Puerto Rican Mallorcas

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.
• 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.
• 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. 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. 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 3: Slowly mix the flour with the water starting in the center. 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 4: Pick all the dough up with a scraper to center it. Add the shortening to the middle of the dough and fold it in. These steps can be done in a bowl but I prefer to do them on my counter.

• Step 7: 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. Roll each ball into a cylinder of about 12 inches long. Starting to roll from the middle working your way out with both hands. I used a ruler to measure but you can use your forearm as a reference.
• Step 8: Shape each piece of dough into a snail circular shape. Start in the middle and wrap the dough around. Pinch the end of the dough to the bottom part of the Mallorca to avoid opening while proofing or baking.

Recipe Questions