Never in a million years would I have ever considered pairing peppermint and conchas UNTIL…I saw these beautiful conchas from Teresa Finney of At Heart Panaderia.
Her holiday bake boxes this year feature conchas filled with chocolate, adorned with a merry candy cane crust. I envy those who get to enjoy her pastries (Atlanta area folks, look her up).
Feeling very inspired, I decided to pair peppermint conchas with vanilla cream because I really enjoy a creamy dairy peppermint situation (peppermint ice cream and peppermint shakes are my favorite).
Alternatively, you could make these conchas without the vanilla pastry cream, but I think the pastry cream really offers something special. And the candy canes are subtle and not too overpowering, so it’s a nice, gradual minty build that won’t taste wonky with a cup of cafecito.
Some Tips Before starting this recipe:
This recipe is a 2 day process, so keep that in mind when planning your bake. The pastry cream, dough and concha topping are made a day ahead - the dough will go through a 12 hour fermentation process in the fridge that will improve flavor. The concha topping is also made a day earlier for flavor improvement.
Use a scale for this recipe, please. For all my recipes really…but especially this one. One day I’d love to write a cookbook that also includes a scale because all my recipes require one. Scales ensure accuracy, and accuracy is key to successful and intentional bakes.
Feel free to add your own finishing touches to these! Sprinkle with more crushed candy cane, or drizzle with melted chocolate after baking. Imagine adding like a little dollop of strawberry jam in the center along with the pastry cream? Genius. You’ve got this.
I often get questions from bakers inquiring why the methods for my concha recipes vary. My best advice is to follow the instructions according to that recipe. I am constantly updating and and working on improving my recipes, and an update often affects not just the ingredients, but the structure of the recipe itself.