How to make sweet ochios from Jaén. Easy Andalusian buns

For 4 € 0.3 /pers. 308 kcal/100g

Perhaps the most typical sweet from Jaén capital, sweet ochios are little buns made with a dough of extra virgin olive oil , flavored with anise grain, which are baked with sugar on top. They should not be confused with the ochíos that are prepared and shipped in the province of Jaén, these have paprika in their dough and are usually filled with salty products.

Sweet ochios are great for breakfast and, above all, for a snack. Accompanied by a glass of milk and a few ounces of chocolate, they delight the little ones. But these are not the only accompaniments. They are delicious with a cup of hot chocolate , a coffee with milk or an infusion . To each person’s taste.

We hope you are encouraged to prepare them. They require no effort and the result is truly delicious. And if you like the salty version, I recommend that you visit the recipe for salty ochios hornazos that we have on the blog. If you like them as much as we do, we already see you making them weekly. You’ll tell us.

Preparation of the dough, rest and shape of the ochios

1. We put the oil in a frying pan on the fire and heat it over low heat. When it has reached a certain temperature, add the anise grain or matalahúga and remove it from the heat. We let it cool.
2. We dilute the yeast in the warm water. In a large, deep container, add the flour along with the sugar and salt. We mix well. Next we make a hole in the center and add one of the eggs, previously beaten, and the oil with the anise grain or matalahúga and the water and yeast mixture.
3. We stir, initially, and knead for 10 minutes until we obtain a homogeneous, soft and fatty dough.
4. We let it ferment inside the container, covered with a clean kitchen cloth, until it doubles in volume. This will depend on the ambient temperature of the place where we leave the dough. We can speed up the process by placing the container in the oven, where there is an optimal environment for it because there are no air currents and the temperature is constant.
5. Once it has risen, we take the dough out of the container and divide it into 4 equal parts. To be able to handle it without it sticking, we smear our hands with oil.
6. We roll each of the pieces into a ball shape and place them on a baking tray covered with greaseproof paper.
7. We cover again with a clean kitchen cloth and let it ferment a second time until it doubles in volume.

Baking and final presentation los ochíos

1. We beat the second egg and brush each of the buns with it. Sprinkle with plenty of sugar.
2. We place the tray in the oven, preheated to 180º C with heat up and down, and cook for 18-20 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and let cool on a rack before serving with, for example, a glass of milk and a few ounces of chocolate. Perfect for a different and homemade snack.

Follow all the steps of these sweet ochios from Jaén in the album. Don’t miss any details so that they turn out perfect.

Tips for perfect sweet ochios from Jaén

• The use of a good extra virgin olive oil is key for optimal results. Being a recipe from Jaén you cannot expect anything else. Don’t skimp on this ingredient.
• As we told you, a good glass of milk and a few ounces of chocolate or if you prefer a cup of hot chocolate and to dip the ochío.
• They can be frozen , individually wrapped in transparent paper, and thrown away whenever you want.
• If a couple of days have passed and they are not so tender, open them in half, toast them and spread them with butter , jam or whatever you like best.