Conchas (Mexican Sweet Bread)

Conchas or Pan Dulce is a popular Mexican Sweet Bread with a sugar crust topping that can be in different colors or flavors.

Reader Jen Says: “I make these conchas every year for Dia de los Muertos and they’re always a hit! The amount of cinnamon is perfect, even for my kid who hates cinnamon rolls. The sugar crust can be little challenging; I’ve subbed shortening for the butter and found it a little easier to get the texture right.”★★★★★

To achieve a delicious, authentic Mexican Concha, take your time and don’t rush the process!

Like most yeast-based dough, you need to be patient and allow the concha dough enough time to rise. I highly recommend watching my YouTube Video to see the detailed steps to successfully make conchas at home.

What is a Concha?

Concha in Spanish means ‘shell’, and this dessert is traditionally designed to look like a shell. Conchas are a type of Pan Dulce, Sweet Mexican Bread.

Conchas are found in Mexican Bakeries known as Panaderias. The dough is slightly sweet, but the sugared crust provides most of the sweetness to this dessert bread.

How to Make the Concha Dough

For best results, use Bread Flour, however, all-purpose flour can be used instead. Just keep in mind you may need more all-purpose flour, but start with the listed amount.

In order for the yeast to activate properly, use a thermometer to test the temperature of the milk. This recipe was tested with whole milk, and the temperature should be between 98 and 103 degrees F.

Once you add the sugar, yeast, and warm milk together in a bowl of a stand mixer, bubbles should start forming after 5-10 minutes. If you do not see bubbles, then you need to troubleshoot:

• The yeast has expired, check the date. If the yeast is expired, you need to start with new yeast.
• The milk was too cold and the yeast could not activate.
• The milk was too hot and killed the yeast. Start over, and measure the temperature of the milk again to ensure it’s the right temp.

Additionally, you want to make sure your eggs are at room temperature and the unsalted butter is melted, but not too hot.

If you are using all-purpose flour, you may need to add more, but start with the listed 4 cups of flour. Whenever you measure flour, always spoon it into the cup and level it off.

I used my KitchenAid Mixer with the dough attachment to mix the dough on medium speed, which is so much easier than kneading by hand. The dough needs to be combined for about 8 minutes to get a nice smooth ball.

You can do this process by hand; just know it will take some muscle. I also recommend kneading by hand for 5 minutes after removing the dough from the mixer. Clean a work surface, sprinkle some flour, and knead by hand until smooth. This will ensure you get a really soft concha dough.

Place the ball of dough in a large, greased bowl. I flip it over to get buttered on both sides, then cover it with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Allow the bread dough to proof for 1 hour or until it doubles in size. The area needs to be warm and a draft-free place. If you have a proofing option on your oven, that will be the best option. Otherwise, it may take up to 2 hours to rise if your house is cold. You can start on the sugar topping while the dough is on the first rise.

How to Make the Sugar Crust Topping

The base recipe for the sugar crust will produce an off-white topping. In Mexican Bakeries, you’ll find conchas in different colors like pink or yellow. Just add a few drops of food coloring to get the desired color you like. You can divide the mixture by the number of colors you want to make or just keep them all one color.

To make the chocolate crust, add 1 tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder to the butter, powdered sugar, and flour mixture. You can also add different flavors, like vanilla, almond extract, or orange extract, to the sugar crust.

Once the topping is mixed, divide it into equal pieces, about 1 large tablespoon, and roll into a round ball.

Transferring the Sugar Crust

Once the concha dough has doubled, punch it down and roll it back into a ball. For even-sized conchas, use a kitchen scale to weigh each portion. Take a piece of conch dough and roll it into a smooth ball. The weight I used is 3-3.25 ounces. Place the dough balls on a baking sheet lined with a silicon mat or parchment paper.

Now, take the sugar crust ball and flatten it with either a tortilla press or the bottom of a measuring cup. With either method, use plastic wrap or parchment paper to ensure the sugar topping can be transferred easily onto each dough ball.

Now the fun part of making the design! You can do a traditional shell pattern, a circular shape, or a checkered pattern. Simply use a butter knife to score your design. I prefer to lightly make the design since the dough will expand more thus making the design spread apart.

Second Proof and Baking the Conchas

Once the conchas are topped with the sugar crust and the design is carved, cover with a clean kitchen towel and allow to proof again for 1 hour. Make sure the baking tray is placed in a warm area or in a proofing oven. Once the conchas are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375° F. Be sure to remove them if they are oven-proofing before turning it on!

Bake the conchas for 15-18 minutes, or until the sides are lightly browned and the top has slightly hardened. Allow the conchas to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then remove them to cool on a wire rack.

My favorite way to enjoy this Mexican sweet bread is while it’s still slightly warm and with a hot cup of coffee. Please try it this way! My kids love conchas with warm milk or a cup of hot cocoa.

Conchas are best served the same day; however, leftovers can be stored in a zip-top bag or sealed container at room temperature for 3 days.

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