Gorditas de Nata

Combine milk, yeast, 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 tablespoon flour in a medium bowl. Gently stir to mix well and activate the yeast. Set aside for 10 minutes or until mixture has doubled in size and is foamy.

On a clean working surface, place flour and form a well with your hands. Add yeast mixture, nata, egg, remaining sugar, butter, and vanilla to the well. Sprinkle salt along the edge of the well. Using your hands, mix the ingredients, slowly folding in the flour towards the center. Knead until a soft dough forms and it is no longer sticky. Form a ball.

Coat the inside of a large glass bowl and the dough with oil, place dough ball in bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place in a warm area of your kitchen and let the dough rise until it doubles in size. About 90 minutes.

Punch dough to deflate. Sprinkle working surface with a little bit of flour. Place dough on working surface and knead for 3 minutes. Roll out dough with a rolling pin until dough is ¼-inch thick.

Dip a 3 ½-inch round cookie cutter (or rim of cup) in flour and cut out dough gorditas, dipping the cutter in flour every time before cutting dough. Knead together remaining dough scraps and roll out. Repeat until all dough is used. Place gorditas in a floured tray. Cover tray with plastic wrap and let gorditas rise for 20 minutes.

While gorditas rest. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. When skillet is hot, decrease heat to low. Working in batches of 4-5 gorditas on hot skillet, cook for 10-12 minutes on each side. Transfer to a large plate and repeat until all gorditas are cooked.

Slice in half, serve with nata and dulce de leche and enjoy.

Makes 18

Preparation time: 25 minutes

Rising time: 110 minutes

Cooking time: 48 minutes

Recipe and image created by Ericka Sanchez/@nibblesnfeasts and Nicole Presley/@presleyspantry for the CMAB