The ensaïmada is undoubtedly one of Mallorca’s most famous traditional culinary delights. This unique, snail-shaped pastry, typically enjoyed for breakfast with a morning coffee by locals and visitors alike, falls somewhere between a croissant and a lardy brioche and sells out in many bakeries across the island before mid-morning.

Although the first written references to the Majorcan ensaïmada date back to the 17th century, its origins are unknown. It is considered by some to be Moorish and others Jewish, even though it contains lard – or saïm – the Catalan translation which gives it its name, but legend places it as far back as the 13th century.

Small ensaïmadas tend to be the breakfast choice; however, super-sized versions play an essential role in local culture, and it is a rare occasion that one or two of these do not grace the table at Sunday lunch or any celebration, many with all kinds of weird and wonderful fillings, adding an extra dimension of flavour.

The process of making an ensaimada is a laborious one, and it requires patience and skill. The dough, made from flour, sugar, water, yeast, and eggs, is left to rise for several hours before being rolled out into thin strips. The strips are twisted into the traditional spiral shape and left to rise again. Finally, the pastry is baked until golden brown and then dusted with powdered sugar.

They are still one of the best souvenirs to take back home. Sold in the departures lounge at Palma airport, the octagonal-shaped boxes tied up with string seem to defy even the strictest budget airline carry-on policies, but no one seems to mind.

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