All of these recent posts on ensaimada and the incredible responses they have received from readers, the most amusing from Marc, along with the roasting chestnuts post, had me thinking about the original ensaimadas from which our own probably evolved. I had several Mallorcan and Mallorcan-style ensaimadas on a trip to Barcelona a few years ago, and wrote this post. You may want to jump back to that post for a bit of interesting ensaimada history (other links provided in that older post) and background to Marketman’s views on ensaimadas in general. Those “original” Mallorcan ensaimadas sometimes had a pastry cream flavored with almond puree, so and in the mood to experiment, I decided to try my hand at an ensaimada (pinoy style) with some sweetened chestnut puree…
I spotted the sweetened and canned chestnut puree at the grocery a year ago and bought two cans not really knowing what to do with them. They sat in the pantry forlorn, until I decided to try adding them to the ensaimada dough (no queso de bola incorporated into the recipe). I just rolled out the ensaimada dough, added a nice amount of the chestnut puree to the middle of the dough and rolled it up and placed it in a brioche mold as usual…
They baked up really nicely, though in a few ensaimadas, the puree exploded out of some seams. Once cooled, I added lots of powdered sugar to the top of the ensaimada, in a style similar to the Mallorcan ones…
The verdict? Pretty darned good. The puree wasn’t overly sweet yet added a nice hint of flavor to the ensaimada. It was terrific with a cup of tea. The powdered sugar on top, instead of the butter and sugar and cheese that I have come to think of as totally normal, was a nice change. Overall, this version would strike you as being incredibly sweet, but it wasn’t. Mrs. MM liked this version even more than I did. Would definitely do this again, the next time spreading the puree a bit more rather than just a long line or blob of puree down the center of the dough…
27 Responses
Must be a real winner one! If I will do this – I will add beaten whole eggs into the chestnut puree and about 1/4 cup of all purpose flour and one tablespoon of butter like an almond cream. Keep in the fridge to hold its shape and pipe it through a piping bag. I will finish it off with traditional butter, cheese and sugar. The flavor must be excellent – nutty, salty, sugary, and creamy in just one bite! The endless life of ensaimada fever!
I am awaiting Bettyq’s input on this one! She must have an excellent excellent idea on this.
Ahhhh, yes, MM…fillings are endless!…frangipane, sweetened taro paste, sweetened red bean paste…even cashew butter…maybe put the filling in piping bag?
Hey Maria Clara…I got it! ..The PINOY STOLLEN!!!
MM…Yup, is there a Pinoy STOLLEN there? I was thinking frangipane…instead of almonds…casoy! What do you think? Add a bit of mace to the enasimada dough.
OH. Maria Clara…here is another one…NUTELLA!!!
I received some Hizon’s ensaymada several months back. They were frozen for the travel and I’ve kept them frozen. What’s the best way to reheat them? Microwave? Bake? I haven’t dared to attempt as I only have 2 pcs!
Ahhh..our eternal ensaimada…with a different twist. Looks yummy…yes bettyq casoy would be pinoy…with bland cocojam instead of Nutella to make it really pinoy? So early and making me hungry.
MM looks good……..
Bluegirl…was there cheese on top of the ensaymada? Before you reheat it, you might want to scrape it off ..cheeseand all the goodies! …or you will end up eating like the rind of the Parmiggiano. Ask my brother!!! If you are going to eat the entire bun in one sitting, then maybe zap it for about 8 seconds….then check it. But if you can’t gobble up the whole thing in one sitting, cut it in half. If you zap it and not finish it, what is not eaten will turn rock hard! You are better off, reheating it in your toaster oven! Are you going to turn on your oven to reheat 1 bun?
Then after you have reheated it, smear it again with butter, dust with sugar and top it with grated cheese again!
Hay, Marisse!…kaya na nga tumataas na ang cholesterol ng buong madla…sige, titigilan ko na! Mag-aaral na lang ako!!!
bettyQ….when I first started reading this post….I was thinking…nutella! As I love this stuff….as I read down the responses…there you are…you thought of nutella and more! This filled ensaymada is beginning to sound like cinnamon rolls with different fillings BUT of course much much better. yummy…gonna make some this week!
That sounds like a great way to use chestnut puree am also loving betty q’s frangipane idea too:-). I like original almond but you could try with pili nut paste too. I think you have a great idea for some Christmas giveaways next year! Try some chestnut puree/ cream of chestnut on some vanilla ice cream too, its real good.
G’Day! MM,
Yes, I have tried it with marzipan filling and topped w/ flaked almonds. I have experimented also w/ a Poppyseed paste filling…the mind boggles…but I will try this chestnut puree ensaimada. Almond paste, poppyseed paste and etc. we
can get from our local delicattessen.
Chestnut or not, yummy…Thank you for the ensaimada episodial bloggs…….Chilli Tamale
ah..grabe! :-)
I am afraid all your cholesterol are on their way up.Lipitor is more expensive than ensaymada.Think ! Think !
MM,
am suprised you didn’t do a fresh puree seeing all those fresh chestnuts from the previous post.. would it be any good if you added crumbled chestnuts in the dough or in the middle?
i think this is a winner…looks really yummy :D
Thanks BettyQ! I have a small toaster-over so I will reheat it using that. I’ve overzapped a pandesal before … might scary experience. LOL!
I remember a friend asking what to do with chestnut butter bought at a deli and we did a whole search for recipes, but this sounds like a wonderful way to use it as a filling! And the other options (Nutella!!!) are great too! Golly, this xmas may not be such a lean one after all, what with stuffing ourselves with ensaymada and sweets.
Don’t warm up anything baked containing yeast in a microwave- the bread gets tough and chewy- put it in a toaster oven instead.
Mila, that was me! I had bought a chestnut butter/jam from Terry’s. I tried it with sweet breads, pancakes, ice cream etc. It was kind of bland, though, and its flavor was too easily overwhelmed. MM, I’ve seen that canned chestnut spread, too. I was so tempted to buy it, but didn’t want to spend until I knew if it was good. I can tell it’s a darker color than the one I bought before, so maybe it has a stronger flavor, as well.
The ensaimada sounds scrumptious! I love variations on the original, as you know. My baker friend who supplies UCC sold flavored ensaimadas there years ago, I’m not sure if they still have them. They came in apple, blueberry, and Belgian chocolate. The chocolate one was yummmmy. But then, hers is the more cakey, sweet ensaimada, so you may not like it.
hoy MM, walang sinabi ang laduree sa paris. o ang marquise de sevigne. panalo ang pina-sosyal na hinayupak na ensaimada na pinang-sandwich ng giniling na kastanyas (que marron puree, que marron glacee, kastanyas pa rin yan at nakaka-diabetes)…
pero masarap. care ko kung nakakataba?
this seems really good and delish…
Ah, good old Crème de Marrons de l’Ardèche! Did you find this in the Philippines MM? That’s THE crème de marrons everyone uses here, made by the Clément Faugier company. Lovely on crepes too.
I’m wondering if I can make small ensaymadas using muffin pans, or if I really need something deeper. I’d love to try this one.
I just saw ensaimadas made in Mallorca in Mario Batali’s program “On The Road Again” with Claudia Bassols, Gwenyth Paltrow and Mark Bittman. I think the Filipino ensaimadas look and taste better.
there’s a Filipino bakery in Las Vegas who makes ensaimada with ube de jalea fillings. My friend always swings by there on her way home from California and bring me some…you’ll love them if you like ube, they are Pinoy na Pinoy kind of ensaimada.
Naku,eto na naman ang isa pagn variation ng ensaimada; hndi pa nga ako naiintimidate na nga akong mag-bake ng regular one, tapos iba na naman ang post ni Mr MM.Lahat ang sa-sarap tingnan. Bettyq: since ECC loves ube jaleya, (which my sister can make for me), I think I’l brint it to her when she makes the ensaimada (using your recipe). It will be then – the filing is mine,and the bread is her. Wow, team effort. Just cross our fingers it turn out ok. With all these posts about this now famous “bread”, we should have enough push to go for it.
tempting.. yummy for the eyes… ^___^
I’m sure with this step by step procedure from MM we can now all try all the version that we want …ube halaya, matamis na bao, longganisa, tocino etc…. We can definitely replace the siopao with ensaimada.