Today is week one of The Bread Basket Challenge, and I'm so excited to begin this new baking journey!
Ever since the start of this blog, I've wanted to bake conchas; a traditional Mexican sweet bread.
Conchas translates to seashells in English, and their history can be traced back to pre-colonial times.
The conchas are unique with their streusel-like topping decorated to resemble a seashell. Typically the toppings are either vanilla or chocolate flavored.
You can enjoy conchas dipped in hot chocolate or champurrado, a Mexican drink, similar to hot chocolate but thicker and made with corn/maize flour and usually cinnamon.
What should I bake next week?
Brioche
Challah
Pretzels
RECIPE:
INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup milk, divided
1 packet of active dry yeast (not instant)
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar, divided
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 Tablespoons butter, room temperature
STEPS:
In the bowl of your stand mixer, whisk 1/4 cup of milk, yeast, and a pinch of sugar together. Wait for the yeast to foam up, and then mix in (on speed low) the eggs and vanilla extract. Slowly add the flour, sugar, and cinnamon, and increase the speed of the mixer to high. Beat in the butter and continue mixing for 5 minutes. Cover the bowl with a cloth and let the dough proof for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Mix the softened butter and flour together until the streusel comes together. If you want, add two tablespoons of cocoa powder for a chocolate topping.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Divide your proofed dough into 12 balls and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Now, divide your topping into 12 balls, and flatten with the bottom of a pie dish to create a disk. Place these disks over the balls of dough. Score the topping with a concha cutter or a knife, then cover with a cloth again and proof for 30 minutes. Bake for 15 minutes and serve!
Enjoy!
- The Bored Baker 👩🏽🍳
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