Learn how to make these fluffy, sweet Puerto Rican Mallorcas. Dusted with powdered sugar to make a deliciously sweet bread.
Mallorcas are snail-shaped soft pillows of sweet bread made with simple ingredients like flour, yeast, sugar, salt, water, and fat.
They taste like pan sobao because they’re both sweet and soft. Think of a brioche bun flavor and that is almost the taste of the mallorcas.
This is a Puerto Rican-style recipe but the exact origin of mallorcas is unknown. According to “The Journey of the mallorcas” Don Antonio Rigo brought the recipe to Puerto Rico.
He came from Mallorca, the Spanish island. There mallorcas are called ensaïmadas.
But they can be found in almost any Puerto Rican bakery along with all types of desserts like quesitos, pastelillos de guayaba, and flan.
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Recipe Ingredients
My mallorca recipe is different than others because I use no eggs or milk. I also add vanilla to enhance all the flavors.
- Water- I used 6 ounces of water which I also used to dissolve the coloring.
- Vanilla- Not many recipes use this but I added 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to enhance the sweetness of the bread.
- Yellow Coloring- Not all recipes use coloring but I like to add ¼ teaspoon because I like the color it gives the dough. But this is optional.
- Yeast- I used 2 ¼ teaspoons of instant yeast that you can substitute for active dry yeast 1:1 ratio.
- Sugar- I used ¼ cup of white granulated sugar to give the mallorcas a slightly sweet taste.
- Salt- I added ½ teaspoon of salt. I always find that salt enhances the flavor of sweet recipes.
- Shortening- I used 3 ½ tablespoons of shortening.
Substitutions & Variations
- Flour- This recipe uses all-purpose flour but you can also use bread flour and will get a nice dough rise because it has more protein.
- Shortening- I used vegetable shortening but you can substitute for equal parts lard. That was how it was done before in bakeries in Puerto Rico.
How to Make Puerto Rican Mallorcas
- Step 1: Add the vanilla and coloring to the water. I do this to have all the liquids together and to ensure even coloring.
- Step 2: Add the yeast, sugar, and salt to the flour. Mix it until well combined.
- Step 3: Make a well in the center of the flour and add ⅔ of the liquid in the middle. You’ll use the rest of the water later.
- Step 4: Slowly mix the flour with the water starting in the center. Do this until all the water is combined.
⭐️ Tip: These steps can be done in a bowl but I prefer to do them on my counter because I’ll be kneading on the counter anyway. Plus less dirty dishes!
- Step 5: Add the rest of the water and try to incorporate most of the flour by kneading. The dough will look very dry but don’t panic and trust the process!
- Step 6: Pick all the dough up with a scraper to center it. Add the shortening to the middle of the dough and fold it in.
- Step 7: Knead the dough for 12 minutes. The dough will be extremely sticky, don’t be tempted to add more flour, just keep on kneading. Every 4 minutes scrape the dough to form a ball and keep kneading.
- Step 8: Dust your surface with ½ teaspoon of flour. Then lay the dough on top and flatten it with your hands so it can absorb some of the flour. Now fold in all the corners until you make a ball. With the floured side up place it on a plate to rise for 30 minutes.
⭐️ Tip: It is best to knead with one hand at a time to keep the other clean to pick up the dough.
- Step 9: Cut the dough into 6 equal pieces and shape them into small balls. Using a food scale helps to be accurate but it’s not necessary.
- Step 10: Roll each ball into a cylinder of about 12 inches long. Starting to roll from the middle working your way out with both hands.
⭐️ Tip: I used a ruler to measure but you can use your forearm as a reference.
- Step 11: Shape each piece of dough into a snail circular shape. Start in the middle and wrap the dough around.
- Step 12: Pinch the end of the dough to the bottom part of the mallorca. This is important to avoid one of the biggest problems while making mallorcas which is opening while proofing or baking.
⭐️ Tip: Remember to preheat the oven to 300°F 5 minutes before baking.
- Step 13: Place each roll at least ½ inch apart into a lined baking tray. Lightly press down each one to kind of even them out at the top. Proof for 1 hour. I like to proof the bread in the oven with the light on. This is because the light makes the oven temperature rise and traps humidity to help the rise.
- Step 14: Bake in the middle rack for 30 minutes and turn the tray after 15 minutes of baking. This is to ensure an even color on top.
⭐️ Tip: You can also slow-rise the rolls in the fridge overnight and then leave them at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.
- Step 15: Let the mallorcas cool for at least 5 minutes before dusting them with powdered sugar. It is optional but highly suggested. You can also substitute powdered sugar for honey or corn syrup to glaze them.
Recipe Tips
- While this recipe is done totally by hand you’ll be glad to know that you can use a stand mixer if you have one.
- The dough will sometimes seem too dry or too wet at any step but don’t be tempted to add water or flour. Trust the process you can make delicious mallorcas!
- This recipe is a vegan and vegetarian-friendly option because it has no dairy or eggs.
Mallorca Fillings
As with many recipes, Puerto Ricans are always searching for different ways of making a meal better. There’s a place in Puerto Rico called bakers bro that adds many fillings to mallorcas.
- They stuff sandwichitos de mezcla mix for savory bread.
- They use sweet fillings like guava sauce or Nutella.
How to Serve?
My favorite way to serve mallorcas is as a sandwich bread. I stuff them with roast pork Puerto Rican style or whole roasted chicken, lettuce, and tomatoes! But you can serve them with butter, or cheese next to your morning coffee.
Recipe Questions
The most important part of storing mallorcas is to make sure they are completely cooled before putting them away. Then store in an airtight container or ziplock bag. Up to 5 days at room temperature, 7 in the fridge, and 2 months in the freezer. Best stored without being dusted with powdered sugar.
You can reheat mallorcas in the microwave but my favorite way is in the oven at 300°F for 3-5 minutes.
Mallorca, a sweet and buttery Puerto Rican bread, akin to a traditional sweet roll, is effortlessly made or readily found at local bakeries. Mallorcas are traditionally sweeter than traditional US sweet rolls.
More sweet recipes!
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Puerto Rican Mallorcas
Ingredients
- 6 ounces water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon yellow food coloring optional
- 2 cups all purpose flour (280g) + ½ teaspoon (2g) for dusting
- 2 ¼ teaspoon instant yeast (7g) or 1 packet
- ¼ cup white sugar (49g)
- ½ teaspoon salt (3g)
- 3 ½ tablespoons shortening (49g)
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
Instructions
Make the Mallorca dough
- Mix the vanilla extract and coloring in your water and set aside. Add your flour to a large bowl or a flat surface and mix in the yeast, sugar, and salt.
- Make a well in the middle of the flour and add about ⅔ of the water. Star mixing the wet and dry ingredients with a spoon or your hands. Once the dough starts looking dry, add the rest of the water. On a flat surface, knead the dough for 30 seconds.
- Scrape your surface to bring all the dough together and add the shortening to the middle. Fold in the dough and start kneading for 12 minutes while occasionally scraping the surface.
Rise dough
- Scrape the dough and make a ball, lift it up so you can flour your surface. Place the dough on your surface and flatten it until it looks like a small square. Fold in all sides. Make a ball and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Shape and proof
- Cut your dough into 6 equal parts and shape them into balls. Take each dough ball and roll it into 12-inch cylinders. With each piece make a tight spiral shape and pinch the end at the bottom of it.
- Place each spiral on a lined baking sheet and slightly press down each one to make them a little flatter. Let it rise for 1 hour in your oven off but with the light on.
Pre-heat oven
- Preheat the oven to 300°F at least 5 minutes before the mallorcas finish proofing.
Cook and garnish
- Coo the mallorcas for 30 minutes and rotate the tray after 15 minutes for even baking. Let the mallorcas cool for 5 minutes and then sprinkle with powdered sugar. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- Flour- You can use all-purpose flour or bread flour.
- Shortening- You can use shortening or lard.
- You can make the Mallorca by hand or by using a stand mixer.
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