Conchas (mexican Sweet-topped Buns)

Total Time: 3 hrs 20 mins Preparation Time: 3 hrs Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 3 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup warm water (105 degrees f to 115 degrees f or 40 to 46 celsius)
• 1/2 cup lukewarm milk (scalded, then cooled)
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 3 1/2-4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup butter or 1/4 cup margarine
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest

Recipe

• 1 dissolve yeast in warm water in large bowl.
• 2 stir in milk, sugar, butter, salt, egg and 2 cups of the flour.
• 3 beat until smooth.
• 4 stir in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle.
• 5 turn onto a lightly floured surface.
• 6 knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
• 7 place in a large greased bowl, then turn greased side up.
• 8 cover and let rise in a warm place until double, about 1 1/2 hours.
• 9 the dough is ready if it leaves an indentation when touched.
• 10 meanwhile, prepare flavored topping dough.
• 11 punch dough down; divide into 12 equal pieces.
• 12 shape each piece into a ball; place on greased cookie sheet.
• 13 flavored topping dough.
• 14 beat sugar and margarine until light and fluffy.
• 15 stir in flour until mixture is the consistency of thick paste.
• 16 divide into 3 equal parts.
• 17 stir cinnamon into one part, vanilla extract into one part and orange peel into one part.
• 18 divide each part of dough into 4 equal pieces.
• 19 pat each piece into a 3-inch circle.
• 20 place 1 circle of topping dough on each ball of dough, shaping it down over the ball.
• 21 make 5 or 6 cuts across the topping, using a table knife, to form a shell pattern.
• 22 cover and let rise until double — about 40 minutes.
• 23 heat oven to 375 degrees f (190 celsius).
• 24 bake buns until golden brown, about 20 minutes.