Okay, so I tried making this “fake” Mexican sweet bread, you know, conchas, and let me tell you, it was a journey. I’ve always loved those fluffy, sugary buns from the panaderia, but I’m no baker. Still, I saw a recipe online and thought, “Why not?”
First off, I gathered all the ingredients. Flour, sugar, yeast, eggs, milk, butter—the usual suspects. The recipe called for shortening too, which I guess is key for that signature texture. I mixed the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ones in another. Seemed simple enough, right?
Then came the yeast. I warmed up some milk, added a bit of sugar, and sprinkled the yeast on top. It was supposed to get all foamy, like a science experiment. Mine did bubble a little, but not as much as I expected. I went ahead anyway, hoping for the best. I combined everything and started kneading. Now, I’ve seen bakers do this on TV, and they make it look so effortless. Me? I struggled. The dough was sticky, and I ended up adding more flour than the recipe called for. I kneaded and kneaded, wondering if I was doing it right, until my arms were sore.
After what felt like forever, I put the dough in a greased bowl, covered it, and left it to rise. The recipe said it should double in size, so I waited. And waited. It did rise, but again, not as much as I’d hoped. Still, I punched it down (that part was fun!) and divided it into little balls.
Making the Topping
- Mixed: I mixed up the topping which is basically a sweet, crumbly paste made of flour, sugar, shortening, and a bit of vanilla.
- Divided: I divided the topping and colored half of it pink, because why not?
- Flattened: I flattened little pieces of the topping and put them on top of the dough balls.
- Scored: Finally, I scored the topping with a knife to make that classic shell pattern.
I popped them in the oven and watched them bake. They did puff up a bit more in there, which was a relief. When they came out, they were golden brown and smelled pretty good, if I do say so myself. I let them cool for a bit, then took a bite.
The verdict? They weren’t perfect. They were a little denser than the ones from the bakery, and the topping could have been sweeter. But you know what? They were still pretty tasty. And I made them! It was a lot of work, but kinda worth it. I might try again sometime, maybe with a different recipe or some tips from a real baker. But for now, I’m proud of my not-so-perfect “fake” Mexican sweet bread. It’s not exactly the real deal, but hey, I gave it a shot, and that’s what counts, right?
