Ensaymada

This recipe is the old-style of making ensaymada.  They are delicious and very filling.  They contain a lot less fats and egg yolks.  They are hearty and not too soft nor mushy.  For the topping, I only use softened butter and baker's sugar.  No cheese.

Sponge Method

Step 1

3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
4 teapoons active dry yeast
3/4 cup baker's or granulated sugar
1 3/4 cups milk (warm around 110* F)

Mix all ingredients together in a big bowl and cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Keep in a  in a warm place for 45 minutes..

Step 2

2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup melted butter (room temperature)
1 egg (room temperature)
4 yolks (room temperature)
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup softened butter - to brush top of the empanada after baking
1/2 cup baker's sugar - to dredge the empanada in after brushing with the softened butter

After one hour, add the melted butter, eggs, salt, and the remaining flour.  Mix until flour sticks together and you can form it into a ball.  Knead on a clean floured surface for about 8 minutes or more until it becomes smooth,  adding flour in small amounts if dough is sticky or adding a little amount of water if dough is too dry. Form into a ball. Put the dough in a greased bowl with butter or oil. Cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour.

Punch dough in the center and put on a floured clean surface and deflate the dough to remove air. Cut into 4 parts.  Set aside and let rest for a few minutes ( about 2 to 3 minutes).

Get one ball of dough and flatten with your hand on a clean lightly floured surface.  Shape it to a rectangular shape about 12" X  8". 1)  Fold 1/3 top portion of dough  towards the center.  Seal the edge of the folded dough with your knuckles.  2) Fold for the second time the 1/3 portion of the dough towards the center sealing the edge with your knuckles.  3) For the last and third time, the top edge portion of the dough should be folded to meet the edge of the lower  portion of the dough.  Seal any gaps by pinching together the edges,  Make sure there are no openings or gaps.  Roll the dough lightly with your hand to remove marks of pinched edges.  Divide by cutting dough  to 8 equal parts.  You can either eyeball how much dough to put in each part or you can use the scale to weigh them exactly to 8 equal parts.

Roll each dough of the 8 parts to about 3/4" diameter and about 10 to 12 inches long.  Coil the rolled elongated dough starting with one end.  Make a loop at one end and coil the dough around to make a spiral shape tucking the last end under the coiled dough.  Put each coiled dough on a greased baking sheet or lined with parchment paper.  Each baking sheet can hold 12 coiled ensaymada doughs.  Cover each baking sheet with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes.  Repeat the process.

Bake in a preheated 350*F oven for about 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Yields about 32 ensaymadas.