Make Ensaymada
Ensaymada, the Filipino sweet pastry, may seem complicated to make, but you can easily make it at home. Start by mixing an enriched dough that includes milk, sugar, and shortening. Let the yeasted dough prove and then shape it into the familiar spiral shapes. Prove the ensaymada and bake them just until they're golden brown. Spread a sweetened buttercream on tops of the cooled ensaymada and sprinkle them with grated cheese for the familiar salty flavor.
Contents
Ingredients
- 1 cup (240 ml) milk
- ½ cup (100 g) plus 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ cup (95 g) shortening, at room temperature
- 1 envelope (2 1/4 teaspoons of 7 g) instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon of sugar for activating the yeast
- ¼ cup (60 ml) warm water
- 3½ cups (437 g) flour
- 3 egg yolks
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup (57 g) butter, softened to room temperature
For the topping:
- ½ cup (113 g) butter, softened to room temperature
- ½ cup (62 g) powdered sugar
- 1 cup (100 g) grated Cheddar cheese
Makes 16
Steps
Making the Dough
- Combine the milk, shortening, sugar, and salt. Pour 1 cup (240 ml) of milk into the mixing bowl of a stand mixer. Add ½ cup (100 g) plus 2 tablespoons of sugar, ½ cup (95 g) of room temperature shortening, and 3/4 teaspoon of salt. Turn the mixer on to medium-low speed and beat the mixture for a minute or two, so the ingredients are combined.
- You'll want to use a stand mixer for this dough because it is really sticky to work with.
- Activate the yeast. Open 1 envelope (2 1/4 teaspoons of 7 g) of instant yeast and pour it into a small prep bowl. Pour in ¼ cup (60 ml) of warm water and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Stir the mixture, so the yeast and sugar dissolve.
- You should notice the yeast bubble a little as it activates.
- Stir the yeast and half of the flour into the mixing bowl. Pour the yeast mixture into the mixing bowl. Measure out 3½ cups (437 g) of flour and add half of it to the mixing bowl. Turn the mixer on to medium speed and beat the dough for 3 to 5 minutes.
- The dough will be very thick and paste-like once it's combined.
- Stir in the egg yolks and the rest of the flour. Crack 3 egg yolks into the mixing bowl and add the rest of the flour. Turn the mixer on to medium speed and beat the dough for 3 minutes. The dough will be sticky at this point.
- You can discard or save the egg whites for another recipe.
Proving and Shaping the Ensaymada
- Prove the dough for 2 to 3 hours. Use a rubber spatula to scrap the dough on the sides of the bowl down. Lay a clean kitchen towel over the mixing bowl and set the bowl in a warm place. Let the dough rest for 2 to 3 hours.
- The dough should double in volume once it's finished proving.
- Roll the dough and divide it into 16 pieces. Sprinkle your work surface with flour. Scoop the dough onto the surface. Use a sharp knife or bench scrape to divide the dough into 2 equal pieces. Divide each of those pieces in half, so you have 4 pieces of dough. Divide each of those pieces into 4 small pieces. You should now have 16 pieces of dough.
- Try to keep the dough pieces the same size, so they bake evenly.
- Roll the dough and brush it with butter. Take one piece of dough and roll it out to a rough oval shape. It should measure about 8 x 4-inches (20 x 10-cm) in size. Get out ¼ cup (57 g) of softened butter. Use a pastry brush to spread some of the softened butter over the entire surface of the oval. Repeat this with each piece of dough.
- Roll up the oval into a cylinder. Since the dough will be sticky, you may want to use a bench scraper or spatula to gently scrape up the long end of the oval that's closest to you. Tightly roll the dough into a long, thin cylinder, so the buttered side is completely rolled up. Repeat this with each piece of dough.
- Twist the cylinder into a coil. There are a few ways you can wrap the cylinder into a coil. Take one end of the cylinder and begin wrapping it into a spiral, so you can loosely tuck the other end underneath it. Or you can cross the ends of the cylinder, so they almost form a pretzel shape. Bring one of the ends under and through the center of the coil.
- Arrange the shaped ensaymada on a sheet. Lay a sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet and set each shaped ensaymada on it. If you'd like to bake the ensaymada in individual molds, you could grease 16 molds and place on ensaymada in each.
- Prove the ensaymada for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Place the sheet with the ensaymada in a warm place. Let the ensaymada rest until they double in volume. This should take 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Avoid overproving the ensaymada or they may shrink a lot when they bake.
Baking and Topping the Ensaymada
- Preheat the oven. Turn the oven on to 300 degrees F (150 C) when you begin to prove the ensaymada for the second time or when they have about 30 minutes left to prove.
- If you wait until the ensaymada have doubled in volume before you turn on the oven, they may overprove while the oven is heating.
- Bake the ensaymada. Place the sheet of ensaymada into the preheated oven. Bake them for 20 to 25 minutes. They should turn slightly golden brown once they've finished baking. Let the ensaymada cool on a wire rack while you make the topping.
- If you baked the ensaymada in molds, let them cool for a few minutes before you turn them out of the molds (which will be hot).
- Cream the butter with the powdered sugar. Place ½ cup (113 g) of softened butter in a mixing bowl. Add ½ cup (62 g) of powdered sugar. Use a stand or hand mixer to beat the butter and powdered sugar together for several minutes. The mixture should become light in color and fluffy.
- Start by beating on low speed. Once the powdered sugar is somewhat incorporated, you can turn the speed up to medium.
- Frost the ensaymada and top them with cheese. Once the ensaymada have cooled, use an offset spatula or spoon to spread a little of the butter and sugar mixture on the tops. Measure out 1 cup (100 g) of grated Cheddar cheese and sprinkle a few teaspoons of the cheese onto each frosted ensaymada. Serve them immediately.
- You can store the frosted and topped ensaymada in the refrigerator for a few days. Or store the unfrosted ensaymada in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Things You'll Need
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Digital scale
- Stand mixer with beater attachment
- Mixing bowls
- Rubber spatula
- Baking sheet
- Rolling pin
- Pastry brush
- Parchment paper
- Spoon
- Knife or bench scraper
- Kitchen towel
- Wire rack
- Molds, optional
