Moyettes (Cinnamon Sugar Crusted Sweet Bread)
Submitted by maw006
Moyettes are Mexican cinnamon sugar sweet bread rolls with anise flavor, brushed in melted butter and crusted in cinnamon sugar. A traditional pan dulce recipe.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
2 hrsCOOK
25 minREADY
2 hrsMoyettes are a traditional Mexican sweet bread, part of the pan dulce family that fills bakery cases from Oaxaca to El Paso. These rolls get their character from two things: a subtle anise note in the dough and a generous coating of melted butter mixed with cinnamon sugar that forms a crackly, sweet crust during baking.
The dough is a classic enriched yeast dough with sugar, butter, and egg. It goes through two rises, which builds flavor and gives the crumb a light, pillowy texture. After the second rise, you punch it down, shape into orange-sized balls, and flatten them with a rolling pin to about ½ to ¾ inch thick.
Before the final rise, each round gets brushed on all sides with melted butter and cinnamon sugar. That coating caramelizes in the hot oven and creates a golden, sugary shell that shatters slightly when you bite through it. Slice thin and serve with soft butter for the full experience.
Pro Tips
- Let the yeast ferment a full 5 to 10 minutes after dissolving. It should be foamy and active before adding to the flour mixture.
- Knead until the dough is truly satiny. Undermixed dough won’t have the elasticity to rise well or develop that light, airy crumb.
- Coat every surface with the butter-cinnamon topping. Bare spots bake up pale and plain.
- These keep well wrapped at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. Toast lightly to refresh the crust.
Variations
- Use anise seeds instead of extract for a more textured, rustic flavor with little bursts of licorice.
- Roll in turbinado sugar after the butter coating for an extra-crunchy, sparkly crust.
- Add orange zest to the dough for a citrus twist common in many Mexican bread traditions.
Ingredients
Directions
Sift flour, 1 cup sugar adn salt together. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. If using oil, stir oil into liquid ingredients after adding the egg.
Dissolve yeast in warm water, stir vigorously, and allow to ferment for 5 to 10 minutes. Then add the egg and anise extract or aniseeds.
Add a small quantity of the flour mixture to the yeast and beat Let stand for a few minutes, or until dough becomes light and airy.
Add the rest of the flour mixture, adding more flour if necessary to make a stiff dough. Knead on a lightly floured board until satiny.
Butter the top of the dough, cover with wax paper and let rise 6. When the bread has risen, punch it down, and let it rise until doubled.
Knead the dough slightly, then form into balls the size of an orange. With a rolling pin, flatten to ½ to ¾ inch thick.
Prepare a topping by mixing together the melted butter, Spread topping on all sides of the rolls.
Let rolls rise until light and about doubled in size. When nearly doubled, preheat oven to 400℉ (200℃). Bake in a preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden. Slice thinly and butter generously with soft butter. Arrange slices on a platter as desired. They will keep for 2 to 3 days at room temperature when well wrapped.
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