An ode to the most famed Mexican pan dulce, these sourdough conchas are ultra buttery and light thanks to a sweet stiff starter.
Sourdough Conchas 🐚
i.e. Mexican Pan Dulce
I grew up in Mexico City, so conchas are part of my childhood memory. I remember afternoon trips to the local panadería in Colonia Roma to bring home fresh pan dulce. Summers there felt cool in the afternoons—at nearly 7,349 feet above sea level—often accompanied by a rain shower and a cup of frothy hot chocolate.
The ritual was simple: a quick reheat at home (careful not to burn the sugary topping) and a generous dunk in a hot chocolate. Today I’m sharing a sourdough version of that childhood favorite: a buttery, brioche-like concha with subtle orange notes and a crunchy marbled chocolate-strawberry crostón.
Using a sweet stiff starter
For breads that need extra lift and less tang, I use a sweet stiff starter (sss). Instead of baking directly with your active starter, you make a levain-like starter from flour, water and sugar. It’s stiff—more like a dough—so you knead it and let it proof until it triples in size (about 8–12 hours) before using it in the dough.
This technique shortens bulk proofing time, produces a very delicate gluten network, and yields a lighter crumb without pronounced sourness. Sugar creates osmotic stress that limits lactic acid bacteria growth, reducing tang while allowing yeast to dominate and deliver excellent rise. Artisanal bakers use similar methods for enriched breads like panettone.
I also add a touch of almond flour to the dough. Almond flour helps retain moisture after baking because it releases oils over time, keeping the buns tender even after freezing and reheating.
The details
The main challenge with a brioche-like sourdough dough—high in butter and eggs—is developing gluten properly, especially when incorporating the butter. With a stand mixer, add softened butter gradually and mix on low to medium with the dough hook until the dough becomes soft, elastic and passes the windowpane test (roughly 8–15 minutes). By hand will work too, but expect a longer kneading time and some arm workout.
Sourdough Conchas (i.e. Mexican Pan Dulce) 🐚
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
for the sweet stiff starter
- 120 g bread flour
- 50 g spring water
- 40 g active sourdough starter
- 20 g sugarworks better than honey
for the dough
- all your sweet stiff starter
- 2 large eggs at room temp
- 2 egg yolks
- 50 g raw honey maple syrup or granulated sugar of choice
- 60 g cane sugar
- 2 teaspoons orange blossom water optional, provides a light floral note
- zest of 1 orange
- 100 g whole milk at room temp
- 350 g unbleached bread flour
- 6 g fine sea salt
- 120 g unsalted grass-fed butter at room temp
- 60 g almond flour optional, keeps bread moist
for the crostón (sugary topping)
- 100 g unsalted grass fed butter soft enough to spread
- 70 g icing sugar (up to 100g if you prefer sweeter)
- 120 g all purpose flour
- 10 g cocoa for chocolate crostón; see notes for strawberry option
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch fine sea salt
- 1 egg lightly whisked to adhere the crostón
to serve with
- Mexican hot chocolate Ibarra is my recommendation for flavor and ingredients
Instructions
6 p.m. feed your starter
- If your starter has been in the fridge, feed it with 50g flour and 50g spring water and let it become active. You only need 40g of active starter for the sweet stiff starter, so scale depending on your starter size.
- Mix until it resembles a thick pancake batter and rest 3–6 hours in a warm place until doubled.
9 p.m. make your sweet stiff starter
- Combine the starter ingredients and knead into a stiff dough, ensuring no dry pockets remain.
- Form into a round, place in a wide jar and proof in a warm spot until tripled (8–12 hours). You can refrigerate for 12–24 hours once nearly tripled; bring back to room temperature before using.
7 a.m. make your dough
- Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature. In a mixer bowl, combine sweet stiff starter, eggs, yolks, honey, sugar and orange flavorings. Mix with the paddle until just combined, then add milk and mix again.
- With the mixer on low, add flour in parts until incorporated. Add salt and continue mixing about a minute; the dough will be sticky.
- Cover and rest 30 minutes. Switch to the dough hook and knead on medium for 8–10 minutes, adding softened butter a little at a time. The dough should become sleek and pull away from the bowl. If needed, add a tablespoon or two of flour and knead longer.
- Add almond flour if using and knead until incorporated. Aim for windowpane; if it’s stiff, knead more, rest 30 minutes and do a set of stretch-and-folds.
- Transfer to a smaller bowl for bulk rise, cover and proof in a warm spot for 3–5 hours until doubled (many prefer nearly tripled). Refrigerate if not baking the same day.
Shape
- Line a baking tray with parchment and lightly flour your work surface. Turn the dough out, gently stretch and let rest 10 minutes if it resists.
- Divide into 12 equal pieces. Flatten each, fold the edges to form rounds, then roll gently to build surface tension.
- Cover and proof 1–2 hours until fluffy.
- Make the crostón by mixing its ingredients (except the egg) until a sticky dough forms. Wrap and chill 30 minutes to 3 days. Roll out between parchment or use a tortilla press.
- Brush proofed buns with egg wash, place crostón rounds on top and score lightly to resemble seashells (squares or lines).
- Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C and bake on the center rack 20–25 minutes, checking at 15 minutes for over-browning. Tops should be golden; test doneness by tapping the bottom for a hollow sound.
- Cool to room temperature before serving. Non-negotiable: serve with frothy hot chocolate for dunking.
- Store in an airtight bag for up to a week; reheat 6–7 minutes at 350°F for best results.
Video
Notes
Chocolate conchas are my favorite, but if you want a marbled strawberry variation use freeze-dried strawberry powder (or dragon fruit powder for a vibrant pink). Split the crostón dough in half and add cocoa to one half and strawberry powder to the other for marbling and real flavor, not just color.