Recently, I shared a video on my Instagram of my mama and I making panes con pollo (chicken in sauce sandwiches) to celebrate Salvadorian Independence Day. We were so excited to celebrate, we even made the pan (bread) from scratch! In today’s post, I will be sharing a recipe on how to make that pan. Because, after all, if you didn’t make bread during quarantine, then did you even quarantine? Read on for my take on a homemade bolillo recipe.
Bolillo or Pan Frances?
Now, remember, I am SalviMex. The bread in this recipe is referred to as bolillo by my Mexican side and pan frances by Salvi side. Though the terms were used interchangeably in my home, the types of bread differ very slightly. A bolillo roll is a lot like a soft french baguette. A pan frances is very similar but less soft than a bolillo. Its texture is more similar to a baguette. However, both a bolillo and a pan frances are much less dense than a baguette.
When I was a little girl, my mother owned and operated a Mexican bakery. As you can already imagine, fresh bolillo bread was always readily available and my family enjoyed it often. Therefore, today, I will be sharing a recipe on how to make bolillo. It is the bread that was most commonly eaten in my home and I absolutely love making it fresh. In fact, I recall taking tortas made with fresh bolillo for lunch in elementary school. Growing up, for breakfast, instead of normal toast, we would slice a bolillo roll in half, length-wise, and toast it on the comal. I always made sure to ask for extra butter on mine! It would crisp so deliciously. Is your mouth watering? Mine sure is! Let’s get to this recipe.
Homemade Bolillo Recipe
To make this recipe, you will need the following ingredients:
- 4 cups of flour
- 4 tablespoons of sugar
- 1 stick of organic, grass-fed butter, melted
- 1/2 tablespoon of salt
- 2 tablespoons of yeast
- About 1 cup of warm milk
Now that you have gathered your ingredients, this is how you put them together! Firstly, warm the milk in the microwave for 45 seconds. Secondly, add two tablespoons of yeast, one tablespoon of flour, and 2 tablespoons of sugar to the warm milk (this “feeds” the yeast). Then, stir the mixture and allow it to rest for ten minutes. While that settles, mix the dry ingredients. Then, melt the butter in the microwave for 20 seconds.
Señora Advice: yeast “hates” cold and “loves” warm. Keep that in mind when mixing yeast with other ingredients.
Now, add the melted butter to the dry ingredients. Then, mix with your hands or rubber or wooden spatula. after that, pour in the yeast mixture. Continue to mix until ingredients are fully incorporated. At this point the dough is sticky; continue to manipulate until no longer sticky.
Señora Advice: slap that masa around!
Next, put the dough in a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap. Use a light hand here. The plastic can cling to the bowl but it should not necessarily cling the dough. Then, place your favorite mantita or clean dishcloth over the bowl and plastic. Now, set aside for about half an hour to allow the dough to rise.
Señora Advice: the goal is for the dough to grow twice in size.
In the meantime, preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Once the dough has risen, break into ten small spheres.
Now, lightly dust your baking sheet with flour. Additionally, dust your countertop generously with flour.
Next, on your counter top, roll each individual sphere into your desired bolillo shape. Once completed, set the rolled bolillo onto your baking sheet. So, once all the panes are rolled, you are ready to put them into the oven.
Bake for ten minutes. Be sure to allow to cool before enjoying!
Conclusion: Homemade Bolillo Recipe
What do you think of this homemade bolillo recipe? Are you eager to try it for yourself? Here, at Herencia Cookbook, we would love to know! Be sure to let us know in the comments. Finally, are you interested in learning more? Then check out our blog and our book for authentic Salvi Mex recipes with a modern (and sometimes healthy) twist. Until next time, Buen Provecho!
Homemade Bolillo Recipe
Equipment
- oven
Ingredients
- 4 cups flour
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- 1 stick butter organic, grass-fed
- 1/2 tablespoon salt
- 2 tablespoons yeast
- 1 cup milk warm
Instructions
- Warm the milk in the microwave for 45 seconds.
- Add two tablespoons of yeast, one tablespoon of flour, and 2 tablespoons of sugar to the warm milk (this “feeds” the yeast).
- Stir the mixture and allow it to rest for ten minutes
- While that settles, mix the dry ingredients.
- Melt the butter in the microwave for 20 seconds.
- Señora Advice: yeast “hates” cold and “loves” warm. Keep that in mind when mixing yeast with other ingredients.
- Add the melted butter to the dry ingredients.
- Mix with your hands or rubber or wooden spatula.
- Now pour activated yeast into the mixture.
- Continue to mix until ingredients are fully incorporated.
- At this point the dough is sticky; continue to manipulate until no longer sticky.
- Put the dough in a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap. Use a light hand here. The plastic can cling to the bowl but it should not necessarily cling the dough.
- Then place your favorite mantita or clean dishcloth over the bowl and plastic.
- Set aside for about half an hour to allow the dough to rise.
- Señora Advice: the goal is for the dough to grow twice in size.
- In the meantime, preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
- Once risen, break up dough into ten small spheres.
- Lightly dust your baking sheet with flour.
- Dust your countertop generously with flour.
- On your countertop, roll each individual sphere into your desired bolillo shape.
- Once completed, set the rolled bolillo onto your baking sheet.
- Once all the panes are rolled, you are ready to put them into the oven.
- Bake for ten minutes.
- Allow to cool before enjoying!
Notes
Herencia Cookbook is currently available for sale on Amazon.
