pan dulce: rebanadas de mantequilla

most likely your favorite childhood treat.

Since my bakehouse announcement, I have been steadily working on pan dulce recipes that I intend to sell, giving myself much needed time to thoroughly test and curate a menu that I love. Over the last few months, many of you have shared photos and videos of my concha recipes being used for your own cottage bakery businesses, and it truly makes my heart so happy. I look forward to sharing more bakehouse recipes soon. Most will be available for paid subscribers.

Thank you so very much for reading, sharing and baking.

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Rebanadas de Mantequilla, sweet toast, or “Pan Dulce Tostado” like the Bimbo packages say, these sweet slices of brioche lathered in sweet butter are in my opinion the most nostalgic pan dulce (even though I've only had it from panaderias a couple of times).

1945 Osito Bimbo makes me emotional.

I really love this particular pan dulce because everyone has grown up eating some variation of it, whether you realize it or not. Maybe the most common is cinnamon toast, you know the one. Sliced bread (toasted or not) lathered in butter, sprinkled liberally with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. Extra props if you threw it into the oven for a few minutes before devouring.

Rebanadas are essentially your favorite childhood buttered-bread treat.

This Bimbo is just not as cute.

For this recipe, we are making a large, brioche based loaf (heavy on the eggs and butter) flavored with orange zest and Ceylon cinnamon. The bread works as a base for a variety of pan dulce recipes.

After preparing the dough and letting it rest overnight, it is assembled the next morning. The air is expelled and the dough is flattened out, rolled and shaped into a loaf.

The dough rises and is brushed with an egg wash and a touch of brown sugar before baking. I like to bake the loaf until the outside is very dark, about 30 minutes or so.

While the bread cools, we assemble the buttercream and sugar. I encourage you to play and explore with your favorite flavors here. Traditionally, this pan is topped with granulated sugar on top of the buttercream. I like to rub the sugar with a vanilla bean pod and seeds to infuse with flavor.

As for the buttercream, it’s not cloyingly sweet like you’d expect. Salted butter is combined with a few tablespoons of confectioners’ sugar, a touch of wild honey and more salt (for the bakehouse, I’m contemplating making my own butter so that I can control the salt and sweeten it earlier in the process).

When the loaf is completely cooled, it is cut into very thick slices (think Bostock or French toast for size reference). Buttercream is spread onto each slice, and then sprinkled liberally with the vanilla bean sugar. I like to take the flavors further, combining milk powder and finely powdered freeze-dried strawberries to sprinkle over the top of some slices for a “strawberry milk” flavor. The same can be done with unsweetened cocoa powder, or ground cinnamon.

PAN DULCE: REBANADAS DE MANTEQUILLA

Prep Time: 35 minutes | Rest Time: 12 hours | Cook Time: 30 minutes | Makes: 9-12 slices

brioche:

• 120 grams whole milk warmed to 100-110F

• 30 grams cane sugar

• 10 grams active dry yeast

• 165 grams eggs about 3 large eggs

• 375 grams bread flour

• 30 grams milk powder

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 113 grams salted butter cold from the fridge

• ¼ teaspoon Ceylon cinnamon

• zest of 1 navel orange

egg wash:

• 1 large egg

• 1 tablespoon heavy cream

• 1 teaspoon brown sugar

buttercream:

• 113 grams salted butter softened at room temperature

• 45 grams confectioners’ sugar

• 30 grams wildflower honey of your choice

• large pinch of sea salt

sugar topping:

• 100 grams cane sugar

• 1 vanilla bean pod, slice and scraped with seeds optional

other topping variations

• ground cinnamon

strawberry milk powder:

• ½ tablespoon (or 1 gram) freeze-dried strawberries finely crushed until powdered

• 1 tablespoon milk powder (10 grams)

chocolate milk powder:

• 1/4 teaspoons cocoa powder unsweetened

• 1 tablespoon milk powder (10 grams)

Day One

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Prepare the Dough

1. To a stand mixer bowl, combine 30 grams cane sugar and 10 grams active dry yeast.

2. Pour in 120 grams of gently warmed milk, and stir until just combined. Allow the mixture to foam, about 2-3 minutes.

3. To the same bowl, add 3 large eggs, 375 grams bread flour, 30 grams milk powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon Ceylon cinnamon.

4. Lastly, add 113 grams cold, salted butter and zest from 1 naval orange.

5. Attach the bowl to a stand mixer and knead on low (speed setting 2) using a dough hook until all ingredients have combined and a shaggy dough forms, about 5 minutes.

6. Increase the stand mixer to speed 4 and allow the dough to knead until it is smooth and begins pulling away from the sides of the bowl, about 15 minutes. Lower to speed 3 and knead the dough for 5-8 more minutes, or until the dough is smooth, supple, gently stretches when pulled and leaves the sides of the bowl clean.

7. Remove the dough and form it into a ball. Place it into a lightly oiled large bowl, and cover securely.

8. Place the dough into the fridge for a 12 hour rise.

Prepare the Vanilla Bean Sugar

1. Combine 100 grams cane sugar with with the beans scraped from 1 sliced vanilla bean, and the pod. Rub the sugar and vanilla bean together using your fingers.

2. Cover securely and set aside for the next day.

Day Two

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Assemble the Loaf

1. Remove the dough from the fridge and turn it out onto a clean surface.

2. Use your hands or a rolling pin to spread the dough out into a rectangle, being mindful of maintaining an even thickness. Dough should measure roughly 12 x 15 inches.

3. Begin rolling the dough from the short edge closest to you. As you roll the dough, press the seams gently so that it closes securely, and repeat with each turn.

4. Once you have formed a loaf, carefully transfer it to a parchment lined 13 x 18 sheet pan.

5. Using a dough scraper or the blunt edge of a knife, make indents across the loaf to indicate 9-12 one inch thick slices, depending on the length of your loaf. This is optional.

6. Allow the dough to come to room temperature, and then rise until doubled in size. This can take anywhere from 2.5-3.5 hours.

Bake the Brioche

1. After the dough has risen, preheat the oven to 350 F.

2. Brush the surface of the dough with the egg wash (1 large egg, 1 tablespoon heavy cream and 1 teaspoon brown sugar combined), and bake the loaf for 30-35 minutes, or until a very dark amber brown color is achieved.

3. After baking, allow the loaf to cool on the pan for about 10 minutes or so before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the Buttercream

1. To a large bowl, combine 113 grams softened salted butter with 45 grams confectioners’ sugar and 30 grams wildflower honey.

2. Use an electric hand mixer to beat until pale white and fluffy, 3-5 minutes.

3. Add a pinch of sea salt to taste, and mix. Cover and set aside.

Assemble the Rebanadas

1. Once the loaf is completely cooled, cut it into 1 inch slices using a large serrated knife. The loaf must be completely cool, do not cut into it while it’s still warm.

2. Lather a tablespoon amount of buttercream onto each slice. Press the bread slices buttercream side down into the vanilla bean sugar.

3. Sprinkle flavored milk powder over the buttercream and sugar if using.

4. Serve with cafecito or your warm beverage of choice. Also pairs well with a cold glass of whole milk.

Thank you so much for reading! <3 Channey