1 - step 1
Pour 230ml lukewarm water into a bowl and add the yeast.
2 - Leave to stand for 3 mins, then add the caster sugar, eggs, flour and 1 tsp sea salt flakes.
3 - Mix together to form a dough, then knead for 10 mins in stand mixer using a dough hook (or 15 mins by hand) until the dough is elastic enough to be almost see-through when stretched.
4 - Cover and set aside to rest for 30 mins, then cut into four equal pieces.
5 - Transfer to a baking tray lined with baking parchment.
6 - Leave to rest for another 30 mins.
7 - step 2
Oil the work surface and a rolling pin with vegetable oil.
8 - Working with one portion of dough at a time, flatten it against the surface using the palm of your hand, then roll it out into a thin rectangle, about 30 x 50cm.
9 - Let it rest for 2 mins while you spread a quarter of the lard over the top.
10 - (If you want to fill your pastry with sobrasada de Mallorca, mix 50g lard with the sobrasada, and spread this over the dough instead.
11 - ) Pull one corner of the flattened dough and stretch it out as far as it will go without breaking.
12 - Repeat every 10cm or so around the dough rectangle in every direction until it reaches about 50 x 70cm.
13 - step 3
Cut a strip from each of the shorter sides and lay these beside each other along one of the longer sides of the rectangle; this is what we call the heart of the ensaimada.
14 - From there, begin rolling the dough until you have a long pastry snake.
15 - Repeat with the remaining portions of dough.
16 - step 4
Take the first roll of dough and stretch it until it is over a metre long.
17 - Then, roll it up into a spiral, leaving 1cm between each turn of the spiral so the dough can expand.
18 - Flatten a little and transfer to a baking sheet lined with baking parchment.
19 - Repeat with the remaining dough.
20 - Leave to rise in a warm place for at least 12 hrs, or ideally 24 hrs.
21 - step 5
Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
22 - Put the ensaimadas in the top third of the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
23 - Bake for 18 mins until dark golden.
24 - Leave to cool on a wire rack.
25 - To fill your ensaimada with whipped cream, slice and open, then spread over the cream and close.
26 - Dust with a generous amount of icing sugar, if you like and cut into pieces to serve.
