Pan de Mallorca con Mantequilla y Azúcar
Soft Puerto Rican sweet rolls shaped into spirals, lightly toasted with butter, and finished with powdered sugar. Made from an enriched yeast dough, these mallorcas are a comforting breakfast or afternoon treat with coffee.
Equipment
- Kitchen scale
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Large mixing bowl
- Small bowl or measuring jug
- Whisk
- Stand mixer with dough hook, or a clean surface for hand kneading
- Dough scraper or knife
- Large baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Clean kitchen towel or reusable bowl cover
- Pastry brush
- Wire cooling rack
- Serrated bread knife
- Large skillet or griddle
- Fine-mesh sieve
- Instant-read thermometer, recommended
Ingredients
DOUGH
- 3 cups bread flour 360 g, plus a little extra only if needed
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar 67 g
- 2¼ teaspoons instant yeast 7 g
- ¾ teaspoon fine salt 4.5 g
- ½ cup whole milk 120 ml, lukewarm
- ¼ cup water 60 ml, lukewarm
- 3 large egg yolks at room temperature
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 85 g, softened and cut into small pieces
FOR SHAPING AND BRUSHING
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 14 g, melted and cooled slightly
FOR SERVING
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 56 g, softened
- ¼ cup powdered sugar 30 g, sifted
Instructions
- Measure the flour with a kitchen scale if possible. Combine the flour, granulated sugar, instant yeast, and salt in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Whisk the lukewarm milk, water, and egg yolks together. The liquids should feel gently warm, not hot.
- Add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients. Mix until a rough dough forms and no loose flour remains. Let stand for 5 minutes to allow the flour to hydrate.
- Knead with a dough hook on the manufacturer’s recommended bread-dough setting, adding the softened butter a few pieces at a time. Allow each addition to work into the dough before adding more.
- Continue kneading until the dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky, approximately 10–15 minutes total in a stand mixer. It should stretch into a thin membrane before tearing. If kneading by hand, expect it to take longer.
- If the dough remains excessively sticky after kneading, add flour 1 teaspoon at a time. Avoid adding enough flour to make it stiff or completely dry.
- Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a covered bowl. Let rise in a comfortably warm, draft-free spot for approximately 60–120 minutes, until roughly doubled in size. Use 90 minutes as the planning estimate.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Gently deflate the risen dough and divide it into 8 equal portions, approximately 94 g each.
- Roll each portion into a short rope. If the dough resists stretching, cover and let rest for 5 minutes. Continue rolling into a rope approximately 16–18 inches long.
- Brush each rope very lightly with some of the melted shaping butter. Coil it loosely into a spiral on the baking sheet, leaving a little space between the turns for expansion. Tuck the outer end underneath. Leave approximately 3 inches between the rolls.
- Cover loosely and let rise for approximately 45–75 minutes, until noticeably puffy and expanded. A gentle fingertip indentation should return slowly rather than springing back immediately.
Notes
FLOUR
Bread flour helps the enriched dough develop enough structure to rise well. All-purpose flour can work, but the dough may behave differently and produce a softer structure.
Weigh the flour for the most consistent results. Scooping tightly packed cups can add too much flour.
YEAST
This recipe uses instant yeast, mixed directly with the flour.
If using active dry yeast instead, follow the package instructions for dissolving it in the recipe’s lukewarm liquids. Rising time may be longer.
BUTTER
The dough butter should be soft enough to press easily but not melted or oily.
Adding it gradually helps it incorporate into the dough without leaving greasy patches.
DOUGH TEXTURE
Enriched dough is naturally soft and slightly tacky. Knead before deciding that it needs more flour.
Too much extra flour can make the finished rolls dense.
RISING TIME
Watch the dough rather than relying only on the clock. Room temperature, yeast activity, and ingredient temperatures all affect rising time.
The first rise should noticeably increase the dough’s volume. The shaped rolls should look airy and puffy before baking.
SHAPING
Coil the ropes loosely. Tight spirals can rise into tall mounds rather than broad rolls.
Tuck the outer end underneath to help the coil stay together.
POWDERED SUGAR
Use powdered sugar for the final dusting. Granulated sugar is used inside the dough.
Dust shortly before serving. Warmth and moisture gradually dissolve the topping.
SERVING BUTTER
The listed serving butter is spread on the cut surfaces before toasting. No additional butter pat is required.
Toast only the rolls you plan to serve immediately.
STORAGE
Store cooled rolls without the serving butter or powdered sugar in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
For longer storage, freeze the plain, cooled rolls for up to 2 months. Thaw before slicing, buttering, toasting, and dusting.
ALLERGENS
Contains wheat, milk, and eggs.