Rabbits (Chilean conejos)

Versión en español

Last Sunday, we had Chileans for tea or Once as we call it, so I finally had an excuse to make these pastry cream filled rabbits. Growing up these pastries were a real treat. You could buy them on any bakery and even they were sometimes sold inside our schools! For a long time I didn’t bother to have one, going after more elegant pastries, but now is what I crave. They are relatively simple: a sweet bread, filled with pastry cream and dusted with powdered sugar.

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Rabbits (Chilean Conejos)

12 large
Ingredients:

• 1 cup warm milk
• 4 cups (460 grams) all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons or 7 grams of instant yeast rapid-rise
• 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 eggs
• pinch of salt
• 1 egg to paint before the oven
• pastry cream or dulce de leche to fill

Preparation:

1. Dissolve yeast in warm milk with sugar and let stand 10 minutes, it should start to bubble.
2. In a large bowl with a mixer beat the butter until creamy, add eggs and beat until well blended. Add the flour, a pinch of salt and beat on low speed while incorporating milk with yeast. You will get a sticky dough, which separates from the bottom of the bowl.
3. Cover with a cloth and leave in a warm place to rise for 1 hour and a half, or until double in size.
4. With floured hands, remove dough from bowl to a well-floured board. Cut into 12 portions.
5. Give each portion an oval, smooth shape. Place them in a baking pan covered with parchment paper.
6. Allow rising in a warm place for 1 hour and a half.
7. Preheat oven to 180C or 350F.
8. Paint the rabbits with the egg wash (egg whisk with little water).
9. Bake for 25 minutes until golden.
10. Let cool entirely on a rack.
11. Cut with a knife from the edges to the center, forming a V and fill with pastry cream
12. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.