Conchas



For those of you not familiar with Mexican food, conchas are a very popular Mexican sweet bread. Conchas can be found with either a vanilla, strawberry or chocolate sugar topping. My favorite is chocolate. I can't remember where I found the original recipe, but I have made a few changes to achieve a more authentic flavor. And the very best way to eat conchas, is with a cup of Mexican hot chocolate! Simply delicioso! (After posting this recipe, I think I'm going to have to bake up a batch.)

Conchas

Ingredients:

  • 3 to 3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 envelope instant yeast
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1 large egg
  • Cocoa Topping (recipe follows)

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine 1 cup flour, sugar, undissolved yeast and salt. Heat water, milk and butter until very warm (120ºF) or just until butter melts and milk begins to scald. Gradually add to to flour mixture. Beat 2 minutes on medium speed of an electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Add egg and 1/2 cup flour; beat 2 minutes on high speed. Stir in enough remaining flour, by hand, to make a soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Place in large bowl that has previously been sprayed with Pam. Turn greased side up; cover with plastic wrap. Let dough rest until double in size, about 45 to 60 minutes.

Prepare cocoa topping while dough is rising. Divide cocoa topping into 24 equal pieces; set aside.
Divide dough into 24 equal pieces. (They may look small, but will double in size.) Shape each piece of dough into a smooth ball. Place balls on greased baking sheet. Flatten each ball slightly with hand.
Flatten each portion of cocoa topping, between 2 pieces of wax paper, to prevent sticking. Place one round on each dough ball. With sharp knife, cut a 1/4-inch deep tic-tac-toe board on each concha. (I like to use cookie cutters.) Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 45 to 60 minutes.

Bake at 375ºF for 20 minutes or until dough is a light golden brown. Remove from baking sheet; cool slightly on wire rack. Enjoy!!!

Cocoa Topping: In medium bowl, cut 1/2 cup butter into 1 cup powdered sugar and 1 cup all-purpose flour with pastry blender until crumbly. Stir in 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
With Love,
Leslie Limon

*Note: You can substitute quick active dry yeast for the instant yeast.  Just be sure to dissolve it in the hot water and let it set for about 10 minutes before adding it to the flour mixture. 

12 comments

  1. Hi Leslie,

    Look at your conchas! I love them!

    Tina www.marriedtoamexican.com

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  2. Constantino,
    I know that I am quite lucky to have a local cremeria that carries yeast in packets. The yeast comes in a box which has 5 little packets of yeast!!! (The brand is "Tradi-pan")

    If you don't have packaged yeast available, just head to your local panadero and ask them for enough yeast for one kilo of flour. Most panaderos are really kind and offer lots of tips.

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  3. I bake a lot of bread, so I usually buy either a half kilo of yeast, and share with friends. Years ago I looked for little packages of yeast and they were no where to be found. Now I get most of my stuff from a restaurant supply operation. And I buy my flour in 25 or 50 lb sacks. If you bake you will be surprised on how much less expensive it is....
    Keep posting your recipes I enjoy them!

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  4. Hola Leslie!
    Por aca tambien te sigooo!!! Soy la chica mexicana que vive en Canada!Me recuerdas? Te pedi hace no mucho la receta de 3 leches en facebook! Te queria comentar que hice las conchas el dia de hoy y apesar de que salieron muy sabrosas tengo algunas preguntas. Cuando hice todo esto ... In a large bowl, combine 1 cup flour, sugar, undissolved yeast and salt. Heat water, milk and butter until very warm (120ºF) or just until butter begins to melt. Gradually add to to flour mixture. Beat 2 minutes on medium speed of an electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Add egg and 1/2 cup flour; beat 2 minutes on high speed. ... El dough estaba muy duro y no lo podia batir, entonces le puse un poco mas de leche y mantequilla, despues de 2 horas no levanto como tu me dijiste, que hice mal? a mi solo me salieron 16 conchas! Voy a volver a intentar la receta este fin de semana, lo hare con mas calma a ver si me salen tal y como a ti!
    Un abrazo desde Vancouver!
    Cynthia

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  5. Cynthia: Hola! Me da mucho gusto saber que estas siguiendo este blog. Y si, se perfectamente quien eres! No has hecho nada malo. A mi se me paso agregar que despues de añadir la media taza de harina, hay que agregar la demas harina a mano, porque si es algo pesada la masa. (Pero ya lo hice! Gracias.) En cuanto a la razon de porque no se levanto la masa, no tengo idea. Que tipo de levadura usaste? Espero que todo salga bien en tu proximo intento. Y muchas gracias por dejar este comentario.

    Ah, y no me he olvidado de tu receta para el pastel de tres leches. Nada mas que pensaba esperar hasta el dia de mi cumpleaños, porque es mi pastel favorito.

    Con Amor,
    Leslie Limon

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  6. Hola Leslie!
    Gracias por contestar! Use la levadura llamada: Fleischmann's instant yeast quick-rise, la verdad es la primera vez que uso eso! Crees que sea bueno que use el active dry yeast traditional, lo mas probable es que se tarde mas en levantar la masa pero no se si me de el mismo resultado. Te envio un fuerte abrazo!

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  7. Hola Cynthia!
    Buenas noticias, tu problema esta resuelto. La levadura que usaste es el instantaneo que no necesita reposar mas de 20 minutos. Es muy buena para otros tipos de panes, pero para las conchas te recomiendo el "Active Dry Yeast Traditional" que mencionaste. Espero que te queden aun mejores! Saludos desde Mexico!

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  8. Gracias!
    Mañana las hago y te aviso!
    Un abrazo y feliz mes patrio!!

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  9. Leslie
    Con la nueva levadura tampoco levanto! No se que me ha pasado, en el sobre de levadura dice que tengo que mezclarla con un poco de agua y azucar y si levanta al doble quiere decir que el yeast esta activo, eso no lo hice, sera por eso? El sobresito es de 8g. Sigo tus indicciones tal cual y nadaaaa!!! Voy a intentar hacerlo con las indicaciones del sobresito ...
    Gracias de nuevo y mil disculpas por hacerte tantas preguntas!
    Un abrazo!

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  10. Hi Leslie, I'm thinking about doing a "Rosca de Reyes" for el dia de los Reyes. Do you recommend this recipe or do you have any other suggestions? What about the baby that goes inside, won't it melt? I was planning on getting the kind you use on baby shower favors. I could really use your advise.

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  11. Loved your recipe! I ended up poofing the yeast with the water first before adding to flour. The other little change was I added cinnamon that I grinded using my coffee grinder. It turned out great, you could see the specks of cinamon stick through out the baked bread! I'll post a pic on Facebook as soon as I can!

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