It is very hard to write down how to do bread.  (Which is why my next big adventure is going to be a U-Tube channel!)……but I digress…..

I am going to do my best to describe how to make these wonderful sweet rolls that Maytee says are “As good as any she has ever tasted”.  You don’t understand how fabulous a compliment that is from a TRUE Puerto Rican!  It’s like an Academy Award….or at least a Daytime Emmy!!!   Anyway, here’s my best shot at telling you how to make Majorcas.  One more NOTE:  In all my searching on UTube of Puerto Rican foods, I learned that Majorcas, while very similar to our sweet rolls, are often made into  Cheese Sandwiches the next day!  Here goes:

If you are an experienced bread baker, you know what dough needs to feel like when it goes to rise.  I always describe it as “like a Baby’s bottom”.  Soft and dry (hopefully).  But the one big difference I found in these rolls was that they start the first rising with a much “wetter” dough than I am used to.  So remember that when you put them in a big bowl to rise the first time.  The other difference I noticed is that a lot of the Puerto Rican breads rise 3 times, as opposed to my 2.  This one rises wet, then you add more flour, and it rises again, then it rises when you cut and roll the rolls.

SO…..here we go with a very basic sweet dough.

MAJORCAS

6 cups flour (keep a little extra on the side for adding)

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

1 stick room temperature butter

1 Tbs. (or one envelope) yeast

1 cup warm water  (about 120-130 degrees)

3 eggs

1 cup warm milk

1 cup sugar

(a little more butter to spread on top just before you bake the rolls)

Put yeast in the warm water and add 1 tbs. of the sugar.  Let it set about 10 minutes.  Yeast and sugar will foam up.   Into the warm milk, add the vanilla, the butter and mix till smooth.  When the yeast mixture is foamy, add it to the milk/butter mixture.

Add the salt and remaining sugar to the flour.  Then add the dry ingredients to the wet in batches, stirring after each addition.  Begin kneading when all has been added and it is too dry to stir.    When the dough will form a loose and pretty wet ball, put it into a large bowl and cover with a towel.  Rise it about 30 minutes, then add some flour and roll it out into a large rectangle onto a floured surface.  Cover loosely with a towel and let set 15 minutes.  Then cut the dough with a pizza cutter or knife into strips about 1″ wide.  Roll each one into a pinwheel, and carefully place in a large greased pan.  This recipe made the two pans shown above.  Let rise again about 20-30 minutes and just before baking brush melted butter on top.  Bake about 25-35 minutes at 350 degrees.  When it comes out of the oven, immediately sprinkle powdered sugar over the top.  NOTE:  This recipe was part of my Puerto Rican Obsession when I came back from my trip.  I immediately began researching their food, and found the most interesting lady ever on UTube.  If you are at all interested in this subject, search Evelyn Dominguez on her UTube channel.  You can find her by searching Majorcas.  Very rudimentary production, but SO fascinating for food fanatics like me.  Thank you Evelyn!  Also, she says that they like to make cheese sandwiches out of Majorcas the second day.  Wow……that’s a new one!