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Huachibolas

The small bicycle town of Pomuch in Campeche has some of the best bakeries in Mexico. One of the oldest, La Huachita, still uses a brick oven and has been around for 120 years. They were kind enough to let me spend hours as a spectator, and this is a recipe I adapted from one of their creations. These small sugary breads are slightly flaky, buttery, and filled with a rich cream cheese mixture.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    makes about 18

Ingredients

Dough

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 cup tepid water
3 to 3 1/2 cups bread flour, sifted
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, at room temperature
1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

Filling

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
3 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar
Pinch of salt
1 egg , lightly beaten
Granulated sugar, for sprinkling

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    TO MAKE THE DOUGH, dissolve the yeast in the water, add 1/4 cup of the flour, stir to combine, and leave in a warm place (about 70°F) until it begins to bubble and puffs up slightly, 20 to 30 minutes.

    Step 2

    Put 2 3/4 cups of the remaining flour in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the hook attachment, add the granulated sugar and salt, and mix for about 30 seconds. Add the eggs and the yeast dough. Mix at low speed until the dough starts to come together. Add the butter gradually, in small pieces, while continuing to mix, and increase the speed to medium-high. The dough will look sticky, but resist the temptation to add more flour. Continue beating until the dough is soft and comes off the sides of the bowl, about 10 minutes. If the dough is still sticky after 10 minutes of beating, you may now add a little of the remaining 1/2 cup flour until it no longer sticks to the sides.

    Step 3

    Lightly grease a large bowl with oil or and place the dough inside. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place (about 70°F) until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours. Punch down gently, gather the sides together, flip over so that the bottom is now the top, and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight (chilling it will slow the fermentation process, making it easier to shape). Remove the dough from the refrigerator, uncover, and place a towel on top. Leave the dough to rise in a warm place (about 70°F) to come to room temperature, about 1 hour.

    Step 4

    TO MAKE THE FILLING, beat the cream cheese with the confectioner’s sugar and salt using the paddle attachment of a mixer or by hand. Roll out the dough to about 1/2 inch thick and cut into 4-inch squares (you should have about 18). Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese filling in the center of each square and bring all the edges toward the middle. Press so that they stick together, turn over, and carefully tighten into rounds on a lightly floured surface. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place (about 70°F) until doubled in size, about 45 minutes. To tell whether the dough has doubled, press lightly with your finger. It should slowly spring all the way back.

    Step 5

    Preheat the oven to 375°F.

    Step 6

    Brush the tops of the pastries with the beaten egg. Generously sprinkle with granulated sugar and bake until the tops are golden, 25 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool.

My Sweet Mexico by Fany Gerson Cookbook Cover
Reprinted with permission from My Sweet Mexico: Recipes for Authentic Pastries, Breads, Candies, Beverages, and Frozen Treats © 2010 by Fany Gerson. Photographs by Ed Anderson. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Buy the full book from Penguin Random House, Amazon, or Bookshop.
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