Ensaïmada

What is

Piece of pastry made of fermented dough with saïm (lard), in a spiral, sprinkled with sugar. The most recognizable edible object in Mallorca and a form before a recipe. Protected as PGI Ensaïmada de Mallorca.

How is

• Cord of dough rolled in a spiral on a round base.
• Llisa (without filling) or with cabell d'àngel, cream, cream, sobrasada and carbassat.
• Ensaïmada entrunyellada or twisted: three-strand braided cord (Mall.).
• From individual to giant; to take away, in an octagonal cardboard box (to verify the origin of the format).

How is fa

• Dough of flour, water, sugar, egg and sourdough; It is stretched very thin, spread with saïm, rolled into a cord and twisted; It ferments and is baked in the oven ( forners ).

Com s'usa

• Breakfast, snack with chocolate ( xocolaters ), travel gift.

Vocabulary

• ensaïmada (var. ensiamada) — from saïm, butter.
• ensaïmada entrunyellada — braided (Mall.).
• ensaïmada (fig.) — spiral women's hairstyle; also fossil ammonite (Mall.).
• plain — without padding.

History

• 18th century: documented (Viquipèdia); unproven hypothesis of origin in a Jewish candy.
• 1895: Jules Verne, Clovis Dardentor: the travelers return to the ship loaded with ensaïmadas.
• 1996: specific name; then IGP.
• 2023: fraud of frozen industrial ensaïmadas, made outside the Balearic Islands, sold as artisanal at airports.

On veure'n

• Ovens and pastry shops throughout the island; Forn Fondo (Palma), Forn des Pla de na Tesa (Marratxí).

Why is it design

• Form-brand: the spiral is identity without a logo.
• Travel packaging as part of the product.
• The PGI protects the form and ingredients.

For the project

• Redesign of travel packaging with artisan ovens (local cardboard, no plastic).

Sources

• dcvb.iec.cat/results.asp?Word=ensa%EFmada
• ca.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ensa%C3%AFmada
• yachtingmagazine.com/island-icon-baker-pau-llull/

Working text from the Disseny Indígena knowledge base, machine-translated from Spanish.

Open it in the atlas →