Bolillos
Ingredients
- 3 1/4 cups (340g) all-purpose flour
- 3 leveled teaspoons instant yeast
- 2 1/2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 1/4 cups (284g) lukewarm water
Instructions
- Mix and knead all of the ingredients — by hand, stand mixer with dough hook, or bread machine — to make a smooth, elastic dough.
- Cover the dough and let it rise until doubled in bulk, about 45 to 60 minutes.
- Gently deflate the dough and turn out onto a lightly floured surface, shape into a ball and divide it into 8 equal pieces (about 85g each).
- One by one, gently flatten each piece a little by pressing it with your fingers against the surface. Bring all the edges inwards, pinching it into a ball shape and pressing to seal. Flip it to have the sealed part on the bottom and roll it a little bit over the top to make it round, then place onto a parchment-lined baking sheet keeping the sealed part on the bottom. Continue with the rest of the dough. Once you are done, brush or spray the 8 balls with water so they will not dry out, cover, and let rest for 10 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) one baking sheet.
- Working with one piece of dough at a time, use your hands to flatten it into a 4” to 4 1/2″ round. Starting at the bottom edge, lift the two “corners” and fold inward, as if making a folded triangle. Press lightly to seal, then roll up and over again and repeat by folding the bottom edge inward, continuing as if you are making a folded triangle. When finished, you will have a somewhat oval piece of dough that is chubbier in the center.
- Use the palms of your hands to roll out the ends of the oval further, making the ends much thinner than the center.
- Place the bolillos on the prepared baking sheet as you shape them. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.
- Brush or spray the 8 shaped bolillo balls with water so they will not dry out, cover and let rise until puffy, 30 to 45 minutes.
- When ready to bake, brush or spray the bolillos with water one more time and take a sharp knife, or lame, and score the bolillos with one long slash from end to end, about 1/4” deep. The bread may deflate a bit; that’s OK, it’ll pick right up in the hot oven.
- Bake until golden, about 20 to 22 minutes.
- Remove the bread from the oven and cool on a rack.
- Store bread, securely wrapped, at room temperature for a couple days or so; freeze for longer storage.