S’mores Conchas
S’mores Conchas
Fermented Dough
Demo and Recipe Below!
August 10th is National S’mores Day, and this recipe continues our tradition of celebrating pan dulce with playful creativity. Bringing together Mexican baking and summertime flavors in one nostalgic concha.
We start with a cinnamon bizcocho dough made with whole wheat flour to complement the flavor of the graham cracker. Fine ground cinnamon, and the dough is sweetened with a mix of dark brown sugar. The result is a deeper, toastier flavor that sets the tone for this seasonal concha.
Each concha is topped with our traditional sugar crust blended with graham cracker crumbs, then inverted over cinnamon sugar before baking. This creates a crunchy, caramelized finish that mimics the texture and flavor of a graham cracker.
As soon as the conchas come out of the oven, we press a piece of chocolate into the warm topping, so it begins to melt. A marshmallow is placed on top and then torched until gooey. To complete the look, a graham cracker is pressed on top for a full s’mores experience.
Ingredients
Cinnamon Bizcocho Dough
350 grams (2 1/2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
150 grams (1 cups) whole wheat flour
21 grams (3 packages) instant yeast (fast-acting)
180 milliliters (3/4 cup) whole milk
150 milliliters (3 large) eggs (without shells)
60 grams (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
60 grams (1/4 cup) brown sugar
5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
6 grams (2 1/2 teaspoons) fine-ground cinnamon
10 grams (2 teaspoons) salt
115 grams (1/2 cup or 1 stick) unsalted butter (at room temperature)
Total dough weight: 1,107 grams
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
145 grams (1 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour
75 grams (1/2 cup) ground graham crackers
150 grams (3/4 cup) granulated sugar
143 grams (3/4 cup) vegetable shortening
2 grams (1/2 teaspoon) fine-ground cinnamon
10 grams (2 teaspoons) salt
115 grams (1/2 cup or 1 stick) unsalted butter (at room temperature)
Total topping weight: 515 grams
Note: For a chocolate sugar topping, 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder will be needed per 250 grams of topping.
Cinnamon Sugar Decoration
200 grams of granulated sugar
10 grams of ground cinnamon
2 grams of salt
Toppings
Marshmallows or marshmallow cream
Graham crackers
Chocolate bar
Equipment:
6-quart electric stand mixer with paddle and dough hook attachments
One plastic dough scraper
Handheld wire whisk
Digital scale with gram capabilities
Stainless-steel bowl
Concha stamp
Plastic wrap
Torch
6, ¼ sheet baking trays or 3, ½ sheet baking trays
Dough Mixing Procedure
In a stainless-steel bowl, combine both all-purpose and wheat flour, then pour the dry yeast over the flours and mix by hand using the wire whisk. Set aside.
Add the milk, eggs, granulated sugar, dark brown sugar, and vanilla to the bowl of the stand mixer and combine by hand, using the wire whisk.
Attach the paddle attachment to the mixer.
On low speed, using a small scoop or measuring cup, gradually mix in the flour and yeast mixture to make a very soft dough. Mix for 1 minute on the stir setting.
Add the salt and cinnamon and continue to mix for 30 seconds on 4th speed.
Stop the mixer and remove the paddle attachment, then scrape the sides of the bowl, using a plastic scraper. Replace the bowl and attach the dough hook.
Using the dough hook, knead on medium speed until the dough is cohesive, but still quite soft. 2nd speed for 30 seconds.
On 2nd speed, add the butter in increments – 1 minute.
The dough will become very slack, but continue to knead until it firms up.
After kneading for 4 minutes, stop the mixer and lower the mixing bowl.
Using the plastic scraper, scrape down the sides of the mixer so the dough forms.
Continue to knead for an additional 20 - 25 minutes on 4th speed, scraping in 10-minute increments. Mix to full dough development. The need to knead.
Dust the countertop with flour.
Remove the dough from the mixer using the plastic dough scraper.
Invert the dough bundle onto a flour-dusted countertop.
Shape and round the dough using a tuck and pull method.
Place the dough in a buttered or greased bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and set aside.
Can be refrigerated at this point (not to exceed 18 hours).
While the Cinnamon Bizcocho dough ferments, make the Sugar Toppings. Set the toppings aside.
Dust the countertop with flour.
Remove the dough from the bowl after 60 minutes, or from the refrigerator after an overnight fermentation.
Once the dough has fermented, remove the plastic wrap and place on a floured surface.
Fold in the four corners of the dough to form a bundle, and invert.
Flatten the dough to form a rectangle.
Using the plastic dough scraper, divide the dough into four equal strips.
Cut the dough strips into pieces and use the digital scale to weigh the dough pieces out at 55 grams.
You will have a total of 22, 50-gram dough pieces.
The option to make miniature s’more conchas can be achieved by dividing the dough pieces and sugar topping in half.
Grease 6 pans (13” x 9.5”) by lightly spreading shortening (non-stick spray is not recommended as the breads will slide during processing).
Add some shortening to your hands and round the dough pieces tightly, then place on the greased baking pans. 4, pans will contain 4 dough balls. The 5 – 6th pans will contain 3 dough pieces.
Once all dough pieces are rounded, take additional shortening on your hands, and apply onto the rounded dough pieces. Make sure and cover the entire dough piece. *The shortening serves as an adhesive when applying the sugar topping.
Using a towel, remove all shortening from your hands and scrape any shortening or dough residual from the countertop using the plastic dough scraper.
Proceed with instructions for forming the conchas.
Sugar Topping Procedure
Start by adding shortening, sugar, and graham cracker pieces to the mixing bowl.
Using the paddle attachment, mix on 6th speed until creamy, about 2 minutes.
Stop the mixer and scrape using the plastic scraper. Expect graham cracker pieces throughout.
Turn to 2nd speed and mix in the flour in increments, until absorbed, about 1 minute.
Add cinnamon and continue to mix for 1 minute on 2nd speed.
Increase speed to 4th speed, and beat until the dough clumps into a paste, about 2 to 4 minutes.
The sugar topping needs to stick to the sides of the mixing bowl.
Chocolate Sugar Topping
For a chocolate sugar topping, divide the paste into two parts.
Mix 250 grams of sugar topping with 6 grams (1 tablespoon) of cocoa powder
Mix to form a chocolate paste.
Concha Procedure
Divide the sugar topping into groups of 80 to 100 grams. Dust the countertop with flour.
Take the sugar topping and gently roll over the floured surface and into a log. About 1 ½ inch diameter.
Using the plastic dough scraper, divide the log into 1 tbsp / 20 to 25-gram pieces. 4 pieces total.
Flouring your hands again, one at a time, pat a portion of the topping between your palms to make a thin disk (similar to patting out tortillas).
Place the disk carefully over each ball, pressing gently so the disk adheres.
Spread to cover the entire dough piece with the sugar topping.
Lightly dust the covered dough pieces with flour and flatten using the palm of your hands.
Flip the topped dough pieces over the cinnamon sugar and press before placing back onto the baking tray.
Using a concha cutter, stamp the design just into the topping, being sure not to cut into the dough. You can make the design using the dull side of a knife.
Let stand in a warm place (about 75ºF/24ºC) until the conchas look puffed if not doubled in size. About 30 – 60 minutes.
The topping will begin to separate between the cuts. The separation of the topping is an indication that the conchas are ready to be placed in the preheated oven.
Position racks in the top third and center of the oven and preheat to 350ºF/180ºC. If you have a convection feature, use it—no need to adjust the temperature; however, reduce fan speed or turn it off altogether.
Bake, switching the position of the pans from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking, until the sweet breads look golden brown, and the topping is crackled, 20 to 25 minutes. Baking times will vary based on oven and capacity.
Carefully place a chocolate piece over each concha while still hot. Slightly press so that the piece melts into the topping.
Place a marshmallow over the melted chocolate and use it as an adhesive so it firms up when cooled. Using a hand torch, lightly roast the marshmellow so that it achieves a slightly blackened appearance.
Let cool completely on the pans. (The sugar topping is very hot and fragile out of the oven.).
Remove using a spatula (offset or fish spatula).
To store, transfer the cooled sweet breads to an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 1 day or freeze for up to 3 months.
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Alex Peña
“Baking is the most rewarding part of my culinary experiences.”
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