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Pan de mallorca

Pan de Mallorca (Puerto Rican Sweet Bread)

Pan de mallorca or Puerto Rican sweet bread is a popular breakfast food on the island. Paired with cafe con leche, this sweet, fluffy bread is the perfect early morning pick-me-up.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Proofing Time 3 hours 50 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 20 minutes
Servings 3 people

Ingredients
  

Mallorca sponge

  • 1/2 cup warm water 110℉
  • 1/2 cup warm milk 110℉
  • 1 tsp active dry yeast
  • 1/8 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup bread flour can use AP flour

Mallorca dough

  • 2 cups bread flour can use AP flour
  • 1/2 stick butter plus 2 tbsp for topping
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3 egg yolks

Topping

  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar

Instructions
 

Prepare the sponge

  • To a mixing bowl, add the water, milk, sugar and yeast. Stir to combine and allow it to rest for 5 minutes. You should see some bubbles which means your yeast is alive. If it doesn't bubble, that means the yeast is not active and you should start a new batch.
  • Next add 1/2 cup of flour and mix until well combined.
  • Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let this mixture rest in a warm place for 1 hour.

Prepare the dough

  • Your mixture should have doubled in size and it will look like foamy with lots of bubbles on top.
  • Add the egg yolks, one by one, making sure that they are completely incorporated before adding the next one.
  • Add the remaining 2 cups of flour little by little. Stop as necessary to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  • Next, add the salt and continue mixing.
  • Slowly add the butter. Mix until the dough is shiny and smooth. It will be very sticky.

Proof the dough

  • Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise on the counter for 2 hours or until it doubles in size. The dough can also be refrigerated and rise overnight.
  • After 2 hours, dust your work surface with flour and knead the dough. Form it into a round ball and let it rest for 5 minutes before rolling it out. This resting time will prevent its tendency to bounce back while rolling it out.

Form rolls

  • Roll out the dough into a thin rectangular sheet, about 1/4 inch thick.
  • Cut the rectangle into 6 strips, about 1 1/4 inches thick.
  • Brush the strips with melted butter and roll each strip into a spiral bun. Tuck the ends underneath so the rolls can keep their shape while baking.
  • Place the rolls on a parchment-lined baking sheet, about 2 inches apart so that they have enough space to rise. It's important to use parchment paper so that the bottoms of the mallorca don't brown too much.
  • Cover the baking tray loosely with plastic wrap and let the rolls rise for 45-50 minutes.
  • Pre-heat oven to 350℉.

Bake mallorca

  • Brush the rolls gently with melted butter and place them in the oven. Bake for 16-18 minutes, until they are just beginning to brown. Be careful not to overbake.
  • Brush mallorca with melted butter and allow to cool. Dust generously with powdered sugar. ¡Buen provecho!

Video

Notes

Tips:

If refrigerating the dough overnight, knead the dough before placing it in the refrigerator.
It's important to line your baking sheet with parchment paper so that the bottoms of the mallorca don't brown too much.
Be careful not to over bake the mallorca, or else they will be crunchy on the outside. They should be lightly golden brown on top. The texture of this Puerto Rican sweet bread is soft and fluffy. 
If you want the mallorca bread to be sweeter, dust them with more powdered sugar. Adding more sugar to the dough will slow down the rising time.
Keyword mallorca, pan de mallorca, Puerto Rican sweet bread