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Cocoles
Anise sweet bread
Cocoles: diamond-shaped anise and piloncillo breads topped with sesame, from central Mexico
In the markets of Puebla, Tlaxcala and Mexico City, cocoles are the plain, honest bread of the morning: diamond-shaped, deep brown from piloncillo, fragrant with anise and studded with sesame seeds on top. They are not very sweet, so people eat them with café de olla or split them for a cheese torta. Old bakers used lard; this version uses vegetable shortening, so it stays vegetarian and vegan. Chef's tip: steep the anise in the warm piloncillo syrup, so its flavour runs through every bite.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
For the syrup
- 5 ½ oz piloncillo or dark muscovado sugarchopped
- ¾ cup water
- 2 tsp anise seeds
For the dough
- 1 ⅛ lb strong white bread flour
- ¼ oz instant dried yeast
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 ½ oz vegetable shorteningsoft
- ¼ cup warm wateras needed
Topping
- 3 tbsp sesame seeds
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Simmer 5 ½ oz piloncillo or dark muscovado sugar, ¾ cup water, 2 tsp anise seeds and 1 cinnamon stick over a medium heat for 5 minutes until dissolved. Remove the cinnamon and cool to lukewarm, leaving the seeds in.
15 minStep 2: Mix 1 ⅛ lb strong white bread flour, ¼ oz instant dried yeast and 1 tsp salt, add the syrup and 2 ½ oz vegetable shortening and knead for 10 minutes, adding ¼ cup warm water a spoonful at a time, until smooth and soft.
12 minStep 3: Cover and leave to rise in a warm place for 1½–2 hours; this dough is slow because of the sugar. It is ready when doubled.
100 minStep 4: Divide into 10 pieces, roll each into an oval about 1.5 cm thick and pinch the ends to make diamonds.
10 minStep 5: Brush with 1 tbsp sugar dissolved in 3 tbsp water and press the tops into the 3 tbsp sesame seeds. Set on lined trays and prove 40 minutes until puffy. Heat the oven to 375°F.
40 minStep 6: Bake for 18–20 minutes until deep brown and hollow-sounding underneath. Watch the last few minutes: piloncillo dough darkens fast, and a common mistake is judging by colour alone and pulling them out early, raw inside.
20 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 290 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does cocoles take?
- About 55 minutes in total: 35 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 10 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of piloncillo or dark muscovado sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of cinnamon stick?
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon per stick.
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