Conchas

Conchas are a traditional Mexican sweet bread with a crunchy sugar topping.

Ingredients - Serves 12

In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water and let it sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, flour, and salt.
Add the softened butter, eggs, vanilla extract, and milk to the dry ingredients.
Mix well until a dough forms.
Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for about 5 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces and shape each piece into a ball.
Place the balls of dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, mix together the vegetable shortening, powdered sugar, and cocoa powder to make the topping.
Using a knife, score the top of each dough ball with a crisscross pattern.
Spread a generous amount of the topping over each dough ball.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the conchas are golden brown and cooked through.
Remove from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack before serving.