Soft, fluffy Filipino brioche coiled into a spiral, enriched with butter and egg, then topped with more butter, a dusting of sugar, and grated cheese. The sweet-and-savory pastry is a beloved merienda, especially around Christmas, paired with hot chocolate or coffee.
Adopted from the Mallorcan ensaïmada brought by the Spanish, but made with butter and finished with a uniquely Filipino topping of sugar and grated cheese.
Pillowy and tender, it pulls apart in buttery, faintly sweet strands. The salty grated cheese and sugary top play against the rich crumb, making each bite at once dessert and bread.
A long, enriched fermentation and thorough kneading develop gluten that traps gas for an airy, brioche-like crumb. Coiling the buttered dough creates tender, peelable layers as the butter steams and separates them during baking.
Variations
ube ensaymada, filled with ham or salted egg, queso de bola topping, mini ensaymada
On the Palate
Where Ensaymada sits in the Filipino flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 8
How it's made
8 steps · 40 min
- 110 min
Activate yeast in warm milk with a little sugar until foamy.
Watch outWait until the yeast-milk turns foamy and frothy on top — no foam means dead yeast, and the dough won't rise.
- 210 min
Mix in flour, sugar, egg yolks, and salt, then knead into a soft dough.
- 312 min
Knead in softened butter a little at a time until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Watch outAdd the soft butter bit by bit and keep kneading until the dough turns smooth, glossy and stretches thin without tearing — that's the airy brioche crumb forming.
- 490 min
Cover and let it rise until doubled, about 1 to 2 hours.
Watch outLet it rise until doubled and a poked dent springs back slowly — under-risen dough bakes dense and heavy.
- 512 min
Roll out pieces of dough, brush with butter, and roll into ropes, then coil into spirals.
- 660 min
Place in molds and let proof again until puffy, about 1 hour.
Watch outProof the coils again until visibly puffy and light — skip this and they bake up tight instead of tender and peelable.
- 718 min
Bake until lightly golden, then cool on a rack.
- 83 min
Brush with butter and top with sugar and grated cheese before serving.
