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Conchas
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- Total Time
- 45 minutes, plus 2½ hours’ rising
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
- 2¼teaspoons active dry yeast (1 package)
- ½cup/120 milliliters warm water
- ½cup/120 milliliters warm milk
- 1teaspoon plus ½ cup/100 grams granulated sugar
- ½cup/110 grams unsalted butter, softened at room temperature, plus more for greasing
- 1teaspoon kosher salt
- 2eggs, at room temperature
- 4cups/500 grams all-purpose flour
- 1teaspoon vegetable oil
- ⅓cup/40 grams confectioners’ sugar
- ¼cup/30 grams all-purpose flour
- ¼cup/30 grams almond flour
- ¼cup/55 grams cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- ½teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of kosher salt
For the Dough
For the Topping
Preparation
- Step 1
Make the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine yeast, water and milk. Add 1 teaspoon granulated sugar and let sit until foamy, 5 to 10 minutes.
- Step 2
Add the remaining ½ cup granulated sugar, the butter, salt, eggs and flour. Mix on medium speed until the dough forms a smooth, elastic ball that pulls away from the bowl. It should be just a little bit sticky, not completely dry like bread dough. Use your hands to lightly coat the dough ball with the oil, then return it to the bowl. Cover with a dish towel and set aside to rise in a warm place until doubled, about 2 hours.
- Step 3
When the dough has risen, butter two baking sheets. Punch the dough down lightly and use a knife or bench scraper to divide it into 12 balls (75 to 80 grams each). Arrange on the buttered baking sheets.
- Step 4
Make the topping: Combine the ingredients in a medium bowl and use your fingers to mix and rub together until the mixture has the consistency of cookie dough. Divide the topping into 12 balls (each one will be about 13 grams, if you want to be exact about it). One by one, use your fingers to press and pinch each ball into a thin circle about 3 inches across. (You could also do this on a work surface, placing the ball between two pieces of parchment paper).
- Step 5
Drape a flattened topping circle over the top of each bun, completely covering it. Lightly press any loose edges into the sides of the bun, making a snug coat on top.
- Step 6
To make a shell pattern, use a sharp knife to slash parallel lines in the topping over the top of each bun — or you could make a spiral pattern, or score the tops in a criss-cross diamond pattern. Cover with a dish towel and set aside in a warm place to rise for 30 minutes.
- Step 7
Meanwhile, heat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake buns until lightly browned on the tops and sides, about 20 minutes, rotating the pans after 10 minutes.
- Step 8
Serve warm, or let cool and store overnight in an airtight container. Reheat gently or serve at room temperature.
Private Notes
Cooking Notes
“2 eggs, at room temperature” is noted in the dough between the salt and flour
Use a tortilla press to make the topping circles. Does a great job and creates a uniformly thick layer.
The directions mention eggs but the ingredients don’t.
I made these this morning and they are fabulous despite some troubles. I used a scale to weigh the ingredients and had to add more flour to the dough to have it come together. The topping did not come together like a stiff cookie dough for me. The topping was very soft and could not be rolled out but I was able to shape it enough and drape the circles over the dough balls. I also weighed the dough balls and ended up with 15 instead of 12 (not complaining about extras). Overall, quite successful!
My favorite thing when I'm back home is to wait until 6 pm, when the local panaderia (bakery) near my mom's house will pull out of the oven a fresh batch of conchas. I would pay and eat it before I even got in my car. Best thing ever. And while you're right about the topping, I'm glad this one substitutes it. I have no qualms on eating the original recipe, but can't bring myself to cook with shortening.
These came out great! For the tops, make during the first rise! Shape at room temp, place on wax/parchment paper, and pop in the fridge/freezer for a minute or two. Lightly brush the tops with vegetable oil. Then place on the buns and score the decorations; the top will soften and drape naturally over the buns during the second rise. The veg oil helps the topping adhere without poking and pressing. 375 is too hot, I recommend 325 or 350.
Tastes amazing. Love them. Better than a doughnut. I had to add quite a bit more flour (~1/2 cup? One heaping tablespoon at a time) to get a sticky dough that wasn’t way too sticky. I also struggled with making the topping into discs. Refrigerated little balls of topping to help it shape better, but still was challenging to get thin disc without tearing /butter melting.
Great recipe, chilling the topping made it much easier to work with. The flatten, passing back and forth between floured palms (similar to making tortillas) resulted in more reliable discs that didn’t break as often.
Can I make the dough tonight and, after shaping, put in the fridge so I can put the tops on an bake in the morning? I want to have fresh conchas with my coffee in the morning? Or do I fridge after the first proof before I shape them? Thanks!
Glad to see this recipe, which takes me back to the panaderías we used to visit in Tijuana. Ah, for one of those bolillos! BUT I do not have a standing mixer, don’t want a standing mixer, and am tired of recipes that assume I have one. Big, heavy, expensive.
Made this exactly to spec. 20 minutes was maybe 3 minutes too long. I should have kept a more careful eye but I was too busy sitting on the sofa drinking Prosecco. The topping definitely stumped me cuz I couldn’t get it to come together. I ended up using the paddle attachment on the mixer and voilà problem solved. I used my hands to make the topping circles. I didn’t have enough to completely cover the rolls but they still turned out really pretty. The consistency of the rolls was perfect.
Backed these for the first time yesterday so we could have some ready for a-mad morning. Followed the recipe exactly. Everything came out perfect. The topping is hard work work with warm. Just do your best to pinch the ends to the dough. Will make a gain for sure!
This recipe gave me great results. I tried a different recipe once before but this attempt turned out far better. As people have said, the topping is a little tricky to work with but I think that’s just the nature of the thing, not a flaw in the recipe. I just tried to keep the topping cold as I worked with it. Other than adding 1/4 tsp of cardamom to the topping I stuck to the recipe as written. Loved it.
I made this substituting the yeast for instant yeast, and the almond flour for hazelnut flour. 20 minutes was definitely to long so I took it out earlier. Turned out amazing would definitely make again.
Had some trouble with the active yeast at the beginning (not a baker). Didn’t have a thermometer, but read if you put your finger into the water and it stings but you can keep it in the water, that’s the temperature you want. The yeast proofed and the dough rose well. Only issue was the topping. I wish we would’ve double the ingredients. It’s just not a concha if there isn’t that sugary topping in every bite. Oh, and our oven slightly burned some of the buns. 20 min was way too long.
These came out great! For the tops, make during the first rise! Shape at room temp, place on wax/parchment paper, and pop in the fridge/freezer for a minute or two. Lightly brush the tops with vegetable oil. Then place on the buns and score the decorations; the top will soften and drape naturally over the buns during the second rise. The veg oil helps the topping adhere without poking and pressing. 375 is too hot, I recommend 325 or 350.
I cooked these according to the directions. My first round of yeast didn't proof in the mixer bowl, probably because the bowl itself was cold. I remixed in a Pyrex measuring cup and that worked. The topping only came together when I used my hands (a pastry cutter didn't do the trick), but it was very soft and difficult to slice patterns into. I'd let them chill in the fridge before putting them on the buns next time. 20 minutes was a little too long. That said, these taste like I remember.
I really loved these, and the profess was simpler than I anticipated. However, the bottoms of mine burnt slightly. Not sure if I need to turn down the temp, or avoid using the bottom rack... I didn’t even make it the full 20 minutes. Maybe a silpat instead of a buttered pan?
Delicious!!!! I was afraid the topping wouldn’t stick but it did! I used a tortilla press to flatten them. I do agree that the topping should be done in advance and refrigerated after every step (making it, balling it, flattening it) and kept in the fridge until ready to use as it’s very fragile.
I spaced on the first proof and left it in for an hour longer - made up for this by proofing it an hour more for the second proof and punching out alll the gas in the dough before rolling out into ball.
Has anyone had an issue with the baking temp? Mine came out super dark. I’m wondering if my oven was too hot though... I made a pie at 350 right before, and then turned it up to 375 for these guys.
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