Mexican conchas

Instructions

1. Step 1

   Mix 500 g all-purpose flour with 100 g granulated sugar, 7 g instant yeast and a pinch of ground cinnamon, then add 180 g warm whole milk, 150 g eggs and 5 g vanilla extract and mix on low speed; finally, add 8 g salt. Warm milk helps the yeast work faster in this sugar-rich dough. The dough is ready when it comes together into a soft, still slightly sticky mass.

   Mark step 1 as done

2. Step 2

   Add 85 g softened butter in three additions and knead on medium speed for about twelve minutes, until the butter is fully worked into the dough. Adding the butter gradually lets the dough absorb the fat evenly and stay elastic. The dough is ready when it's soft, smooth, slightly shiny and pulls cleanly away from the sides of the bowl.

   Suggested time: about 12 minutes.

   Mark step 2 as done

3. Step 3

   Put the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let it rise somewhere warm for about an hour and a half. A dough rich in sugar and butter needs more time to rise. It's ready when it has doubled in volume and smells sweetly of yeast.

   Suggested time: about 90 minutes.

   Mark step 3 as done

4. Step 4

   While the dough rises, beat 80 g softened butter with 100 g powdered sugar until smooth, add 3 g vanilla extract, then add 100 g all-purpose flour and mix into a pliable dough; for a chocolate version, mix 8 g cocoa powder into half of it. The topping needs to be as soft as modeling clay so you can press it thin without cracking. It's ready when it comes together into a smooth ball that doesn't stick to your hands.

   Mark step 4 as done

5. Step 5

   Punch down the dough, divide it into sixteen equal pieces and shape each one into a tight ball, then arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper about five centimeters apart. Tight, round balls rise into beautifully tall domes. They're ready when the tops are smooth and the seams are tucked neatly underneath.

   Mark step 5 as done

6. Step 6

   Divide the topping into sixteen small balls, place each one between two sheets of plastic wrap and press it into a thin, flat round, then lay it on top of a ball of dough. Evenly thin rounds bake up nicely crisp and won't slide off the buns. The topping is ready when it covers most of the top of each bun and sticks firmly.

   Mark step 6 as done

7. Step 7

   Use a small knife or a concha cutter to score curved lines radiating from the center like a seashell, cutting only through the sugar topping without touching the dough. The scored lines spread apart as the buns rise, creating the signature pattern. You're done when a clear seashell shape shows on top of every bun.

   Mark step 7 as done

8. Step 8

   Let the buns rise uncovered for about 50 minutes somewhere warm and draft-free. Leaving them uncovered keeps the sugar topping from sticking and ruining the pattern. They're ready when they've puffed up noticeably and the scored lines on the topping have started to separate.

   Suggested time: about 50 minutes.

   Mark step 8 as done

9. Step 9

   Preheat the oven to 180°C and bake the buns on the middle rack for about 18 to 22 minutes. Moderate heat keeps the sugar topping from browning too quickly. They're done when the bottoms are golden brown, the topping is dry and cracks open clearly along the pattern.

   Bake at 180°C for about 18 to 22 minutes.

   Mark step 9 as done

10. Step 10

    Move the buns to a rack and let them cool for about twenty minutes before enjoying them. The sugar topping needs to cool to turn from soft to crisp. They're ready when the topping feels dry and crisp and doesn't stick to your fingers.

    Mark step 10 as done