Rosquillos

This is typical sweet from my hometown and never tried to bake it until yesterday. I have been in the bakery (“horno”) twice in the last two years and just got an idea of the ingredients but never been brave enough to ask for the proportions so this is just a guess…

Ingredients:

  • 200ml water + 25g sugar + 2 star anise
  • 100ml orange juice
  • 200ml olive oil
  • 400g strong white flour (harina pastelera)
  • 120g caster sugar
  • 50ml anise (43%) – I used sambuca

Process:

  • Boil the water, sugar and star anise. Let it simmer for 5 minutes. Then cool down.
  • In a bowl, mix all ingredients. Just add 150ml from the water mix above.
  • Knead for 15-20 minutes until smooth. It doesnt stick much as it has lot of oil.
  • Let the dough to rest for 30 minutes in the bowl.
  • Using a scale, make 6 balls, aprox 150g each. Be sure they are tight balls.
  • Let them rest for 1h or so in a tray with a bit of flour as anti-stick. I used two trays. The idea is to try to prove the balls (in my case it didnt happen…)
  • Pre-heat oven at 175C
  • Make a hole in the middle, like a “rosquilla” and the try to make “picos” in the sides. I failed miserably with the “picos”.
  • Put one tray in the oven, bake until golden.
  • Bake the second tray.
  • Let the “rosquillos” to cool down.

My version:

The real deal:

So still a bit off target 🙂

The real “rosquillos” uses only anise (liquor). But it can be dangerous to use at home because if the oven has not good ventilation, the alcohol can blow it, so for that reason I just used it a bit and try to replace it with the water+star anise.

In summary, my version is eatable. I didnt have to throw them away so that’s a win at the end. The flavour is still far from the original but tasty nonetheless.

Another thing, I had the oven at 230C initially so the first batch went to dark and inside wasnt very well cooked. And this morning were quite hard. I remember the original ones go hard too but no the next day. Still it was tasty today though.

So possible modifications/incognitas:

  • Bake at 175C (already updated instructions)
  • Less olive oil, 150ml?
  • A bit more anise alcohol?
  • how to make them prove?

I guess I will try again soon as the process and ingredients are not “difficult”. It was to find a decent proportion. Hopefully next year I will go back to the bakery and ask for the proportions.

2nd Attempt:

  • 150ml water + 25g sugar + 2 star anise
  • 100ml orange juice
  • 100ml olive oil
  • 450g strong white flour (harina pastelera)
  • 120g caster sugar
  • 50ml anise (43%) – I used sambuca

Super sticky dough, not much better 🙁

3nd Attempt:

  • 100ml orange juice
  • 150ml olive oil
  • 450g strong white flour (harina pastelera)
  • 120g caster sugar
  • 100ml anise (43%) – I used sambuca

No sticky dough (good to remove water+sugar+anise), but still not raising. It releases liquid…. I think I need to put less liquid (of everything)?? It is the flour correct? The recipe needs “Harina Pastelera” and when asked what was the difference I was told it was the “strength” so I have assumed I need “strong” white flour… Next time I will try to make “Harina Pastelera”.