Mexican Bolillo Rolls

Mexican Bolillo Dinner Rolls – a mini baguette with a crunchy crust and a soft center.

Disclaimer: I’ve never been to Mexico, which means I’ve never bought a bolillo on the streets of Mexico. So I don’t really know they are authentic, other than the reading I’ve done online.

But I was making a Mexican-themed dinner (remember the enchilada casserole?) and wanted bread.

When I first came across this term I wasn’t really sure what the difference was from regular dinner rolls. Then wikipedia told me bolillo actually means “french bread.” Ironic?

Anyway, from what I can tell it is simply a fresh version of a mini baguette that has a unique shape. (Which you’ll see I probably need more practice on the shape.)

There are no spices or anything to add a Mexican “kick” (this was the first question I was asked). As much as I can tell, the glaze is what sets it apart.

You can simply do an egg white glaze, spritz of water, or what I did which was a water and cornstarch mixture. The idea is to get a harder, crunchy crust with a soft and airy middle.

Other than that it’s mostly a typical yeast bread roll. Make the dough, let rise. And divide into 12 balls to rise again.

Then you’ll probably need a bigger pan or divide them into two baking pans. The bolillo shape is an oval (imagine more of a football shape than what I ended up with).

Since taking these pictures, I learned a better way to make the score with a serrated knife is to go in at a 45 degree angle. That will not just give you the line in the middle, but an indent to the side.

So while my bolillo rolls might need some work in terms of the shape, they still were excellent dinner rolls. I’m thinking I still need to make a trip down to Mexico though, just to verify the authenticity of the recipe. #worktrip

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Yield: 12 rolls

Mexican Bolillo Rolls

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Mexican Bolillo Dinner Rolls - a mini baguette with a crunchy crust and a soft center.

Prep Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes

Ingredients

For the rolls:

• 1 1/2 cups hot water (115-120°F)
• 2 1/4 teaspoon yeast (1 packet)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 4 cups all-purpose flour (+ more as necessary for kneading)
• 1 teaspoon salt

For the glaze:

• 1/2 cup water
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch

Instructions

1. Proof the yeast by combining hot water, yeast and sugar to a mixing bowl and stir to combine. Should bubble after 5 minutes to show yeast is working.
2. Add flour and salt to bowl, and knead together using a stand mixer and dough hook (or by hand) until dough is soft and elastic. 
3. Cover to let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.
4. Divide dough into 12 balls and form into an oval shape (think American football). Place on sprayed baking sheet and let rise again while oven is pre-heating.
5. Preheat oven to 450°F.
6. In a small stovepot, add water and cornstarch and heat over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until a glaze is formed. Remove from heat.
7. Before placing rolls into oven, score the rolls by making a lengthwise cut with a serrated knife (about 1/2 inch deep). Add the cornstarch and water glaze from previous step to top of rolls.
8. Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Notes

For the glaze: if you don't want to use cornstarch, just spritz the dough with warm water before baking.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1 roll
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 156Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 179mgCarbohydrates: 33gFiber: 1gSugar: 0gProtein: 5g

Nutrition information is calculated automatically by an online tool at Nutritionix. It is not always accurate. Please use your own tools to check if you rely on this information.