as well.<\/p>\n

\n\"Ensaimada\n
Ensaimada and coffee at Can Joan de s\u2019Aigo (date unknown). The spiral pastry, dusted with powdered sugar, paired with a drink. Photo: User:Chixoy \/ Wikimedia Commons<\/a> \/ CC BY-SA 3.0<\/a>. Full-size image obtained. No alterations to the content and no cropping made by us.<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n

From breakfast and celebrations to a souvenir in an octagonal box<\/h2>\n

On the island, small single-serving ensaimadas are the choice for breakfast or a snack. They are sometimes dipped in caf\u00e9 con leche or hot chocolate. Large ones serve as celebratory desserts and are brought to tables where families and other people gather.<\/p>\n

A large whole ensaimada for taking home is packed in a distinctive octagonal cardboard box. Packed in this box, which can also be seen at the airport, the thin pastry is carried home as a travel souvenir. Versions topped with cream or fruit and the lard-scented dough enjoyed every day also differ in the occasions when they are eaten and in how they are carried.<\/p>\n

From Mallorca to San Pedro<\/h2>\n

In San Pedro, Argentina, a pastry handed down in immigrant families grew into a local specialty. A cultural feature from the Province of Buenos Aires identifies 1951 as the turning point. It relates that Juan Puig, a pastry maker who emigrated at age 25, made the pastry while working at a local pastry shop, and that it became commercially known. The pastry of a craftsman who had meant to save money to open a shop back home became a taste of his new home.<\/p>\n

The city\u2019s records from 2023 document an event that combined a National Ensaimada Festival held by a Mallorcan association with dances, food, crafts, and more from other Balearic associations. Besides being one item in a shop, the pastry has also given its name to a festival at which the town shares the culture of its immigrants.<\/p>\n

A sweet bread transformed in the Philippines and Puerto Rico<\/h2>\n

In the Philippines, the ensaimada has developed in its own way into a soft, cheese-topped sweet bread. A rich dough made with butter and eggs layers the sweetness of sugar with the saltiness of cheese. Some large celebratory versions from Malolos are topped with condensed milk, queso de bola, and salted egg, decorated differently from the small everyday ones.<\/p>\n

In Puerto Rico, a spiral bread generously dusted with powdered sugar is popular under the name \u201cmallorca.\u201d Some formulas use egg yolks, milk, and lard or butter, and the bread may be sliced, spread with butter, and toasted, or made into sandwiches. Although these breads carry on the same island name and the spiral shape, the lightness of the crust, the softness of the bread, and the finishing flavors vary from place to place.<\/p>\n

Glossary<\/h2>\n

Sa\u00efm<\/strong>: The Mallorcan word for pork fat. The lard used in this pastry is the origin of its name.<\/p>

Starter dough<\/strong>: A starter made by fermenting flour, water, and other ingredients. The protected specification defines one made with moist compressed yeast; it is not limited to a natural starter relying solely on lactic acid bacteria.<\/p>

Cabello de \u00e1ngel<\/strong>: Literally \u201cangel\u2019s hair.\u201d A filling of squash fibers cooked with sugar.<\/p>

Sobrasada<\/strong>: A soft sausage of pork with paprika and other ingredients, traditional in the Balearic Islands.<\/p>

Archduke Ludwig Salvator<\/strong>: An Austrian archduke who studied life in the Balearic Islands in the 19th century and also recorded how pastries were eaten.<\/p>

Caf\u00e9 con leche<\/strong>: A drink of coffee combined with milk. On the island, small ensaimadas are sometimes dipped in it.<\/p>

Juan Puig<\/strong>: A pastry maker from Mallorca. His emigration to Argentina in 1951 and the commercial spread of the pastry in San Pedro are recorded in the province\u2019s cultural materials.<\/p>

San Pedro<\/strong>: A town in the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, where the ensaimada spread from immigrant households to become a local specialty and the theme of a festival.<\/p>

Queso de bola<\/strong>: A spherical Edam-type cheese. In the Philippines it is also used to finish celebratory sweet breads.<\/p>

References<\/h2>\n
  1. \n

    \u201cPliego de condiciones \u2014 Ensaimada de Mallorca,\u201d published by the Govern Illes Balears, pp. 1\u20137<\/a> \u2014 Basic ingredients and starter dough; the two types; softening the fat, stretching the dough into a film, and double rolling; fermentation of 12 hours or more after shaping; steam and layers; the 1642\/1648 records; the 19th-century archduke\u2019s survey; boxes.<\/p>\n<\/li>

  2. \n

    Illes Balears ENOGASTRONOMIA, \u201cEnsa\u00efmada de Mallorca\u201d<\/a> \u2014 Meaning of sa\u00efm; seasonal variations; sizes for breakfast and for celebrations; the octagonal souvenir box.<\/p>\n<\/li>

  3. \n

    Illes Balears, \u201cDelicias de los hornos y las pasteler\u00edas de Mallorca\u201d<\/a> \u2014 Variations in the island\u2019s fillings; carnival versions, fruit, and sobrasada.<\/p>\n<\/li>

  4. \n

    King Arthur Baking \/ Rezel Kealoha, \u201cGiant Ensaymada\u201d<\/a> \u2014 The Filipino cheese-topped sweet bread; the large celebratory Malolos style with condensed milk, cheese, and salted egg; use of butter.<\/p>\n<\/li>

  5. \n

    King Arthur Baking \/ Milena Pag\u00e1n, \u201cMallorcas\u201d<\/a> \u2014 The Puerto Rican name; the spiral bread; egg yolks and milk, lard or butter; powdered sugar; toasting and sandwiches.<\/p>\n<\/li>

  6. \n

    Ministry of Public Communication of the Province of Buenos Aires, \u201cCosa de Grandes,\u201d vol. 12, 2020, pp. 10\u201313<\/a> \u2014 Immigrant families in San Pedro and the commercial spread of the pastry by Juan Puig in 1951.<\/p>\n<\/li>

  7. \n

    City of San Pedro Official Bulletin, July 2023, Decree 1123\u20132023<\/a> \u2014 The national festival on August 19\u201321 and the Mallorcan association; dances, food, and other events. This is a record of the event, not a legal recognition of the pastry\u2019s origin.<\/p>\n<\/li>

  8. Editorial note (Japanese-language re-edit)<\/h3><\/li>

  9. The 1642 and 1648 production records cited in the specification do not substantiate the theory that the Arabs invented the pastry or the story that converts added the pork fat. Who introduced sa\u00efm, and when, is treated as undetermined.<\/p><\/li><\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    The ensaimada is a large, flat, spiral-shaped fermented pastry emblematic of Mallorca. Its thin golden surface cracks lightly, and inside lie soft dough and fine layers. It is often finished with a dusting of powdered sugar, and it is also known for the sight of a large whole one being carried home in a box.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":7286,"menu_order":123,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_parade_sweetlore_meta":{"en":"Ensa\u00efmada","subtitle":"Thinly stretched dough and lard, rolled into a long spiral","topics":"The role of the \u201csa\u00efm\u201d in its name \/ Twelve hours or more to let the spiral grow \/ The unfilled type and angel\u2019s hair \/ From island celebrations to a boxed souvenir","country":"Mallorca, Spain","show_toc":true,"ingredients":["butter","egg"],"texture":["crumbly"],"occasion":["carnival"],"method":["fermented"],"season":[]},"footnotes":""},"sweetlore_category":[166],"class_list":["post-8352","sweetlore","type-sweetlore","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":{"sweetlore_related_products":null,"sweetlore_related_faqs":null,"sweetlore_related_voices":null,"sweetlore_related_mode":"auto","sweetlore_related_articles":null},"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t