← Nouns Cooking · Mexican

Ingredients

• 500 g Strong bread flour
• 7 g instant yeast (1 sachet)
• 1 tbsp Sugar
• 1½ tsp Salt
• 320 ml warm water
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

Method

1. Mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt, then add the water and oil and bring together into a shaggy dough.
2. Knead for 8–10 min by hand (or 6 min in a mixer) until smooth and springy. Cover and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hour, until doubled.
3. Knock back and divide into 8 pieces. Flatten each into an oval, roll up tightly from the long side, then roll under your palms, pressing harder at the ends, to make a torpedo with pointed tips.
4. Place on a lined tray seam-side down, cover loosely and leave to rise for 45 min, until puffy. Heat the oven to 220°C (425°F) with an empty roasting tin on the bottom shelf.
5. Slash each roll once lengthways with a sharp knife. Put the tray in the oven and quickly pour a mug of boiling water into the hot tin to make steam.
6. Bake for 18–20 min, until deep golden and they sound hollow when tapped underneath. Cool on a rack so the crust stays crisp.

Tips

• The burst of steam is what gives bolillos their thin, crackly crust; do not skip it.
• Day-old bolillos are perfect for molletes or for capirotada bread pudding.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Rick Bayless Mexican Please