(Note the failed attempt at a Jack O'Lantern face. Pretty spooky!)
(This is an example of what your yeast will look like if active - see Step 1 of Dough Method.)
Happy October! It's boogie time! 👻👻
What better way to kick off the Halloween season than with some spooky Conchas? Conchas, being one of the most notorious Mexican Sweet Breads (or "pan de dulce", as they say), get taken up a pumpkin-y notch with the orange food coloring that is sure to bring a Halloween mood to your home. Conchas go great with some hot chocolate, be it for breakfast or dessert!
Being a bread, this recipe calls for active yeast. It'll require up to 8 minutes of kneading, and you'll also need to allow yourself time to let the dough rise before baking (4 hours of rising, to be exact!). It's worth it in the end - for you'll get 12 delicious Vanilla Conchas that are fluffy and much less dry than what is typically found at bakeries in my part of the U.S.!
Prep Time: 42 Minutes | Cook Time: 25 Minutes [+ 4 hour of rest] | Total Time: 307 Minutes
Special Equipment
3 Large Baking Pans
Parchment Paper
Plastic Wrap
1 Small Bowl
2 Large Mixing Bowls
3 Clean Towels
Electric Mixer
Ingredients (US Standard)
Dough
1/2 Cup Whole Milk
1 Packet Active Dry Yeast
1/3 Cup Granulated Sugar (separate 1 tbsp from the measurement)
3 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
1/4 cup All-Purpose Flour, (separated from other measurement)
3/4 tsp Salt
1/2 Cup Butter, melted
3 Large Eggs, beaten
Cooking Spray
Topping
1 cup All-Purpose Flour
2/3 cup Confectioner's Powdered Sugar
1/2 cup Butter, room temperature
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/4 tsp Red Food Coloring
3/4 tsp Yellow Food Coloring
Dough Method
Pour milk into small bowl, and microwave for 10-20 seconds, or until milk reaches a temperature of 105°F-110°F. Mix in the Active Dry Yeast and 1 tbsp of Granulated Sugar. Then cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap, and set aside for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, the mixture should develop a bubbly froth (see image in description). If your mixture does not look like this, it means the yeast wasn't activated and this step will need to be repeated. Pay attention that the milk is not becoming excessively hot, as that will kill the yeast.
Grease one large mixing bowl with your cooking spray, and set aside.
In a small bowl, have your extra 1/4 cup of flour ready, and set aside.
In another large mixing bowl, add the remaining Granulated Sugar, 3 1/2 cups of flour, and salt. Combine well.
Then add the melted butter, beaten eggs, and mix to combine.
Add the milk/yeast to the mixture, and knead with hands for 6-8 minutes. (If your bowl is big enough, you don't necessarily need to remove the dough. As long as you can effectively move the dough and knead it.) You'll know the dough is ready because it'll be elastic and smooth. (Note: If the dough is sticking to your hands, it needs more flour. Use the small bowl you prepared in Step 3, and add it incrementally as you knead, until the dough no longer sticks to your hands and is only somewhat tacky. I prefer to use less flour initially and add more as needed, because the less flour you use will ultimately result in a lighter and less dense bread)
Move the kneaded dough to the greased mixing bowl that you prepared in Step 2. Cover loosely with plastic wrap, and place the bowl in a warm spot for 2 hours while the dough rests and rises. (The recipe this is derived from suggests putting it on top of your refrigerator.)
Towards the end of the 2 hour rest period, prepare your large baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper.
When the dough is ready, separate it into 12 equal parts. Roll each part into a ball, and place 4 balls on each baking sheet (approximately 2-3 inches apart). Then cover with the clean towels, and place them in a warm place to rest again for another 2 hours. This will allow the rolled balls to rise appropriately.
While the dough is resting, clean out one of the mixing bowls. 1 hour after the dough's resting period, go ahead and set out the stick of butter to allow it to rise to room temperature. During the last 15-20 minutes of the dough's resting period, go ahead and prepare the topping with the clean mixing bowl and room temperature butter. (See below)
Topping Method
In the clean mixing bowl, add the 1 cup flour, powdered sugar, room temperature butter, and baking powder. Beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
Add the vanilla and the food coloring. Beat until well combined. The topping should now be a vibrant orange color.
Gather the dough into your hands, and separate into 12 equal parts. Roll the parts into balls and allow them to sit until the dough has finished its 2 hour resting period.
Bake the Conchas
Once the dough has finished its 2 hour resting period, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Remove the towels covering the baking pans. Then take one of the sugar balls you prepared in the previous step. Gently flatten the ball with the palms of your hands, until it is flat enough to cover the surface of the dough. Carefully place the flattened topping on top of the dough. Use a fork or knife to create a shell pattern in the topping.
Repeat until all balls of dough have been covered with the sugar topping.
Bake on top rack for 20-25 minutes, until dough is light golden brown. I bake mine for about 22.5 minutes and they come out perfect.
Note: If all three of your baking pans will not fit on the top rack at the same time, it is okay to bake two of the pans and then the third in a separate period. The dough will be okay resting for the extra time.
Nutritional Data
Servings: 12
Serving Size: 1 Concha
Calories: 361 | Protein: 6 | Carbs: 45 | Fiber: 0 | Fats: 17
This recipe is derived from "Conchas (Mexican Sweet Bread)" by IsabelEats. Some steps were rewritten for clarity, and the Topping ingredients were adjusted to be vanilla flavored and orange.
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