Ensaimada

Instructions

1- step 1 Pour 230ml lukewarm water into a bowl and add the yeast.

2- Leave to stand for 3 mins, then add the caster sugar, eggs, flour and 1 tsp sea salt flakes.

3- Mix together to form a dough, then knead for 10 mins in stand mixer using a dough hook (or 15 mins by hand) until the dough is elastic enough to be almost see-through when stretched.

4- Cover and set aside to rest for 30 mins, then cut into four equal pieces.

5- Transfer to a baking tray lined with baking parchment.

6- Leave to rest for another 30 mins.

7- step 2 Oil the work surface and a rolling pin with vegetable oil.

8- Working with one portion of dough at a time, flatten it against the surface using the palm of your hand, then roll it out into a thin rectangle, about 30 x 50cm.

9- Let it rest for 2 mins while you spread a quarter of the lard over the top.

10- (If you want to fill your pastry with sobrasada de Mallorca, mix 50g lard with the sobrasada, and spread this over the dough instead.

11- ) Pull one corner of the flattened dough and stretch it out as far as it will go without breaking.

12- Repeat every 10cm or so around the dough rectangle in every direction until it reaches about 50 x 70cm.

13- step 3 Cut a strip from each of the shorter sides and lay these beside each other along one of the longer sides of the rectangle; this is what we call the heart of the ensaimada.

14- From there, begin rolling the dough until you have a long pastry snake.

15- Repeat with the remaining portions of dough.

16- step 4 Take the first roll of dough and stretch it until it is over a metre long.

17- Then, roll it up into a spiral, leaving 1cm between each turn of the spiral so the dough can expand.

18- Flatten a little and transfer to a baking sheet lined with baking parchment.

19- Repeat with the remaining dough.

20- Leave to rise in a warm place for at least 12 hrs, or ideally 24 hrs.

21- step 5 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.

22- Put the ensaimadas in the top third of the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.

23- Bake for 18 mins until dark golden.

24- Leave to cool on a wire rack.

25- To fill your ensaimada with whipped cream, slice and open, then spread over the cream and close.

26- Dust with a generous amount of icing sugar, if you like and cut into pieces to serve.