Orejas and Champurrado

To make the puff pastry:

Whisk together flour, salt, and sugar. Set aside. 

Cut each stick of very cold butter into 16 cubes. 

Combine the butter with flour mixture by lightly tossing and rubbing the flour into the butter, but do not rub too hard. There should still be big chunks of butter visible in the flour.

Add a little bit of ice-cold water at a time and continue tossing & rubbing the flour into the butter until it turns into a shaggy clump of dough. There will still be visible chunks of butter.

Shape into a rough rectangle and wrap in parchment paper in the fridge for 2 to 24 hours.

Lightly flour your work surface and roll the dough out ½ inch thick. You will still see visible chunks of butter- that is fine. Fold the sides in like a business letter.

Flour your work surface as needed and continue rolling and folding in the dough 5 or 6 times to create flakey layers. By the end, you may still see some chunks of butter, but the dough should look smooth for the most part.

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using, and up to 24 hours. 

To make the orejas (makes about 16 mini orejas):

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you want to make mini size orejas, cut the dough in half. For large /regular sized orejas, roll out the dough as is.

Lightly flour your work surface, then roll the dough out ½ inch thick and as evenly as you can into a rectangular shape. 

Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar all over both sides, saving about 2 tbsp on the side to sprinkle over later.

Evenly fold the puff pastry inwards 2 times from both sides. Then fold it in half.

Cut the puff pastry into 8 pieces 

Flatten the orejas using a spatula on a baking sheet with parchment paper, then sprinkle over the remaining cinnamon sugar on top. 

Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes, flip the orejas over, then bake for another 10 to 12 minutes. 

To make the chocolate dip:

Combine Mexican chocolate with 1 tbsp heavy cream and microwave for 15 seconds. 

Mix, then add another tbsp of heavy cream and microwave for 15 seconds.

Mix until smooth.

Dip the orejas in the chocolate and let it sit to harden or eat right away.

To make the champurrado:

Optional: toast the masa harina in a skillet until it slightly turns to a tan color and is fragrant. 

Blend with 1 cup of water until smooth. Set aside.

In a large pot, heat 1 cup of water then add the cinnamon stick and piloncillo until dissolved.

Add milk, then add the Mexican chocolate once it starts to steam. You can take out the cinnamon from this point if you prefer. 

Stir frequently to make sure the chocolate dissolves and doesn’t get stuck to the bottom. 

Once the chocolate is fully dissolved, add the masa harina mixture and continue to simmer on low for 20 minutes. 

Once the champurrado has thickened, add some vanilla extract (optional) and mix with an immersion blender for better texture. It works like a molinillo to make it nice and frothy. Serve hot and enjoy!

Recipe and image by Stella Navarro-Kim / @stellanspice