The Mexican Bolillo is the perfect fall tailgating sandwich bread and chili dunker.
Forget the fancy, dainty croissant rolls. Fall and football need a standout bread or roll to resemble the season and withstand fall flavors and hearty dishes.
For this post, I wanted to revisit the Mexican Bolillo and add some highlights since it appears to be the perfect fall bread. The recent drop in temperatures warrants soups and chili in my household. I have made several pots of soup these past couple of weeks, When I think of soup, I think of bread. Actually, when DON’T I think of bread; it’s consumes my thoughts!
I was reminded of my post on Bolillo (Let’s all Remember Like Mexico Part 1) this time last year and my husband referring to them as footballs. It was clear the Bolillo is THE bread to make right now and add a video to enhance it. Check out that previous post for details about this bread, recipe, pictures, other authentic Mexican dishes, and Mexico. The recipe is also included in this post.
With so many people working from home and limited in carrying out a “normal” routine, it seems that comfort food is what we all want. The Bolillo is unique and can easily fit into our lives.
As you’re thinking about making that 10th loaf of sourdough or a Thanksgiving roll, give the Bolillo a try!
My Bolillo highlights: The Bolillo is…
-seasonal for Americans as it resembles footballs.
-a “clean” bread, as my husband, Scott refers to it in the video. Watch to learn more.
-preservative free, no sugar!
-individually sized… no spreading germs!
-multi-textured with a crunchy exterior and soft interior.
-hearty enough to eat as sandwich bread or use to sop up food juices.
-simple enough to eat sliced with butter or for a snack with nut butter and jam.
-the nostalgic joy filling our houses with bakery smells.
-comfort food with that longing for simplicity in life.
-a multi-cultural connection to others.
In looking at the highlight list, it’s as though the Bolillo has taken on its own “emotion” or adjective. It needs its own word that encompasses happiness, longing, comfort, familiarity, social connection, and even safety and health (to some degree). Ok, so maybe I took this a little too far, but you get the idea, The Bolillo is just one of those breads we could use in our lives at the moment. If nothing more, you’re graced with a morsel of joy in a single bite.
Check out my newly uploaded video on making the Bolillo with my cheesy (and some off) football references throughout. Clearly, I never played football! You should see me throw one! SCARY!
Bolillo
Ingredients
Starter
- ¾ cup water
- ½ tsp active dry yeast
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
Dough
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ tsp active dry yeast
- 2 tsp salt
- ¼ cup shortening melted and cooled to below 115˚F / 46˚C
- 1 cup warm water 100˚F-110˚F / 38˚C-43˚C
Instructions
Starter
- Prepare the starter at least 8 hours before using it, ideally the night before.
- In a small bowl, whisk together yeast and water. Then whisk in flour.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow it to sit on the counter until you need it the following day.
Dough
- In a standing mixer, add the starter, flour, salt, yeast, and shortening (melted and cooled to below 115˚F / 46˚C).
- Turn on the mixer and begin kneading, slowly add the water and continue to knead on low speed.
- Knead for 10 minutes or until the dough pulls away from the bowl.
- Scoop the dough out onto a floured surface, deflate it, and shape it into a ball.
- Spray a large bowl (mixer bowl is fine) with cooking spray, place the dough in the bowl, spray the top of the dough with cooking spray and cover the bowl with plastic.
- Place the covered bowl in a warm space and allow the dough to rise for about 1½ hours or until it is doubled in size.
- Deflate the dough and scoop it out onto a floured surface. Divide the dough into 10 equal pieces. You can use a food scale or eyeball the divisions. Depending on the overall weight of your dough, the individual pieces should weigh 3-4 ounces.
- Cover the 10 pieces on the work surface with sprayed plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 15 minutes.
- Form the Bolillos by flouring your hands, flatten each piece of dough with the palm of your hand. Fold ⅓ of dough over and press down with your fingers pinching the fold against the flat portion of the dough to seal it, Then, continue to fold the dough over to the edge pinching the fold to the edge of the dough. Be sure to seal the ends of the roll.
- Shape the Bolillos into footballs, place your hands over the dough and press gently but firmly cupping your hands and rolling back and forth. While doing this, press the edges of your hands to leave some dough uncovered to form the traditional Bolillo ears or tapered ends of a football.
- Place each Bolillo seam side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet or greased baking sheet and cover with sprayed plastic wrap. Allow them to rise for 1 to 1½ hours or until they’ve doubled in size.
- With 15 minutes left in the rising process, set your oven to preheat at 450˚F / 232˚C. Place a metal pan on the lowest rack level in your oven.
- When the rolls have doubled in size, make a deep cut using a serrated knife in the center of the roll in the direction from tail to tail.
- Spray the rolls with warm water or use your fingers and spritz them with the water.
- Place the rolls in the oven, pour 1½ cups of cold water in the metal pan, and immediately close the oven. The cold water hitting the heat will result in steam causing a crunchy crust.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until the rolls are golden brown. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool. Eat and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Like this recipe? Check out these others.
Pan de Muerto (Mexican Bread of the Dead) for Dia de los Muertos
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