Top 10 Spanish Breads + Traditional Recipes

If your kitchen is cool like mine, it can take twice as long for the second rise. Lisa and Tony Sierra are freelance writers and Spanish food experts who lead culinary tours of the country. The percent hydration of dough can also bunuelos ecuatorianos be calculated according to its Baker’s Percentage. If you’re looking for a new way to enjoy bread in the mornings, give this recipe a chance. People enjoy it plain, with butter, or topped with sugar, jelly, or marmalade.

Mexican baked goods have become important in certain regions in the United States, especially in areas with large ethnic Mexican populations. When I lived in Madrid, mantecados were my favorite sweet treat. I don’t recall the ones I would buy in the local panaderia having any lemon juice or zest, but I’m a huge zest fan, so I’ll try the recipe exactly as written.

Conchas, monjas, limas, chilidrinas and negritos are the same basic sweet bread but with toppings that make them look quite different from one another. Mantecado is a Mexican bread that has been shaped like a pita. The word mantecado is the Spanish word for “broken bread”, and it’s a very interesting shape.

Mexicans do not generally make their own baked goods, even in the past when they generally made their own tortillas. White bread is most often consumed as part of street food such as tortas or as part of large meals as an alternative to tortillas. They’re perfect for having a late afternoon coffee with, or for a weekend breakfast in bed, or even for when you have last minute visitors coming over for a cup of coffee or tea. I tested this recipe a few times trying different baking temperatures and using different levening agents until I got the right crumb I was looking for. A traditional mantecada is made with yeast, but I opted to swap the yeast out for baking soda and baking powder, giving me a more flavorful and fluffy muffin.

The flour initially left to ferment with yeast is called madre , and bits of this used to prepare various types of dough. The mixing and kneading of large quantities of ingredients is now done by commercial electric mixers. However, the final kneading in smaller batches is still done by hand by most baking businesses.

Names for breads can vary from region to region and even from bakery to bakery. Some have whimsical, even mischievous names due to the bawdy reputation of bakers in the past as well as experimentation as one of the ways to keep entertained during the work shift. Some breads have names from Mexico’s history—Carlota refers to the empress of Mexico in the 19th century. Some relate to common women’s names such as Carmela and Margarita, and other refer to other foods such as taco, elote and zapote .

Empanada gallegas are more pie-shaped (either round, whole pies or individual square-shaped pies). It strikes the perfect balance between too dry to be good and too soggy and syrupy to eat without a giant mess. The outside is only slightly crispy, and the inside is like biting into a fluffy white cloud. This recipe doesn’t tell you how to make bread, per see. Certain towns have reputations for particularly fine baked goods.

Colonial authorities fixed the amount of wheat used, weights of breads, and prices. Each bakery had to mark their products with a seal for identification purposes. Growers of wheat had to sell to millers who then sold the flour to bakeries.

Enjoy iced or you can even enjoy warm during the fall and winter months. Elotitos — These little ears of corn are full of chocolate, or any other flavors, and engrossed in an ample sprinkling of sugar—these are created for dipping in milk or coffee. When ready to be baked, whisk egg wash ingredients together. Remove plastic or towel and brush the entire top surface of the loaf with egg wash. Let rise a second time, about 1-2 hours, depending on the temperature of your kitchen.

The baking area is called the amasijo, from the word for “to knead.” It is set in the back of the establishment. The back area contain various tables, mixers and other equipment, the most notable of which is the oven, usually set into one wall. Older bakeries in small towns may have ovens large enough to walk into with the wood added from an outer door.