Ensaimada is a traditional Mallorcan pastry that is typical breakfast food on the island. It is a delicate, flaky pastry in a spiral shape topped with a light dusting of powdered sugar. The ingredient that makes this so special is the "saim" or pork lard, which is difficult to find outside of the island made this way. Despite the heavy ingredients, it has a very light flavor and texture and the locals usually eat it dipped in coffee or hot chocolate.
Besides the traditional ensaimada, there are several variations with toppings and fillings which transform it from a breakfast food to a dessert. Some of the fillings you can find include cream, "cabello de angel" (a type of pumpkin), chocolate, nutella, and turrón. The list of toppings is as endless as your imagination but the most common ones are toasted pine nuts or walnuts, slices of apricot, and the "tallades" type widely consumed during lent which is topped with pumpkin and sobrasada for a unique combination of salty and sweet flavors. (More on sobrasada in a future post.)
The ensaimada is perhaps the most iconic of Mallorcan foods. Throughout the Palma Airport, travelers can be seen carrying stacks of ensaimada boxes onto their flights to bring the fresh-baked treat back to family and friends on the mainland of Spain. This Mallorcan staple is cheap, delicious, and very easy to find throughout the island.
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