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Tortitas negras
Tortitas negras: round Argentine bakery buns of flaky yeast dough topped with a crunchy crust of dark brown sugar
ArgentinianBlack cakes, the name means, though only their tops are dark: tortitas negras are flat, round, flaky buns covered with a thick crust of dark brown sugar that melts in the oven and sets crunchy and toffee-like. They are among the cheapest and most popular facturas in Buenos Aires bakeries, eaten from a paper bag at breakfast or as a merienda with mate, and everyone fights over the sugary edges. The dough is a lightly laminated yeast dough, between bread and puff pastry. Bakeries often use lard or margarine; this version uses butter and stays vegetarian. Being stingy with the sugar is the classic misstep: a thin layer just melts into the dough and disappears, so pile it on thickly and press it down. Chef's tip: brush the rounds with water, not egg, before adding the sugar; the water melts the sugar into a crisp, crackling shell.
- Total time
- 88 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
For the dough
For the topping
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Method
0/9 doneStep 1: Mix 1 ⅛ lb plain flour, ¼ oz instant dried yeast, 1 ¾ oz sugar and 1 tsp salt in a bowl, add 1 cup warm milk and 2 ⅛ oz butter and knead into a smooth, soft dough.
Step 2: Cover and rest until slightly risen.
30 minStep 3: Roll the dough into a 25 × 40 cm rectangle. Dot two thirds of it with 3 ½ oz cold butter, fold the bare third over, then the other third on top, like a letter.
Step 4: Turn the dough 90°, roll it out again to a rectangle and fold in three once more. Wrap and chill for 15 minutes.
Step 5: Roll the dough to 1 cm thick and cut 10 cm rounds. Lay them on two lined trays, spaced well apart.
Step 6: Cover loosely and leave to rise until slightly puffy. Heat the oven to 375°F (350°F fan).
20 minStep 7: Brush the tops with 3 tbsp water and pile on 7 oz dark brown sugar (mascabo), about 1 heaped tablespoon each, pressing it down firmly with your fingers so it sticks.
Step 8: Bake until the dough is golden underneath and the sugar has melted and bubbled into a dark, crackly crust.
18 minStep 9: Cool on the trays for 10 minutes so the sugar sets, then move to a rack. Best eaten the same day.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tortitas negras take?
- About 88 minutes in total: 70 minutes to prepare and 18 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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