Cabello de Angel is an ingredient of the typical Spanish patisserie made from pumpkin strands in syrup, that is used for the filling of sweets. Its application is simple. Let’s see how are cabello de angel ensaimadas made in an industrial bakery.

? For this elaboration has been used cinnamon pumpkin strands toasted from Lazaya.

Cabello de Angel Ensaimada step by step

Ingredients:

  • Strong flour
  • Water
  • Grain sugar
  • Lard
  • Olive oil
  • Salt
  • Eggs
  • Yeast
  • Cabello de angel (pumpkin strands in syrup)

Elaboration ?? of the cabello de ángel ensaimada:

1. Some of the ingredients, in particular flour, water, eggs, grain sugar and salt, are added to the kneading machine. They mix until they get a viscous, homogeneous mass. When this texture is obtained, add the fresh yeast by melting it directly with the fingers. The temperature of the mass has to reach approximately 23 degrees Celsius.

2. After mixing the ingredients again, the dough ball is removed to the working surface, which must be impregnated with olive oil to get it to compact properly. The ball of mass is divided into pieces, which are left to settle for half an hour.

3. The pieces are taken one by one and the dough is stretched with a roll, giving it a long shape.

4. It continues to stretch until it is very thin, as if it were about to break.

5. Once we have reached the minimum possible thickness, add the lard, which will give it the crisp touch.
6. Continues to stretch manually until a fully rectangular shape is achieved.

7. The pumpkin strands in syrup are applied with the sleeve from one end to the end of the sleeve.

8. Again, the mass is left to settle for half an hour.

9. It wraps the mass longitudinally over itself, wrapping the pumpkin strands in the same movement carefully. The dough is now malleable and can be worked very well.

10. Place the dough already rolled up on the baking tray, and form a spiral, starting from the centre and rolling it as many times as possible in order to get a good puff pastry. Keep in mind that the dough will rise and fill in the spaces that now seem empty on the tray.

11. The pieces will be fermented for 16 to 20 hours at an ambient temperature of 30º C, and with 80 % humidity.
12. Afterwards the ensaimadas are put in the oven at 240ºC without steam, for a period of about 12 minutes.
13. Finally, and when cooled down, sprinkle the icing sugar over the cabello de angel ensaimadas, and they are ready for packing.

14. This is how the ensaimadas with icing sugar looks.

15. This is the look of the product, once the ensaimadas with pumpkin strands are packaged in the industrial pastry. It is typical the octagonal box in which the ensaimadas of Mallorca are packed, and which is known throughout the world.

How is Cabello de Angel made

Cabello de Angel is made from the pulp of a special variety of pumpkin: the cucurbita ficifolia, also known as cidra pumpkin or winter squash. The elaboration of cabello de angel is made from the strands of this pumpkin and its name (angel’s hair) has to do with its long filaments, similar to the hair.

The process, as we do in our preserved fruit factory, Lazaya, consists of two steps: the cooking of the pulp to soften, and the special cutting to get the threads known as ‘angel’s hair’. After that, it is candied with sugar and a touch of lemon or cinnamon is added (with more or less roasting), depending on the special needs of our clients.

A very special pumpkin ?

✅ Originally, the sweet pumpkin comes from the region of the Andes, where its use dates back more than 3.000 years: in the North of Peru there are archaeological remains that demonstrate how it was already used and marketed in the period prior to the Inca civilization.

✅ From there it spread to many other areas of the world, due to its ease of adaptation and cultivation, either in wet or dry lands.

✅ It belongs to the family of cucurbits, in which there are also zucchini and other species of pumpkins.

✅ In South American countries it is known as alcayota, cayote or lacayote. The fruits of Cucurbita ficifolia last a long time, due to the hardness of its shell.

✅ It is a climbing or creeping plant, which is entangled with tendrils. Its leaves resemble those of the fig tree (hence its “surname” in Latin, ficifolia: “of fig leaves”).

✅ There are different varieties, with predominance of white, in some, of the dark green in others, or variegated.

✅ The pumpkin for sweeten weighs between 3 and 5 kilos.

✅ When freshly picked, the fleshy part of this pumpkin can be used as an ingredient for stews. But you have to wait 6 months to be able to use your pulp in the sweet preparations.

Lazaya, your provider of cabello de angel

In our preserved fruit factory, Lazaya, we have top quality angel hair always in stock, and with different packaging options (plastic, glass, tin or cardboard box with plastic bag) for our customers to choose the most convenient for their business. The product has an expiration of between 18 and 60 months and can be kept at room temperature.

We have different product modalities in terms of Brix grades (55 to 70) and with or without sugar. If you need to know more about cabello de angel of Lazaya and its applications for patisserie, do not doubt in contact with us. We’ll be pleased of helping you.