Ensaimada with Marron Glace

My recipe is a spin-off from the authentic Ensaimada de Mallorca. The Emsaimada is stretched paper thin and smothered with lard and rolled with cabello de angel, a green spaghetti squash jam. It is also stuffed with many other sweet compote or cream and even with savory goodies. It's crusty when eaten fresh from the oven. Mine is more like a sweet brioche shaped like an ensaimada but just as delicious, I say. A first degree cousin to the Mallorcan one I must add. I should visit the islands again to see my relatives. This is how I made it.

Give the marron glace a rough chop, about a cup and set aside. In a small bowl heat a cup of water in the microwave oven for one minute. Stir into the warm water 1 1/2 packet of dry yeast, 2 tablespoon of sugar and a cup of unbleached bread flour. Let it rise to double for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile beat 5 large eggs adding 2/3 cup sugar. Beat in 1 cup of potato flakes, 1/3 cup of vegetable oil and 1/2 stick of softened butter. Add the yeast mixture and quickly smooth the batter with a stick blender adding a teaspoon of salt last. Then you can start stirring in 5 cups of the bread flour one at a time. Each time the flour must be blended completely. Start kneading the dough when firm enough but still a little sticky.You don't want it too dry. Knead for at least 5 minutes. Put in a huge bowl cover and let rise for 3 hours in a warmed oven. By the way, the mashed potato is the baker's secret ingredient for soft buns.

When doubled in size divide into 4 equal parts.Take one part and form a dowel of a foot long. Press and stretch on all sides to make an approximately 2 by 1 feet rectangular.

Brush the stretched dough with melted butter and scatter the marron glace evenly. Roll and coil the it loosely on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and let rise again for at least 2 hours or when it has doubled in size. Brush the risen coil gently with egg wash. Bake in a 350 degree oven for approximately 16 minutes. It should be fully baked and golden brown by then. Brush top with melted butter, dust with superfine sugar, garnish with one marron glace and serve.