Mexican Cemita Buns # We Knead To Bake - 30

       Mexican Cemita Buns are used to make a sandwich which is very popular in the Puebla region of the country. There they make the Cemitas Poblana, which is a sandwich is filled with sliced avocado, meat, panela cheese or sometimes quesillo cheese, onions, a herb called pápalo and red sauce. 

       The cemita is a torta originally from Puebla , Mexico. The name can refer to the bread roll it is served on as well.

    The cemita, also known as cemita poblana, derives from the city (and region) of Puebla . The word refers to the sandwich as well as to the roll it is typically served on, a bread roll covered with sesame seeds. The bread is made with egg, and resembles brioche.  Additionally, the ingredients usually are restricted to sliced avocado ,  meat, white cheese, onions, the herb pápalo  and red sauce (salsa  roja). In modern times it has appeared on the streets of New York, Los Angeles, and other cities with Mexican food vendors.

I made it as eggless by replacing two eggs with half a cup of milk.

    These buns may look like regular sesame topped burger buns but they’re nothing like it. The Cemita, which is the name given to the bread and the sandwich made with it, is made with a brioche-like enriched dough that has a crunchy outside but is soft inside.

Kenji Lopez-Alt describes the Cemita as “sweet and savory flavor with a dense-yet-light crumb that can stand up to stacks and stacks of toppings without disintegrating or losing its tenderness”.

                                   

      The recipe given below is my adaptation of the original. These buns are usually made with lard or butter but Kenji Lopez-Alt uses heavy cream in his recipe since he feels it produces a softer and richer crumb. I replaced the heavy cream with half 25% fat cream (Amul) and half milk.I also cut the sugar by half and left out the sprinkling of coarse sea salt. I also ended up using about 1/2 a cup more of flour than suggested because what we need to make Cemita buns is a sticky dough and not a wet dough!  One tbsp butter can be used  instead of cream .

Mexican Cemita Buns

Adapted from  Serious Eats

Ingredients:

2 1/2 to 3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cream (25% fat)

1/2 cup milk

2 eggs ( replaced with extra ½ cup milk )

1 tsp instant yeast

3/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 tbsp sugar

A little more milk for brushing

1/3 to 1/2 cup sesame seeds

Coarse sea salt for sprinkling (optional)

Method:

       You can knead the dough by hand or machine though machine is easier because of the sticky nature of the dough.

      Combine 2 1/2 cups of flour, the cream, milk, eggs ( if using ), yeast, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor.

      Process until a ball of dough that rides around the blade is formed, about 45 seconds. Dough will be very sticky. If the dough seems more batter like then add a little more flour until the desired consistency is achieved.

     Please resist the temptation to add too much flour because the dough must be sticky and a little difficult to handle.

       Transfer dough to a large mixing bowl ( the recipe suggests not oiling the bowl, but I did), cover and let it rise at room temperature for about 3 to 4 hours until it is about 1 1/2 times its original size.

     Flour your working surface and lightly flour the dough, then put it on your work surface. Lightly press down the dough and shape it into a thick “rope” like shape. Cut this into 6 equal portions with a scraper or knife.

   Shape the balls into smooth rounds by stretching the tops to form a smooth “skin” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TB908K3Kd6k ) and place them on a parchment lined baking tray, leaving a little space between them for expanding as they proof. Cover and set aside at room temperature for 45 minutes to an hour until they have risen a bit.

Brush the buns with milk and sprinkle the tops with a generous amount of sesame seeds. Very ightly press them down into the dough. Bake at 230C (450F) for about 15 minutes until they’re done and the tops are a deep golden brown.

                   

  Cool them completely on a wire rack before using. These buns can be stored in a plastic of paper bag in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Warm them slightly before using. This recipe make 6 buns. I got one extra.

Sending to Bready Steady Go happening  @  Jen’s Food and Utterly Scrummy Food For Families .