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
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.
