Food ColoringOptional if you want different colored crust
Instructions
Yeast Starter
Add warm milk, sugar, and yeast to your stand mixer bowl. Set aside for 5 - 10 minutes until the yeast is activated and starts foaming. If the yeast is not foaming, check the expiration date, if still good, then start over and ensure the milk temperature is between 98-103 degrees F. Also make sure your mixer bowl is not too cold.
Concha Dough
Spoon and level 4 cups of flour and add it to the yeast starter in the mixing bowl. Then add sugar, salt, eggs, melted butter, and cinnamon to the bowl.
With the dough attachment, turn the mixer on low speed until incorporated, then turn to medium speed for 8 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and has a slight elasticity. If you are using All Purpose flour, or the dough still looks too wet, then add a tablespoon at a time until the dough starts pulling from the sides of the bowl and has some structure. Adding too much flour will cause the dough to be dense. Add 1 tablespoon at a time and mix it for a few minutes before adding more flour.
For an even softer concha dough, remove the dough from the mixer, and knead by hand for another 5 minutes on a cleaned and floured work surface. Form the dough into a smooth ball and transfer to a clean bowl that has been greased with butter. Then flip over to grease the other side. Cover your dough with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and allow it to proof in a warm place, for 1 hour. If you have a proof setting on your oven, use this. Otherwise if your house is cold, it may take up to 2 hours before it can double in size.
Sugar Crust
In a clean bowl, combine room temperature butter and powdered sugar, mix until creamy. Add the cinnamon, vanilla, and flour. Continue to mix until a thick paste is formed. Divide the sugar paste into the number of colors you plan on using for the crust. Add desired Food Coloring and mix well. For a chocolate crust, add 1 tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa.
Then divide sugar paste into 12 equal portions and roll them into a smooth ball and set aside until concha dough has doubled in size.
Making the Conchas
Once the dough has doubled, punch it down and cut into 3-3.25 ounce pieces (weighing your dough ensures you have an even bake for your bread). This will make approximately 12 dough balls.
Roll each dough ball into a smooth ball and place onto a lined baking sheet with parchment paper or silicon.
Place each ball of sugar crust between 2 pieces of plastic wrap or parchment paper. Use the bottom of a 1 cup measuring cup or tortilla press, and press down on the sugar ball to form a flat circle. Remove the top plastic wrap and transfer the sugar crust onto the top of each Concha. Once all the dough balls have been covered, use a butter knife and score the sugar crust to make it look like a shell, spiral circle, or crisscross pattern. Cover with a clean kitchen towel, and allow to rise again for 1 hour in a warm area or proofing oven.
After an hour, Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place Conchas in the oven and bake for 15-18 minutes. Conchas should be slightly browned around the edges and sugar crust slightly hard. Remove and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack. Serve with a warm cup of coffee or hot chocolate.
Video
Notes
Recipe adapted from Hangry In PhxIf the yeast did not activate and form bubbles, you need to read through the troubleshooting tips and start over. The concha dough will not be good if the yeast is dead.Use a instant thermometer and kitchen scale for accurate results.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.More Dessert Recipes:JericallaChocoflanMexican Hot Chocolate
Nutritional information is provided as an estimate only and depends on ingredients and amounts used. Thai Caliente makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.