Facturas

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 200°C conventional / 180°C fan. Line a tray with baking paper. In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and instant yeast, keeping the salt and yeast on opposite sides at first. Add the lukewarm milk, egg, vanilla, and lemon zest, then mix until a shaggy dough forms.

2. 2

   Knead the dough for 5-6 minutes until it begins to smooth out, then add the softened butter a little at a time. Continue kneading for 6-8 minutes more until the dough is silky, elastic, and only lightly tacky. A properly developed dough should stretch thinly without tearing quickly.

3. 3

   Cover the dough and let it rest for 20 minutes at warm room temperature. This short rest is enough here because the pastries are kept small to fit the time limit.

4. 4

   Meanwhile, cut the quince paste into 6 small batons or cubes for easy filling. If the dulce de leche is loose, chill it briefly so it pipes or spoons more cleanly.

5. 5

   Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 24 x 18 cm and roughly 5 mm thick. Cut it into 6 equal rectangles. For half of them, place a small line or spoonful of dulce de leche in the center; for the others, place quince paste. Fold or shape into classic small facturas forms such as simple rolls or envelopes, pressing the seams firmly so the filling stays enclosed but not compressed out.

6. 6

   Arrange the pastries on the lined tray with space between them. Cover loosely and proof for 15 minutes, until slightly puffed; they will not fully double in this shortened method, but they should look lighter and less dense.

7. 7

   Whisk the egg yolk with the milk and brush the tops lightly for even colour and shine. Avoid brushing heavy amounts onto cut edges, which can inhibit oven spring.

8. 8

   Bake for 14-16 minutes until golden brown and the bottoms are cooked through. Rotate the tray halfway if your oven colours unevenly. The pastries should feel light for their size and the exposed dough at seams should no longer look raw.

9. 9

   While the facturas bake, heat the apricot jam with the water just until loosened, then strain if needed for a smooth glaze.

10. 10

    Brush the hot pastries with the warm glaze and let them sit for 5 minutes before serving. Serve slightly warm, when the dough is tender and the fillings are soft but not runny.

Nutrition per serving

Notes

• •This is a small-batch, time-conscious bakery-style version designed for 2 servings; traditional facturas often use laminated or heavily enriched dough and require longer fermentation.
• •If you can spare more time, a 45-60 minute first rise will improve flavour and texture noticeably.
• •Firm dulce de leche repostero works better than soft table dulce de leche because it stays in place during baking.
• •For neat shaping, chill the filled pastries for 5 minutes before proofing if your kitchen is very warm.

Background