This is a revamp of my Mallorcas recipe, which I first posted in January 2017. The recipe is still the same as before, I just updated the earlier ghastly pictures. Enjoy!
Guess what the hardest thing about being bi-racial is? It’s having more than one amazing cuisine to love.
I kid.
There are much harder things about being Black and Puerto Rican. The main issue growing up was not fitting into either of my races easily. I wasn’t “Black enough” to be considered a Black girl. Puerto Ricans straight up called me a gringa. The one thing that helped me fit in was my love and mastery of my ancestral cuisines. Food transcends race. These Mallorcas helped to do that for me- not so much with others, but with myself. The process of making mallorcas were my way of reassuring myself that I was worthy of being called a Puerto Rican woman…just one with a little more oomph. I mean, how many Puerto Rican women do you know who make these? Seriously! Throw me a bone.
What are Mallorcas?
My childhood insecurities aside, if you have never had mallorcas, you’re not going to be shocked when you taste them. Mallorcas have a flavor which is similar to Hawaiian sweet rolls. These, though, are topped with both a sugar glaze and powdered sugar. I’m no anthropologist, but I’m going to go out on a limb and say they’re a holdover from the island’s Spanish colonizers. Not only suitable for breakfast, mallorcas make a fantastic sandwich bread.
So, roll up your sleeves and let’s get mixing.
What will I need to make Mallorcas?
The ingredients for this sweet bread are pretty accessible. You will need room temperature unsalted butter, bread flour, eggs, sugar, yeast, and a wee bit of salt. To top the finished rolls, you’re going to make a sugar glaze using light corn syrup, sugar, and water. More sugar- in the form of powdered sugar- will come later.
A few tools you will need are: a rolling pin, a sharp knife or a pizza cutter, sheet pan, pastry brush, and a sifter.
Mix the Sponge
Mallorcas begin with a sponge of sorts. Because it’s not fermented for a long period of time, it’s not considered a starter.
Scald, then cool, a cup of whole milk in a saucepan. You can also heat the milk in the microwave for 1 minute. Test the milk after it’s been cooled a little to make sure it’s not too hot. The milk needs to be ’round about 110°F. Warm enough not to burn your inner wrist when you put a drop on it.
Once the milk has cooled a bit, add it to a bowl with the yeast, a pinch of the granulated sugar, and 1 3/4 cups (250g) of the bread flour.
Use a rubber spatula to stir these together to form a thick paste.
Cover the bowl and allow the paste to rise until doubled in a warm, draft-free place. This usually takes an hour.
Cream together the butter and sugar
After 45 minutes, begin creaming together your butter and sugar. I prefer to do this in my stand mixer. Cream the two together on medium-high speed for 4 minutes, or until the mixture looks pale yellow and fluffy.
Decrease the speed to low and add the eggs to the bowl, one at a time. Once an egg is incorporated into the mix, turn the mixer off and scrape down the bowl. Continue adding the eggs until they’re all mixed in.
Since we’re creating an imbalance between the water and fat with the eggs, the mixture will look curdled. Don’t freak out!
Add the sponge from earlier and half of the remaining flour to the bowl. Blend on low speed just until a thick dough forms.
Switch to your mixer’s dough hook and add the rest of the flour to the bowl. Knead the dough for 5 minutes on second speed. The dough will be soft and sticky when you’re finished kneading it.
Chill to firm things up
If only this heading worked for my thighs. Just another issue I have, don’t mind me.
Transfer the dough to a lightly greased sheet pan. The dough is going to be very sticky, so you need to grease the pan. Don’t flour the pan or the flour will cake and later bake into hard chunks of grossness. Use a rubber spatula to spread the dough into an even layer on the sheet pan before covering and chilling for 1-24 hours. The longer you allow the dough to retard in the refrigerator the firmer it will be and the deeper the yeast flavor will become.
Let’s roll
After the dough has had a chance to firm up, lightly flour a work surface and roll the dough into a rectangle. Aim for a rectangle that is about 20″x 15″ or thereabouts. The dough should be no more than a 1/4″ thick.
Use a pastry cutter, a pizza cutter, or a very sharp knife to cut the rectangle into 1″ wide strips. I don’t go overboard with measuring these strips, I just eyeball it. You do want to make sure you get 12 strips, because that means you will have 12 mallorcas! I usually discard those ragged edges you see on the left and right sides, too. Trimming off one edge from the short side isn’t a bad idea either. This trimming business is solely for aesthetic reasons, though, so don’t stress over it.
Start at one end of a strip and roll it up into a circle. Kind of like you would do to make a cigar…except we don’t do that here.
Once I have my rolled dough circle-thing, I spread the layers open a little- like a flower- to give it a prettier appearance.
The reason you don’t roll the rectangle up like a cinnamon roll and cut it is because you want to keep that snail-shaped bun as sharp as possible. Slicing would smoosh the layers together and eliminate those lines of demarcation.
Proof, Bake, and Glaze…then Powder the Mallorcas
Cover your rolls with a clean kitchen towel and set the pan in a warm, draft-free environment. Your microwave is great for this. Proof the rolls- let them rise- for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Once the rolls have puffed up (they may or may not spread while proofing), brush them with a thin layer of the egg wash.
Bake your mallorcas for 20-25 minutes at 350°F, or until they are a light brown color and sound hollow when thumped.
While your mallorcas are baking, prepare your sugar glaze. The glaze can be prepared one day in advance and kept at room temperature. But, it’s easy to throw together, so I make it as needed.
In a small saucepan, stir together the light corn syrup, water, and granulated sugar.
Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Let the mixture boil for 1 minute and take it off the stove. Allow the sugar glaze to cool until you’re ready to brush it onto the mallorcas.
After the rolls are baked, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool for 15-20 minutes.
Brush one or two layers of the sugar glaze onto the rolls. Let your sweet-tooth determine if you want to go a third round or not.
To finish the mallorcas, sift a generous amount of powdered sugar over their tops. This is optional. The rolls are amazing on their own, with the glaze, or with the glaze and the powdered sugar. A sugar topping is definitely the traditional way to go, though.
Enjoy Alone or with Coffee
I’m so Puerto Rican I’ll eat these mallorcas by themselves. How’s that for gringa? No, seriously. I’m notorious for scarfing down a mallorca while editing pictures or writing blog posts. Then, when the twins ask me if I’ve been eating them, I lie and say no. When they point to the powdered sugar on my shirt I tell them they’re being disrespectful and that God is watching them. It never works out in my favor.
Anywho, the most common way to enjoy these mallorcas is with a shot of espresso or café con leche.
What’s great about them is you don’t need as much sugar in your coffee. Just dunk a mallorca in it.
If you’re a freezer-friendly type of baker, I recommend freezing them after baking them, but before you sugar them. They’re great in the freezer for 2 months.
Give these mallorcas a go and let me know if you think I’m worthy of calling myself a Puerto Rican. It doesn’t matter if you do or don’t, to be quite honest. It’s taken a while to get here, but I’m pretty secure in my identity. The mallorcas do help, though.
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Mallorcas Puerto Rican Breakfast Sweet Rolls
A rich, buttery-sweet bread perfect for beginning the day.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (235 ml) whole milk scalded and cooled to 110°F
- 2 1/2 tsp (9g) active dry yeast
- 3 1/2 cups (525g) bread flour, plus more for rolling out the dough
- 2 sticks (227g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (105g) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp (5g) kosher salt
- 3 large eggs
Egg Wash
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tbsp cold water
Clear Glaze
- 1/4 cup (60ml) water
- 1 cup (240ml) light corn syrup
- 1/4 cup (57g) granulated sugar
- confectioner's sugar for dusting
Instructions
Mix the Sponge
In a mixing bowl combine the cooled milk, yeast, a pinch of the granulated sugar, and 1 3/4 cups (250g) of the bread flour.
Use a rubber spatula to stir them together to create a thick paste.
Cover the bowl and place the bowl in a warm, draft-free area. Allow the paste to rise until double in bulk- about 1 hour.
Finish the Dough
15 minutes before the rising time is up on your sponge, cream together the butter, sugar, and salt on medium-high speed for 4 minutes, or until the mixture looks pale yellow and fluffy.
Decrease the mixer's speed to low and add the eggs, at a time, scraping down the bowl after each egg is incorporated. The mixture will look curdled once all of the eggs have been added. This is normal.
Add the sponge and half of the remaining flour to the bowl. Blend on low just until a thick dough forms.
Switch to your mixer's dough hook and add the rest of the flour to the bowl.
Knead the dough for 5 minutes on second speed. The dough will be soft and sticky when you're finished kneading it.
Chill the Dough
Transfer the dough to a lightly greased sheet pan, using a rubber spatula to spread the dough into an even layer.
Cover and refrigerate the dough for 1-24 hours.
After the chill time, lightly flour a work surface and roll the dough into a 20" x 15" rectangle that's a 1/4" thick.
Use a pastry cutter to cut the rectangle into twelve 1" wide strips.
Starting at one end, roll each individual strip into a circle-like a cigar. Spread the layers open slightly once the roll is formed.
Cover the pan with a clean kitchen towel and allow the rolls to proof in a warm, draft-free environment for 45 minutes-1 hour.
Mix the Egg Wash and Prepare the Sugar Glaze
While your rolls are proofing, whisk together the egg yolk and water to make the egg wash.
Set this aside while you prepare the sugar glaze.
In a small saucepan, bring the light corn syrup, water, and granulated sugar to a boil over medium-high heat.
Allow the mixture boil for 1 minute before removing it from the stove and allowing it to cool.
Now is a great time to preheat your oven to 350°F.
Bake and Top the Rolls
Once the rolls have finished proofing, brush them with a thin layer of the egg wash.
Bake the mallorcas for 20-25 minutes at 350°F, or until they are a light brown color and sound hollow when thumped.
Once the rolls are baked, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool for 15-20 minutes.
Brush one or two layers of the sugar glaze onto the rolls.
To finish the mallorcas, sift a generous amount of powdered sugar over their tops.
Enjoy within 2 days of baking them. The powdered sugar may be absorbed into the bread as they sit.
Recipe Notes
The reason you don't roll the rectangle up like a cinnamon roll and cut it is because you want to keep that snail-shaped bun as sharp as possible. Slicing would smoosh the layers together and eliminate those lines of demarcation.
I recommend freezing them after baking them, but before you sugar them. They're great in the freezer for 2 months.
Here are more of my favorite Puerto Rican recipes:
Pastelillos de Guayaba (Guava Turnovers)
It originated in Spain and was brought to Puerto Rico. It was not brought to the Dominican Republic
I didn’t say the Spaniards brought it to the Dominican Republic. I do know that many of my native born Dominican friends and most of the Dominican panaderias in NYC sell them, so at some point they’ve been introduced to the Dominican culture.
I couldn’t help but notice you mentioned the inhabitants of Old San Juan being sort of descendants of the Conquistadors…. Those conquerors did inhabit Puerto Rico but to say that PRicans in general have that ancestry linked to such people is a generalization when the bulk of Spanish migration to the island came in waves over the centuries since the 16th century. The Canarian Spanish have by far the biggest influence in Puerto Rican culture coming from the Archipiélago of the Atlantic Ocean west of Morroco.
I didn’t say conquistadors were the only Spanish ancestors we have, but to imply they aren’t the bulk when they were among the first Europeans to set foot (and further populate, no matter how barbaric) on the island is inaccurate. I recognize that with the slave trade and trade in general there were many other cultures that populated the island. But every Puerto Rican knows our culture is comprised of Africans, native Tainos, and Spaniards. I also know that had it not been for the Conquistadores doing just that- conquering- the other Spanish would’ve taken a bit longer to arrive. I’m not diminishing our people by stating that fact.
All that aside, I tend to focus on food and recipes and not history or anthropology, and I would not like to have my hardwork clouded by moot, unrelated arguments. So, I hope you enjoy the bread recipe.
What is the purpose of spreading out the dough on a sheet pan before refrigerating?
Thanks for your recipe – I look forward to trying it!
The dough is very soft at this point, so the refrigeration is needed to firm up the butter in it and make it easier to handle. Flattening it just helps it to chill in the hour. The longer you allow it to retard in the refrigerator the deeper the flavor will be. Hope this helps.
I will have to carve out some time this weekend and give this recipe a try! Thank you for the thorough explanation.
I hope so! I know you’re going to love them!
Omgoodness, these would be excellent for a monte cristo! I love that they are pretty easy to make. Thanks for sharing!
That’s the preferred sandwich for my family. They love using Mallorcas to make their Monte Cristos!
I’m a huge foodie and I can’t say that I’ve ever actually had Mallorcas before! They look absolutely amazing.
Just wait until you try them, then, Lisa! You’re going to fall in love!
I’ve never eaten anything Puerto Rican but and eager to. This is a recipe the kiddo and I will enjoy making together.
This is just the tip of the Puerto Rican cuisine iceberg, too, Tami!
These look so good! I have such a sweet tooth so tend to gravitate towards those recipes. This is perfect for a Sunday morning. (My kids catch me sneaking sweets all the time, too. Lol.)
LOL!! One the downsides of parenthood. We can no longer gorge ourselves on sweets without having to share.
I’ve never heard of this recipe but it sounds delicious, especially paired with coffee
That’s my favorite way to enjoy them- with coffee!
These look delicious! My Finnish gramma made something similar and we loved them as kids.
Oh, what a sweet memory!
Oh my!! I needed a Fall baking project for the weekend and this is definitely it!! I can’t wait!
Ooooh! Yes! This SCREAMS baking project!!
Mmmm!!!! Mine didn’t turn out as pretty, but they sure are tasty!
It takes a few times to make them perfect, but don’t even worry about it. Their looks don’t matter when you’re eating them😂🤣
Oh yummy! these look delicious and perfect with coffee…
It’s perfect for coffee!
I’ve always enjoyed reading your posts! Thanks so much for sharing and making me want to try this!
That means so much to me, Ashley! Thank you and enjoy it if you do make it!
Oh boy, I could get in trouble with these bad boys! A big ol’ cup of coffee, and I’m set! Delicious recipe.
I willingly give into them. There’s no use fighting them, especially when I have coffee within reach.
These sweet rolls almost look too beautiful to eat! They would be great for weekend mornings or brunch.
Yep! Although, we love them so much they’re an everyday breakfast for us.
The ingredients are so accessible and affordable, I bet this taste so great, thanks for sharing your recipe.. 😘
It amazes me- the wonder of bread. It’s so simple, yet so satisfying.
I’ve never eaten Mallorcas, but now I feel like that must change. These sweet rolls look absolutely mouthwateringly delicious.
Oh, yes, Erin! It absolutely must change.
I have never tasted Mallorca’s but they look amazing!! I would to try this recipe!!
I know you’re going to love them, Katrina!
Yum…I’ve never heard of Mallorca’s but they look divine. I can already imagine eating one with a cup of coffee. Agree, food does transcend cultures and this is one delicious way to do so.
Absolutely, Rosemary! Food is the great equalizer!
My goodness i want these RIGHT NOW! Definitely gonna give these a try when my diet is over.
It’s a great way to reward yourself for sticking to your diet!
You had me at hawaiian sweet rolls! Based on that description and these beautiful pictures, I definitely know what I’m making for dessert this week!!
Yes! They also work well as a dessert, but we typically serve them for breakfast.
I definitely understand toeing the line between two cultures. Food is such a strong bridge and I think you’ve definitely mastered it–especially with these Mallorcas.
So, so beautiful! I HAVE to try this for the holidays.
They’re so perfect for when you have holiday guests. Just bake these in bulk and set out a basketful of them.
Hi Marta, this recipe is looking very tempting, I have tried the Pan Sobao recipe with very fantastic
results. Definitely gonna give these a try as soon as possible.
Readying the instructions seems to me that you slice alongside of the 15 inches so the length
of each 12 slices is around 20 inches ? Again thank you for shearing your expertise. You are great!!.
Exactly, Edwin! Thank you! They’re going to be approximately 20″ long. You’re rolling out a rectangle that is 20″ long and 15″ wide. You’ll cut the 1″ strips down the length of the rectangle. You may have enough dough leftover after trimming the sides to get a baker’s dozen (13) out of the rectangle, though.
These are beyond amazing! Light, airy, just sweet enough
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
I can’t wait to make these rolls. I love how you roll them.
Thanks! These are one of my favorite Puerto Rican breads.
I have been planning on making these from a recipe by the Americas Test Kitchen series Bread book. Yours seems easier. Not being at home makes me want to recreate PR’s good food. These are great with butter and then pressed like a pannini. The powdered sugar comes on after pressed. It is messy but it has to be on there for all of it to taste right. One of the most famous bakeries in PR does them this way, La Bombonera! That is how I grew up eating them. Thanks for introducing all kinds of people to this YUMMY PR classic and many other great traditional foods.
BTW, Puerto Ricans are three races in one: Spanish, African and Native Indians or Tainos. Some of us have more melanin than others. We all look different but we are all Puertoricans! People just don’t see it that way in the USA because they have a different history coming from the English European and not the Spanish European. So your mom being from PR and your dad having African ancestors just gives you a bit more genetics of the same place. Race is a bigger issue here than in PR.
I am making your recipe this week with some of this stay at home time. Crossed fingers!
Those from La Bombonera are amazing, you’re right!
And yes, race is more of an issue in the States than it is in PR. You can’t be racist there when you have a blonde hair, blue eyed cousin and a dark skinned, wooly haired one in the same family. ❤
I only have rapid yeast, could I sub it in? What would I have to change to make it right?
Just use the same amount. Nothing changes.
Rapid rise (Instant) yeast, just allows you to skip hydrating (or activating) it in a small amount of water first. Since we don’t do that in this recipe, you can make the sponge as directed.