These are pineapple filled nidos (nests). They're made with a Mexican pan dulce dough, a yeasted dough that you can also use to make conchas, (shells), and other Mexican pan dulce, and then fill with a sweet pineapple filling.
For the dough, you can use a pan dulce dough, such as the one I used for funfetti conchas. It's very much like brioche or challah, super rich and yet very light. There is also a wonderful recipe in the book, The Mexican Bakery by Alex Peña. You can use it to make any form of bizcocho, which is a descentant of French brioche.
I met Alex at a friend's get together where he demonstrated how to make Rosca de Reyes, a Mexican King Cake. Since then, he published his beautiful book. It's the first complete guide to to Mexican pan dulce. It includes over 50 traditional recipes for bread and other baked goods that you can find in a neighborhood panaderia.
Alex grew up in a family bakery and has since had a long career in research and development for a company producing mixes for making pan dulce.
In 2020, he began The School of Baking, where he started teaching home bakers to make Mexican bread. The book is a collection of the recipes that he features in his school for home bakers.
In the book, you can find recipes for all kinds of Mexican Bakery breads, including pan dulce, pan salado (savory breads), shortbreads, and laminated breads.
I bake a lot of different breads, including Mexican breads, and I'm so excited to try more of Chef Alex's recipes.
Ingredients in these Pineapple Nidos:
One Recipe Concha Dough: You can use the dough from these Funfetti Conchas or these Mexican Conchas.
Pineapple: Cored and cubed. I used a Honeyglow pineapple from Melissa's Produce. It's super sweet and less acidic than most pineapples.
Granulated Sugar.
Water.
Cornstarch.
Lemon Juice.
Salt.
To Make The Pineapple Filling:
First, core the pineapple, peel it, and cut into small cubes and place them into a bowl.
Next, add lemon juice, sugar, and salt and combine. Place the mixture into a saucepan and simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add a cornstarch and water slurry and then stir until the mixture has thickened.
Finally, cover and let cool.
To Make the Nidos:
Once the Concha dough has risen, form it into eight pieces and shape each into balls. Place them onto parchment lined baking sheets and gently flatten them before covering them with oiled plastic wrap.
Once the rolls have risen, form them into "nests" by making an indent in the center and and sprinkling them with pearl sugar, flaked coconut, or slivered almonds and filling them with the pineapple filling.
Bake them at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes.
You will have some leftover filling. It will last a week or two in the refrigerator and can be used for jam or as a dessert topping.
Tropical Vibes for Pineapple Day:
- Frozen Pineapple Yogurt Pops from Creative Cynchronicity
- Pineapple Barbeque Chops with Colada Slaw from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
- Pineapple Martini from Art of Natural Living
- Pineapple Nidos from Karen's Kitchen Stories
- Pineapple salsa from Jen Around the World
- Pineapple Swordfish Skewers from That Recipe
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Pineapple Nidos
These are pineapple filled nidos (nests). They're made with a Mexican pan dulce dough, a yeasted dough that you can also use to make Conchas.
Ingredients
- 450 grams (3 3/4 cups) bread flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 100 grams (1/2 cup) extra fine granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened and cut into pieces
- 2 large room temperature eggs
- 1/2 cup lukewarm water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast
- 1 to 2 tablepoons pearl sugar or flaked coconut for finishing
- 336 grams peeled and cubed pineapple
- 90 grams granulated sugar
- 3/4 tablespoons lemon juice
- Pinch of fine sea salt
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Place the cubed pineapple into a medium bowl
- Add the lemon juice, sugar, and salt and combine.
- Transfer to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer for about six minutes.
- In the meantime, combine the cornstarch and water.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cornstarch mixture. Stir until slightly thickened.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the flour, salt, and granulated sugar.
- Add the butter pieces and mix with the paddle attachment until the butter becomes pea-sized and coated with flour.
- Switch to the dough hook and add the eggs, water, and vanilla, and mix on low for about two minutes. Add the yeast and mix on medium (speed 4) for 10 minutes.
- Turn the dough out onto your work surface and knead a few times. Form it into a ball and place it into an oiled dough rising bucket and cover. Let it rise until doubled in a warm (about 80 degrees F) spot, about 2 to 3 hours.
- In the meantime, prepare the Pineapple Filling.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces and form them into balls. Place them on the baking sheets and flatten them with your hand to about 3/4 inch thick. Lightly grease the tops. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until almost doubled, about an hour.
- When the dough is ready, indent the center with a small glass and sprinkle the edges with pearl sugar or flaked coconut. Fill the centers with the cooled pineapple filling.
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. and bake the rolls, one sheet at a time, for 20 minutes. Cool to room temperature on a wire rack.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
446Fat (grams)
14 gSat. Fat (grams)
8 gCarbs (grams)
72 gFiber (grams)
2 gNet carbs
70 gSugar (grams)
28 gProtein (grams)
9 gCholesterol (grams)
77 mg
Note: While the book does not include a recipe for Nidos, I adapted Chef Alex's recipe for concha dough.
The Pineapple Filling is from The Mexican Bakery.
