what are conchas

Conchas are a traditional Mexican sweet bread roll that is commonly found throughout Mexico and its diaspora in panaderias. They get their name from their round shape and their striped, seashell-like appearance. A concha consists of two parts: a sweetened bread roll and a crunchy topping composed of flour, butter, and sugar. The dough for the bread roll is made of wheat flour, water or milk, sugar, butter (or lard or shortening), eggs (though not always), yeast, and salt. The cookie dough top is generally composed of flour, sugar, and butter, shortening, or margarine. The origins of conchas are not precisely known, but they are made from an enriched, yeasted dough similar to brioche or challah. Conchas are a popular type of pan dulce (or Mexican sweet bread) that is commonly sold in panaderias (or bakeries) across the U.S. and Mexico. They are enjoyed by people of all ages and can be consumed at any time of day, whether it be for breakfast or for a midnight snack.