hey, remember when i used to cook new things on a regular basis, photograph it, and write a food blog about it? yeah, me too…
about a year and a half ago my friend, cindy, brought in some mexican sweet bread, pan dulce, to the vmth. now for those of you not in the know, i hate pan dulce. if you live in southern california, or anywhere with a mexican influence, there are panaderias (mexican bakeries) scattered throughout. and if you go into one, you are greeted with a sight of big, colorful rolls that scream, “eat me!” so you do. and then you spit it out because it’s dry, bland, and gross, and really, really dry. i don’t touch the stuff.
no
however, when cindy brought in some of her pan dulce, i couldn’t get enough. they were different- softer, sweeter, and more flavorful than the rolls of my past. apparently she got the recipe from one of her mother’s old magazines. she scanned it and sent me the recipe via email. just think, if not for cindy, this recipe would have been lost to the ages*. and now that i’m in australia, it’s one of my most loved recipes, as nothing like it exists here. the roommates especially love it, and have christened it with the name, “diabetes bread.”
*it turns out this recipe exists elsewhere on the internet. but i still like to think she saved it from extinction, just cuz she’s cool like that.
yes
here we go!
egg wash
1 egg beaten with 2 tbsp milk
in the microwave, or on the stovetop, gently heat the milk and butter until the butter is almost melted. the mixture should be warm, not hot (if it’s too hot to shower with, it’s too hot for yeast), add the yeast and let proof for 5 minutes, or until frothy. mix in the salt, sugar, flour, and eggs. turn dough onto the counter and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. let rise, covered, for about an hour.
mix all of the ingredients for the streusel in a bowl, with your hands, until you can form balls of “dough.” cover and set aside.
once the dough has risen, shape into a log, and cut about 14 equal pieces.
to assemble
concha: flatten the dough into ~3 inch discs. then take some of the streusel and flatten into a disc as well (you want it to be fairly thick (about 1/8″) use your knife to cut curved lines (connecting at one point) into the stuesel.
elote: instead of a disc, flatten the dough into a more rectangular shape. then sprinkle some of the streusel on the dough. (i like to use a lot- hence why this portion of the recipe is doubled). then roll from the short side, pulling the ends as you go. cut slashes in the top.
cover and let rise for about an hour. before baking brush the top of the plain-topped rolls with the egg wash. bake for about 15 minutes at 350F, or until golden-brown.
woah
