Name: Rainbow Sprinkle Conchas
Cook time: P0Y0M0DT0H50M0.000S
Total time: P0Y0M0DT4H20M0.000S
Yield: 12 conchas
Cuisine: mexican
Ingredients: 3/4 cup whole milk, warmed to about 110 degrees F; 1 tablespoon active dry yeast; 1/2 cup granulated sugar; 3 large eggs, at room temperature; 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 3 1/2 cups bread flour, plus more for dusting; 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt; 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced and at room temperature; 1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles; Oil, for greasing; 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting; 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar; 3/4 cup vegetable shortening, at room temperature; 1/3 cup rainbow sprinkles

Directions

Watch how to make this recipe.

Special equipment:

a concha cutter

For the dough: Combine the warm milk, yeast and 1 teaspoon of the sugar in a small bowl or measuring cup. Allow to rest until foamy, about 10 minutes. Whisk together the eggs and vanilla in a separate bowl and set aside.
Combine the flour, remaining sugar, salt, yeast mixture and egg mixture in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. Knead at medium-low speed until the dough comes together. Increase the speed to medium and then add the butter 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing well after each addition. Increase the speed to high and knead until the dough becomes smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 5 minutes. It will be slightly sticky.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and pour the sprinkles on top. Knead the dough a few times with your hands until the sprinkles are evenly dispersed throughout the dough. Oil a large bowl and place the dough in the bowl. Cover with plastic and allow to rise in a warm spot for 2 hours or until doubled in size.
Meanwhile, for the topping: Combine the flour, confectioners’ sugar and shortening in the bowl of an electric mixer until the dough comes together. Stir in the sprinkles by hand until evenly mixed in. Cover in plastic wrap and allow to rest at room temperature until ready to use.
Once the dough has risen, line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper and set aside. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Divide it into 12 even pieces, each roughly 90 grams. Roll each piece into a tight ball and place the balls on the prepared baking sheets, 6 per sheet. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rest until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
During the last 20 minutes of the second rise, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Transfer the topping to a floured work surface. Divide into 12 even pieces. With floured hands, roll each into a ball and then pat between your palms into a 4-inch circle. Make sure your hands are well floured to prevent sticking (see Cook’s Note). Use a concha cutter or the back of a paring knife to lightly score a shell pattern on top of each. Place each on top of a risen dough ball, pressing gently. Repeat until all are covered.
Bake until the conchas are lightly golden-brown around the edges, 20 to 22 minutes total, rotating the pans front to back and top to bottom halfway through. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before serving.

Cook’s Note

When shaping the topping, make sure your hands are well floured at all times. Alternatively, you can roll out the dough and cut out circles if you prefer.