mickey mouse inspired conchas
These Mickey-shaped conchas are a treat that make me nostalgic for two things I loved and enjoyed as a kid – eating colorful pan dulce on Saturday mornings, and Disney. A magical mash-up, indeed.
nostalgically delicious (and kid approved).
Growing up near Anaheim, California, I spent many weekends at Disneyland, eating churros and Mickey-shaped ice cream bars. Now that I live in Texas, I don’t get to frequent Disney as often I’d like, but these Mickey conchas take me back to my days in Anaheim, strolling down Main Street and allowing my nose to lead the way as scents of cinnamon sugar and buttery popcorn drift through the air.
My little nephew was my taste-tester for this recipe, and he absolutely loved them. He loves Mickey-shaped things (he’s obsessed with a Mickey-shaped waffle magnet I keep on the fridge), so I gained some Cool Auntie points thanks to this recipe.
the flavor, texture and shelf-life of conchas.
I bake conchas frequently. At least twice a month, maybe more. And when I’m working on recipes, up to 4 times a month. I’ve had time to really experiment with flavoring conchas and working with ingredients that are ideal for maintaining freshness, flavor and softness.
Conchas are pretty simple when it comes to flavoring the dough. Pure vanilla extract and cinnamon are two of the most common ingredients used to flavor conchas, along with citrus and other spices. For cinnamon, I like using Ceylon. It’s a bit more floral and bright compared to cinnamon you’d use for cinnamon rolls, which separates the flavor from any sort of sweet bread you may have had before.
Conchas are notorious for becoming dry and stale quickly. This is due to low quality ingredients typically used to assist with shelf stability. To be honest, I’ve never complained about a dry concha (the drier the concha, the better the cafecita soaks up), however homemade conchas don’t have to encounter the same fate.
My recipe calls for salted butter, light brown sugar, milk powder and an extra egg yolk for added richness and depth of flavor. The brown sugar and egg yolk add extra moisture to the bread, due to the molasses from the sugar and the fat from the yolk.
The milk powder improves the overall flavor of the dough, and yields a tender and much softer texture. Salted butter also adds incredible flavor – the salted fat transfers throughout the dough, almost like a vehicle for flavor. The combination of these enriching ingredients makes a much softer and tender concha that will keep soft and fresh on the counter (wrapped or stored) for up to a week.
a little note before starting this recipe.
If this is your first time ever making conchas, I encourage you to put this recipe on hold and try a traditional concha first. I have a recipe for traditional conchas here.
Making conchas can be a process that takes time, patience, and a whole lot of ambition. If you’ve never had a concha, definitely check for any local panaderias or home bakers in your area who may sell them.
tools & ingredients
tools for the process
- Stand mixer with dough hook attachment optional
- 2 13″ x 18″ baking sheet pans
- Baking mat optional
- Bench or dough scraper optional
- Cake pan, pie plate or tortilla press (for pressing topping)
- Small and smooth paring knife or concha stamp
- plastic wrap
- parchment paper or 2 silpats
- 5″ Mickey shaped cookie cutter
ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour
- Granulated Sugar
- Light Brown Sugar Adds more depth of flavor, and can be substituted with piloncillo.
- Whole Milk
- Active Dry Yeast Requires activation, but produces a much fluffier bread compared to instant yeast.
- Salted Butter Allow the butter to soften for an hour. It should be soft and pliable, but not greasy, melty or slick between your fingers.
- Large Eggs + Egg Yolks
- Pure Vanilla Extract Do not skip this ingredient. Pure Mexican vanilla can be purchased online or in some grocery stores, and provides exceptional flavor. Pure vanilla extract will also suffice in this recipe.
- Ground Cinnamon
- Dry Milk Powder An optional ingredient, and my secret to a tender and soft crumb.
- Confectioners’ Sugar
- Shortening
- Gel food color (a variety of 5-6 colors)
step by step: the process
Prepare the Ingredients
- To the bowl of a stand mixer, add the flour, sugars, milk powder, cinnamon and salt and whisk together until just combined.
- Crack the eggs and egg yolk into a bowl, and add in the vanilla extract.
- Cube the softened butter into 8-10 chunks and set aside.
- Pour the milk into a saucepan or pitcher, along with an added teaspoon of sugar or honey to prepare for heating.
Activate the Yeast
Heat your milk with the added sweetener until it’s reached a warm temperature between 100 and 110 F (if you don’t have a thermometer to test, pour the milk cold and straight from the fridge and microwave it for 30-35 seconds and test with your finger – it should be warm, not hot).
Sprinkle the yeast over the milk and whisk until just combined. Set the mixture aside to proof for 10 minutes – when it’s frothy, bubbly and grown in size, it is ready to use.
Make the Dough
Make a well at the center of the flour mixture with your hand and add the milk and yeast, and the eggs and vanilla.
Use a rubber spatula to combine the ingredients until they form a shaggy dough.
- Knead the shaggy dough using the dough hook attachment on speed 2 for about 10 minutes (we want to build the dough’s strength by developing some gluten before adding the butter).
If you are working by hand, turn your shaggy dough out onto a clean and lightly oiled surface and begin kneading (oil your hands as well to reduce sticking), pressing and folding the dough down until all the shaggy clumps have been incorporated and a much more stretchy and combined dough begins to form. This can take about 10-15 minutes.
Kneading Tip: If you are kneading by hand, have a dough scraper handy to help ease the process, using it to gather all the dough together and keep the work surface clean.
- Begin adding the softened butter to the dough one piece at a time. Allow each piece to incorporate (mostly) before adding another.
- Once all the butter has been added, turn the mixer speed up to 4 and knead for another 10 – 12 minutes, or until the dough begins to tear away from the sides and slap around the bowl.
- Reduce the speed down to 3, and continue kneading until the dough begins pulling away from the sides, leaving the bowl clean, another 5 minutes or so.
If you are kneading by hand, place the butter into the center of the dough, and fold the dough over itself gently. Continue kneading until the butter disappears. Repeat until all the butter is added, and knead until you have a soft, smooth and supple dough.
Continuously add oil to your hands and surface – the dough is extremely sticky to work with by hand, so the oil will help.
Windowpane Test and First Rise
To test the readiness of your dough, pull a piece and stretch it gently with both hands. If your dough tears immediately, it needs to develop more gluten and you should continue kneading it.
If you are able to stretch your dough and see light come through it without tearing, your dough has passed the windowpane test and is ready for proofing.
Lightly oil a large bowl. Gently roll your dough into a ball using your hands and place it into the bowl. Cover the bowl with a tea towel or plastic wrap, and place it in an area that is slightly warmer than room temperature (near a window or in a warm kitchen).
Allow the dough to rise until doubled – this process can take 1.5 – 2 hours.
Shape the Dough and Partial Rise
After your dough has risen, turn it out onto a lightly oiled surface.
- Cut the dough into 12 equal parts (if you are weighing, it’s about 90 grams per piece).
- Form each piece of dough into a ball by pinching the bottom together and placing the pinched side down onto your surface.
- Cup your hand over the dough, gently press with your palm, and rotate your hand in a circular motion. You should feel the dough roll with the pressure of your palm while your fingers keep it in place.
- Repeat until each dough ball is shaped.
Place six dough balls onto a 13″ x 18″ sheet pan lined with parchment paper or a silpat. Cover the dough balls gently (with plastic wrap or a tea towel), and allow them to rest while preparing the concha topping.
Prepare the Concha Topping
- To a medium or large bowl, combine the flour and powdered sugar and whisk until fully combined.
- Add in the shortening and use a rubber spatula to press the shortening into the flour mixture.
- Keep pressing until it’s shaggy and the shortening is coated in flour and sugar.
- Turn the shaggy mixture out onto a clean surface and begin combining it together with your hands.
Press your thumb into the topping and add the vanilla into the crevice. Mix it together with your hands until evenly distributed. The topping is ready when it’s smooth and moldable like cookie dough.
If you can mold a little heart shape with a piece of the topping without it cracking or breaking, it is ready.
Separate the topping out into 6 pieces (65 grams each) and add a small amount of gel food color to each, massaging the dough between your hands until the color is evenly distributed. Add more color as desired.
Blend the Topping
Seperate each colored topping into 12 little pieces each.
Take a piece of each color and press them together. Roll the topping in between your hands gently to form a ball (roll about 6-8 times, checking the swirl pattern and rolling more as desired).
Repeat until you have a total of 12 swirled balls. And please note that not all the swirls will be perfect, some will just blend into a cool pattern of colors, and that’s just fine.
Assemble the Conchas
Prepare an egg wash by cracking an egg into a small bowl and whisking it with a fork. Add in a tablespoon of milk or water and continue to whisk until the egg has loosened. Using a pastry brush (or back of a spoon), apply the egg wash to each individual dough ball.
Place the topping between two pieces of plastic wrap and use a cake pan, pie plate or tortilla press to flatten it into a thin round. Then, use your hands to press the topping even more, making it as flat as possible. We need as much surface area as possible for our cookie cutter design.
Peel away the top plastic sheet and gently drape the flattened concha topping onto the dough, pressing down firmly until flattened. Repeat the process until all the dough has been topped.
Shape the Conchas
Take the cookie cutter and press it firmly into the dough, cutting through it completely. Try to keep it as centered as possible.
Remove the excess around the edges while holding the cutter down, then gently lift the cutter, gently wiggling it loose from the dough.
To help prevent the cookie cutter from sticking, dip it into a bowl of flour between uses.
Repeat until all the dough has been cut and shaped, and be sure to reserve the scraps.
Use a paring knife or floured concha stamp to engrave the topping with a seashell design. Be careful to not penetrate the dough as you press, and clean your knife between cuts.
Gently cover the conchas again for their final rise – 1 to 1.5 hours. The conchas are ready to bake when they’re visibly larger, and the shell topping has begun to spread apart, showing the raw dough underneath.
Snack Time: Bake the Scraps!
Preheat your oven to 350 ℉/180 ℃.
Take the remaining concha dough scraps and move them to a sheet pan lined with parchment. I like taking two scraps of different colors and twisting them together, similar to a cheese twist.
Spread the twisted dough evenly across the pan, and bake them in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.
Enjoy as a snack while waiting for the conchas to rise! They’re also the perfect shape for dunking into your favorite morning beverage.
Bake the Conchas
Bake the conchas at 325 ℉/165 ℃ for 22-24 minutes (depending on your oven), one tray at a time. Rotate the tray halfway through baking for even browning.
The conchas are done when you can see the bread at the bottom has turned a golden brown color, and the shell design has separated a bit.
Allow the conchas to cool on a wire rack for about ten minutes, and enjoy with your favorite Disney film and warm beverage.
Mickey Inspired Conchas
Equipment
- 1 Stand Mixer w/ dough hook attachment optional
- 2 13" x 18" baking sheets
- 1 smooth paring knife or concha stamp
- 1 cake pan, pie plate or tortilla press
- plastic wrap
- 1 rubber spatula for mixing
- parchment paper or 2 silpats
- 1 bench scraper optional
- 1 Mickey Mouse cookie cutter
- Various gel food color a total of 6 colors
Ingredients
Concha Dough
- 525 grams all-purpose flour spooned and leveled*
- 30 grams dry milk powder optional
- 50 grams granulated sugar
- 50 grams light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
- 235 ml whole milk warmed to 100-110 °F
- 1 teaspoon honey or sugar added to milk
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 egg yolk room temperature
- 113 grams salted butter, cubed softened at room temperature
Concha Topping
- 135 grams confectioners' sugar spooned and leveled*
- 135 grams all-purpose flour spooned and leveled*
- 135 grams shortening
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- gel food color variety of 5-6 colors
Egg Wash
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 tablespoon whole milk or water
Instructions
Activate the Yeast
- Heat your whole milk until just warm (100-110 ℉/ 37-43 ℃). If microwaving, heat cold milk for about 30-35 seconds, and test the temperature using your finger. It should be comfortably warm, not hot.
- Add a teaspoon of honey (or sugar) to your warm milk and stir. Add your yeast and whisk until just combined. Allow the mixture to sit for about 10 minutes or until foamy.If the mixture does not foam, check the expiration on the packaging.
Prepare the Dough
- To the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the all-purpose flour, sugars, salt, milk powder (if using), and cinnamon. Whisk the ingredients together until well combined.
- Using your hand, create a well at the center of your flour mixture. Pour in the warm milk and yeast mixture, eggs and egg yolk and vanilla extract.
- Using a rubber spatula, combine the ingredients and mix until a shaggy dough forms, or a “sponge”.
- Attach the bowl to the stand mixer and begin kneading using the hook attachment on low speed for 10 minutes (speed 2). If mixing by hand, oil your hands and surface and knead until the dough is well combined and sticky, about 10-15 minutes.
- Begin adding the cubed softened butter to the dough, one piece at a time. Allow each piece to incorporate (mostly) before adding another. Once all the butter is incorporated, continue kneading on medium speed (speed 4) until the dough is smooth and begins tearing away from the sides of the bowl, about 10-15 minutes.
- Reduce the mixing speed (speed 3) and allow the dough to knead until smooth, supple and pulling away from the walls of the bowl. This should take another 5 minutes or so.
- Lightly oil a large bowl and gently roll your dough into a ball before transferring it to the bowl. Cover the bowl with a tea towel or plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise until doubled, about 1 ½-2 hours.
- Prepare two large (13" x 18") sheet pans and line them with parchment paper or silpats.
Shape the Dough
- After the dough has risen and doubled in size, turn it out onto a lightly oiled surface. Using a knife or a bench scraper, cut the dough into 12 equal pieces (90 grams each).
- Roll each piece of dough into a ball and place them onto the lined sheet tray (6 dough balls per tray).
- Gently cover the dough balls using plastic wrap or tea towels and allow them to rest while preparing the topping.
Prepare the Topping
- To a medium or large bowl, combine the flour and confectioners' sugar. Add in the shortening and mix using a rubber spatula until the mixture becomes shaggy.
- Turn the shaggy mixture out onto a clean surface and begin mixing it with your hands until smooth and the texture is like cookie dough.
- Press your thumb into the topping and add the vanilla into the crevice. Mix it together with your hands until evenly distributed.
- Separate the topping out into 6 pieces (65 grams each) and add a small amount of food color to each, massaging the dough between your hands until the color is evenly distributed. Add more color as desired.
Blend the Topping
- Seperate each colored topping into 12 little pieces each.
- Take a piece of each color and press them together. Roll the topping dough in between your hands gently to form a ball, rolling about 6-8 times.
- Repeat until you have a total of 12 colorfully swirled balls.
Assemble the Conchas
- Prepare the egg wash by cracking the egg into a small bowl and whisking it with a fork. Add in a tablespoon of milk or water and continue to whisk until the egg has loosened. Using a pastry brush (or back of a spoon), apply the egg wash to each individual dough ball.
- Place the concha topping between two pieces of plastic wrap and use a cake pan, pie plate or tortilla press to flatten it into a thin round. Flatten it more with your hands.
- Peel away the top plastic sheet and gently drape the flattened concha topping onto the dough, pressing down firmly until flattened. Repeat the process until all the dough has been topped.
Shape the Conchas
- Take the Mickey cookie cutter and press it firmly into the dough, keeping it as centered as possible.
- Remove the excess around the edges, then gently lift up the cookie cutter, wiggling as needed to loosen the dough.
- Repeat until all the dough has been cut and shaped.
Reserve the dough scraps for baking - twist the scraps into 3-4 inch twists and bake at 350 ℉/180 ℃ for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Snack on them while you wait for your conchas to rise and bake.
Score the Conchas
- Use a paring knife or floured cocha stamp to engrave the topping with a seashell design. Be careful to not penetrate the dough as you press, and clean your knife between cuts.
- Gently cover the conchas again for their final rise - 1 to 1 ½ hours. The conchas are ready to bake when they're visibly larger, and the shell topping has begun to spread apart, showing the raw dough underneath.
Bake
- Bake the conchas at 325 ℉/165 ℃ for 22-24 minutes (depending on your oven), one tray at a time. Rotate the tray halfway through baking for even browning. The conchas are done when you can see the dough at the bottom has turned a golden brown color, and the shell design has separated a bit.
- Allow the conchas to cool on a wire rack for about ten minutes, and enjoy with your favorite Disney film and warm beverage.
Hello, I love your recipe. I’m just a little confused why original concha recipe ask to Chill overnight in fridge and then Mickey Mouse conchas do not.? And the kneading process is a little bit different than original
Hi Melanie!
The Mickey Conchas do not require an overnight chill because of the shaping of the dough, however you can absolutely still chill the dough overnight. You’ll need to let it rise a little longer so that the rolls rise large enough for the cookie cutter shape to fit. The kneading process for the Mickey conchas is a quicker process in comparison to the original conchas to shorten time (since it’s a single day recipe), and it also affects the overall shape of the roll as well. The rolls will be a little taller, whereas the mixing method for the traditional conchas will lead to a slightly flatter roll.
Thank you for your questions!