Buns of Arcos de la Frontera

How to make buns from Arcos de la Frontera.

In many towns in Spain there is a typical gastronomy of Easter .

In Arcos de la Frontera, Cádiz, the typical sweet is the bun or rosco . In local pastry shops they are presented and sold on a paper in which they have been baked and to which they are slightly glued. They rival directly with the baked roscos or rosquetes from Cádiz .

The traditional dough of Bollos de Arcos de la Frontera is made with flour, olive oil and almonds, but we have only used the latter to decorate.

In addition to matalahúga and sesame, they can be flavored with a little ground cinnamon, so if you like, do not hesitate to add a little to the dough. In measure, of course, you already know how powerful its flavor is.

With these buns the religiosity of Easter is made more bearable, as they are tremendously good.

The crumb of this sweet is slightly soft and fluffy, although they are not a brioche- type bun but, rather, resemble the texture of the bread . We could say that they are a hybrid and with that we settle the matter.

The Bollos de Arcos de la Frontera have a soft sweet spot, which perhaps those with a sweet tooth would like to enhance. We do not recommend that you do so, because they would lose their grace and those sugar stumbles that crown them would no longer make sense if they accompany a sweeter dough.

They are a magnificent way to enjoy the rich gastronomy that our country has and are a break from the ubiquitous French toast , donuts , pestiños and fritters .

Accompany them with a glass of fresh milk or a cup of steaming coffee, an infusion or even a hot chocolate .

Preparation of the dough of the buns of Arcos de la Frontera

1. We heat the extra virgin olive oil with the sesame seeds and the aniseed grain over medium heat so that they do not burn.
2. We just want to give it a little heat, you do not have to fry them, so that they release their aromas.
3. Remove from the heat source after a couple of minutes and allow to warm.
4. We crumble the yeast and melt it in the water, to which we add the sugar and a couple of tablespoons of flour.
5. We place this mixture in a wide and deep container and pour the flavored oil over it, passing through a strainer. We discard sesame and anise.
6. Add a pinch of salt and incorporate the flour little by little, stirring well so that it integrates before adding more.
7. When we can no longer handle the dough in the container, we transfer it to a clean work surface and knead until we obtain a soft, fine and elastic dough.
8. We can use a food processor or a dough mixer and save ourselves this trouble by programming five minutes at a smooth speed.

Kneading and shape of the buns of Arcos de la Frontera

1. We divide the dough into six parts, ensuring that they have the same weight, and roll each of them by rolling the dough on the work surface and pressing lightly with the palm of your hands.
2. To give a thread to each portion we introduce the fingers in the center and draw circles on the work table.
3. The dough will separate and a hole will open, which will get bigger and bigger with the movement.
4. Keep in mind that the holes will shrink when raising the dough and also with the baking, so be generous with the size of them.

Baking and final presentation of the Arcos de la Frontera buns

1. We place the donuts on a baking tray covered with parchment paper or a silicone mat, leaving enough space between them so that they do not stick when they grow.
2. We moisten the sugar of the decoration with a few drops of water and mix with our fingers.
3. We spread on the surface of the buns and decorate with the almonds. We have put three per piece, but if you are very fans of this dried fruit you can use more. To taste.
4. We cover the tray with a damp and clean cloth and leave to rise until they almost double in size. The time will depend on the ambient temperature.
5. Once ready we cook in the oven, preheated to 180º C and with traditional heat up and down, for about 16-18 minutes or until the surface has acquired a beautiful golden hue.
6. We remove from the oven and let cool on a metal rack before serving or storing in an airtight container to consume later.

You can see all the step by step photos of the Arcos de la Frontera buns recipe in this album. Do not miss any detail and you will get some delicious gaditanos buns.

Tips for a Delicious Arcos de la Frontera Buns

• It is important that all the ingredients are at room temperature to be able to work the mixture well. If this is not the case, wait an hour before going to work.
• The amount of flour is indicative, do not add it all at once. You already know that each flour is a world and there are some that absorb more liquid than others.
• If you notice that the dough is sticky, you can add a little more. If the opposite happens, spread your hands in oil and knead for a few minutes until the mass absorbs it.
• The dough can be further flavored by adding a little grain anise along with the flour. We can also enrich it with a little ground cinnamon. To taste.
• Raising times vary according to the temperature of the space in which we prepare them. The higher the temperature, the faster the rise. The smaller, the slower.
• The ideal is to work between 24-26ºC. In this case, due to the amount of oil in the dough, the levado is slow and can take up to 3 hours.