Pan dulce is the umbrella of Mexican sweet breads, with the concha (shell-topped sweet roll) the canonical form sold at Tucson panaderias since the late 1800s.

Mexican pan dulce arrived in Tucson with Sonoran bakers in the mid-1800s and never left. The concha, named for the shell-shape sugar topping, is the canonical form, with pink, brown and yellow toppings the most common. La Estrella Bakery has run the Jalisco-style panaderia tradition since 1986 at the Mercado San Agustin and South 12th Avenue. Other forms include empanadas (sweet hand pies, often pineapple or pumpkin), orejas (palmiers), polvorones (wedding cookies) and rosca de reyes (Three Kings bread). Sonoran panaderias make pan dulce fresh through the day.

Where to eat Pan dulce (Mexican sweet bread) in Tucson

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Make it at home

Serves 123 hrIntermediate

Ingredients

  • 500g all-purpose flour
  • 60g granulated sugar
  • 10g instant yeast
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 120ml warm milk
  • 120g unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 large eggs
  • Sugar topping: 100g all-purpose flour, 100g powdered sugar, 100g unsalted butter, 1 tsp vanilla, food coloring (pink, brown or yellow)

Method

  1. Whisk flour, sugar, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Add warm milk, softened butter and eggs. Mix to a smooth, elastic dough, about 10 minutes by hand or 5 in a stand mixer.
  2. Cover and rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 1 hour.
  3. Make the sugar topping: combine flour, powdered sugar, butter and vanilla until a soft paste. Divide into 3 portions and tint each with a different food color.
  4. Punch down the dough. Divide into 12 equal balls. Place on a lined baking sheet, spaced 4cm apart.
  5. Roll each sugar-topping portion between sheets of plastic wrap into a thin disc. Place a disc on top of each dough ball.
  6. Use a concha cutter (or a sharp knife) to score the shell pattern through the sugar topping.
  7. Cover and rise 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 175C / 350F.
  8. Bake 18 to 22 minutes until the dough is golden underneath and the topping is set.
  9. Cool on a rack. Best eaten the same day with cafe de olla or hot chocolate.

Editor tip. The sugar topping should be soft but not sticky. If it cracks while rolling, knead in a few drops of water.

Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy, Eggs.