The Concha is a variety of sweet bread from Mexico.
It is named for its resemblance to a sea shell (concha).
Also popularly known as vólcan. It features a layer of sugar, butter, and flour on top, typically white (vanilla) or brown (chocolate).
The history of the concha dates back to pre-colonial times.
After the conquest, when Europeans settled in Mexico, they began preparing wheat-based products, and over time, bakeries and pastry shops emerged throughout Mexico.
French bakers brought their recipes for brioche, and this recipe likely became the origin of the concha we know today.
In some regions of Mexico, it is filled with various sweet or savory ingredients, such as cream or beans.
Generally, the concha is consumed with hot chocolate or coffee or another hot drink.
Conchas are available in practically every Mexican bakery (panadería), where they are the best-selling sweet bread, and we found them during our trip to Mexico in November 2023.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Rest time: 2 Hours
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 16 pieces
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 4 cups flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2.5 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 cup butter
- 6 eggs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup flour
Steps
• Mix the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
• Add the butter and mix, then add the eggs and vanilla extract, and pour the warm milk little by little until the dough is smooth (you may need less or more milk because some flours absorb more liquid than others).
• Knead the dough just enough to form a ball.
• Place it in a large greased bowl to rest. Cover with plastic wrap (or wax paper) and a kitchen towel. Let the dough rest in a warm place for about 2 hours until it doubles in size.For the glaze:
• Soften the butter with a spatula until very creamy, then add the powdered sugar. Finally, add the flour little by little (if using, add ground cinnamon and/or cocoa (5g) at this step).
• Once the dough has risen and doubled in size, place it on a floured surface and let it rest for about 5 minutes. Divide the dough into 16 balls (60 grams each).
• Using your hands, butter the top of each ball and spread the glaze on each.
• Use a knife to decorate them with the traditional concha pattern.
• Let the conchas rise in a warm place until they have almost doubled in size.Bake in a preheated oven at 330°F for 20 minutes or until the bottom of the conchas is lightly golden.
FAQ
In what year was Mexico discovered?
It was Hernán Cortés, who between 1519 and 1521 destroyed the Aztec empire and incorporated it into the Spanish domains.
The conquest of Mexico was a war carried out by a small army commanded by Hernán Cortés in the name of King Charles I of Spain.
