Ensaymadas

My Sweet Christmas Tradition: Ensaymadas

Christmas morning in our house is always a whirlwind of excitement, laughter, and of course, delicious food. One tradition that has been passed down through generations is the making and sharing of Ensaymadas. These aren't just any rolls; they're soft, pillowy clouds of buttery, sugary goodness, sprinkled with a generous amount of Parmesan cheese. The aroma alone fills our home with the warm, comforting scent of Christmas.

I remember as a child, watching my grandmother meticulously prepare the dough, her hands moving with a practiced grace born from years of baking these special treats. The process is a labor of love, requiring patience and precision. It's a ritual that brings our family together, connecting us to our heritage and the warmth of shared memories. The joy of preparing these Ensaymadas is matched only by the joy of sharing them with loved ones. The soft, yielding dough, the sweet and salty combination of sugar and cheese, the rich buttery flavor – it's a truly magical experience.

The recipe itself is a testament to the simplicity and elegance of Filipino cuisine. The humble ingredients – flour, eggs, butter, sugar, and yeast – transform into something truly extraordinary in the hands of a skilled baker. It’s not just a recipe; it’s a story, passed down through generations, each bite a taste of family history and tradition.

The preparation involves several steps, including a long rising time, ensuring the dough achieves that perfect fluffy texture. But the effort is entirely worth it. The final product is a delightful treat that never fails to impress, and seeing the faces of my family light up as they take their first bite fills my heart with immeasurable joy. It's more than just a Christmas morning treat; it's a symbol of family, love, and the enduring spirit of the holidays. Every year, when the aroma of baking Ensaymadas fills our home, I'm transported back to my childhood Christmases, surrounded by the warmth of family and tradition.

There’s a special kind of satisfaction in knowing that you’ve made something so delicious and meaningful from scratch. It’s a testament to the power of simple ingredients and the love that goes into creating something truly special. The Ensaymadas aren’t just about the taste; they're about the memories, the connections, and the joy of sharing a cherished tradition. They're the heart of our Christmas, a sweet testament to the simple pleasures in life, and a reminder that the most precious gifts are often the most simple ones.

This year, as I prepare our batch of Ensaymadas, I'll be thinking of those Christmas mornings past and those yet to come. Each roll is a tiny piece of history, a link to the past, and a promise of future family gatherings filled with laughter, love, and of course, more delicious Ensaymadas. It's a tradition I hope to carry on for many years to come, sharing this sweet legacy with my children and grandchildren, preserving the warmth and love that fills our home every Christmas morning.

Step-by-step

• Combine yeast, 1/2 tsp. sugar, and 3 Tbsp. lukewarm water in the bowl of a stand mixer. Cover bowl and let mixture sit until foamy and active, about 10 minutes.
• Whisk milk, 3 egg yolks, 3/4 cup flour, and 1/4 cup sugar into yeast mixture until smooth. Cover and let sit until very bubbly, 1–1 1/2 hours.
• Add salt, remaining 3 egg yolks, 1/2 cup sugar, and remaining 2 1/4 cup flour to mixture. Fit mixer with dough hook and mix dough on medium-low speed until smooth and elastic, 6–8 minutes (it will be sticky). Add 8 Tbsp. room-temperature butter 1 Tbsp. at a time, mixing until completely incorporated after each addition (about 1 minute each time). Dough should be very easy to stretch. Cover bowl and let dough rise in a warm draft-free place until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Coat muffin cups with nonstick spray and line with 4” squares of parchment paper. Punch down dough; divide into 12 pieces. Working with 1 piece and covering the rest, roll out to a 14x3” rectangle. Brush lightly with melted butter and sprinkle with a little cheese (about 2 tsp.). Working at an angle so dough wraps down the length of dowel, roll dough toward you around dowel. Slide dough off dowel (it will scrunch up a bit). Stretch out to 8–10” long and coil around itself to make a snail-shell shape; place in a muffin cup. Repeat with remaining pieces of dough. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until puffy and dough springs back when gently pressed, 25–35 minutes.
• Bake ensaimadas until golden brown and puffed, 20–25 minutes. Brush with remaining melted butter; sprinkle with more Parmesan and remaining 6 tsp. sugar.
• Dough can be made (do not let rise) 12 hours ahead. Cover and chill. Let dough come to room temperature, then let rise until doubled before proceeding, 1–2 hours.