Ensaimadas

Ingredients

• 30 grams yeast
• salt
• 2–3 tablespoons milk
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 cuartillo milk, lukewarm
• 130 grams manteca (lard)
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• flour
• water
• sugar for dusting

Instructions

1. Combine the yeast with a pinch of salt and 2–3 tablespoons of milk until soft. In a separate bowl, dissolve 1 tablespoon of sugar in 1 cuartillo of lukewarm milk. Melt the lard (manteca), let it cool slightly, then lightly beat the eggs.
2. In a large vessel, mix the salt with the flour, then add the eggs, the yeast mixture, and the milk mixture. Stir everything together with a wooden spoon until the dough is well formed. Cover with a cloth and place in a warm location for 1½ to 2 hours, then add the water.
3. Divide the dough into portions. Dust a baking sheet with sugar. Form the ensaimadas and place them on the prepared sheet over a vessel of boiling water. When they have risen considerably, transfer them to the oven and bake until golden.