Conchas

Recipe by Latino Foodie

Conchas are a soft and sweet Mexican bread with a white topping that resembles the surface of a seashell. This is where the concha gets its name, since “concha” means “shell” in Spanish. Growing up in Salinas these are everywhere and make you feel all cozy inside.

Process-

SOOOO these took forever to make. Like forever. I made one recipe on Wednesday and I knew going into it, it probably wasn’t going to work. Well it didn’t. The bread was like a hockey puck. Chewy, dense and heavy. Really heavy. I waited a day and found a new recipe then started again. I started at 12:30pm on Thursday and just finished. It’s 7:13. You have to proof the dough for almost 4 hours and then proof again for 45 minutes. I have to be honest, I was getting impatient and only proofed for 3.5 hour- right when I saw it was starting to rise. I even put the dough next to the fire for heat to rise quicker. It worked BTW. And then the second proof I only did 35 minutes. That is the hardest part of the process. The proofing and kneading. I think I might have had to knead a bit more to strengthen the gluten and proof longer to make them fluffier. They didn’t turn out bad, but they didn’t turn out like Lupita’s bakery in Seaside. The topping is a mixture of flour, powdered sugar, and butter. It forms sort of a paste but a paste that you are able to handle. You flatten it out in between parchment paper and then drape it over the proofed dough, then make a design with a knife. They have concha’s stamps but I have no idea where to get one.

Taste-

I don’t want to say these were bad, because they definitely weren’t! They were actually delicious. The bread is sweet and soft on the inside and the outside is lightly crisp. The paste on top is sweet and tastes like a dough. haha I’m having a hard time describing these. You add cinnamon to the dough, which gives it some flavor. I do wish I didn’t do that. All of the concha’s I’ve had have no cinnamon in the dough. These basically taste like sweet bread/ cinnamon with a crunchy/crisp dough paste on top. I’m really obsessed with them right now.

Random Thoughts-

I might make these again for a special occasion, but they take all freaking day and I don’t have the time. I’m trying to pump out photos and recipes here!

Have you seen Teachers? It was on TV land and I guess now on Amazon. It’s a really great and funny show. It’s an all female comedy troupe that had a web series and then it was turned into a show. My friend Olivia recommended it. It’s not new, but definitely worth the watch.

Some interesting news! I got my Cottage Food Operations permit! I’m so happy! I legally can sell baked goods that don’t need to be refrigerated. Bread, brownies, cookies etc. I felt really good walking out of the health department with the certificate. The lady knew who I was when I walked in. It was cute. Bring on the custom orders!

I start baking for my thanksgiving boxes Monday. I’m basically working 9 days in a row, but it’s all good. I have 4 family photo jobs this weekend and then Monday start baking, Tuesday continue to bake and then Wednesday deliver all of the boxes and then a break!

It looks like I’ll be partnering up with a small nut milk company in December. She wants to do a gift basket with her product and then add some of my treats in it. We will see. I have a call manana with her. If we figure it out, I’ll tell you more about it!

Ok chat later

-JLM