Concha Breakfast Bake

My Concha Breakfast Bake is a tasty way to enjoy the popular Mexican pan dulce, conchas. I make it by baking day-old conchas in an almond egg custard, then top it with shredded coconut before drizzling a sweet-tart lime glaze over the whole casserole. You’re going to learn how to make this easy breakfast step-by-step. Your family will love its sweet flavor and vibrant appearance. Consider making this recipe for your next brunch. A Cinco de Mayo or Mother’s Day celebration is perfect for serving this recipe.

*This is an updated post from the original, published in March 2019. The images and article are new, and I also swapped out the sliced almonds for shredded coconut.*

What Is A Concha?

A concha is a Mexican sweet bread or pan dulce (pahn DOOL-say) similar to brioche, albeit a bit drier in texture. The bread gets its name from the concha, Spanish for the shell, a design that tops it, made from a flour and sugar paste crust. Conchas are commonly eaten as breakfast bread with café con leche (coffee with milk) or milk or orange juice. They are also great for dessert or coffee- or teatime. 

What Do I Need To Make This Concha Breakfast Bake?

To make this concha breakfast bake, you need mini conchas, large eggs, large egg yolks, half-and-half, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, unsalted butter, kosher salt, almond extract, lime zest, and sweetened coconut flakes.

You will also need a large mixing bowl, a whisk, and a baking dish.

Can I Use A Different Bread If I Can’t Get Conchas?

Many Latin American bakeries, or panaderías, sell conchas since they are one of the most popular types of pan dulce. They are pretty easy to find, especially if you live in an area with a large Mexican or Central American population. I live in Texas, where most mainstream grocery stores sell conchas in their bakery departments. 

You can replace the concha in this recipe with Pan Sobao or Brioche, a few days old. If concha bread isn’t your favorite, replace it with a similar pan dulce. I recommend rosca de reyes, pan de muerto, or chilindirnas. Day-old (or two-) French bread will also work in this recipe. Most bread is sold as 1-pound loaves. If you’re not using conchas, reduce the amount of half-and-half to compensate for this. The key is to use stale bread so it doesn’t become soggy when mixed with the custard. 

Cut the bread into 1-inch cubes using a bread knife or a serrated knife. Using a bread knife helps prevent tearing the bread. While tearing the bread won’t hurt anything, the concha breakfast bake will not look its best with torn pieces.

How Far Ahead Can I Assemble This Recipe?

The great thing about this concha breakfast bake is that you can assemble it the evening before baking it and finish it the next day.

Begin by brushing a small amount of the melted butter onto the bottom and sides of a 9x13x3-inch baking dish.

Add the remaining melted butter, eggs, egg yolks, half-and-half, sugar, ground cinnamon, almond extract, a portion of the coconut flakes and kosher salt to a large bowl. Use a whisk to mix the ingredients in the bowl until smooth. 

How Long Does It Take To Bake?

Add the cubed concha pieces to the bowl and toss them into the custard with a large spoon. Once the concha pieces are fully coated, pour the mixture into the greased baking dish. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake the concha breakfast casserole for 30 minutes at 350°F (180°C). 

You can also put the covered dish in the refrigerator overnight and bake the concha casserole the following morning. If baking the casserole in a ceramic or glass dish, remove it from the fridge 30 minutes before putting it into the oven. I recommend removing the baking dish from the refrigerator before heating the oven. Putting a cold ceramic or glass baking dish into a hot oven will likely cause it to shatter, ruining your recipe and creating a hazardous mess for you to clean up. 

Can I Swap The Coconut For Something Else?

Finish this concha breakfast bake by removing the foil and sprinkling on the remaining shredded coconut. My original recipe called for sliced almonds, but I removed those for coconut flakes. You can top this concha casserole with sliced or chopped nuts or chocolate chips or leave these ingredients out altogether.

Return the baking dish to the oven and continue baking for another 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165-175°F (75-80°C).

Remove the concha breakfast bake from the oven and allow it to cool for 10-15 minutes.

What’s The Best Topping For A Concha Breakfast Bake?

You can top the concha breakfast bake with maple syrup, but I prefer a drizzle of lime glaze. The lime glaze contrasts flavors from the buttery concha bread and the sweet almond custard it bakes in. It also uses up the lime that you zested for the custard.

To make the lime glaze, you need powdered sugar, fresh lime juice, melted unsalted butter, and half-and-half or water. The half-and-half is only needed if you prefer a thinner glaze. 

How Far Ahead Can I Make The Lime Glaze?

Add the powdered sugar, melted butter, and lime juice to a small bowl. Use a whisk to stir the ingredients together until smooth and thick. I prefer a thicker glaze that has the consistency of glue. If you prefer a thinner glaze, add 2-3 teaspoons of half-and-half or water to the bowl and stir to incorporate it.

You can make the lime glaze for this breakfast bake up to a week ahead. Transfer the glaze to an airtight container and store it in the fridge. You’ll need to heat it in the microwave to loosen the firm butter.

Drizzle or spoon the lime glaze over the slightly cooled concha breakfast bake before serving. You can also transfer the lime glaze to a small pitcher or bowl and allow your family or guests to serve themselves. 

How Do I Serve This Concha Breakfast Bake?

To serve concha breakfast bake, use a wide spatula to cut and transfer servings to your plates. Serve it with a fresh fruit salad, your favorite yogurt, or a side of breakfast meat.

If you plan to serve this as a brunch option, add this Chia Oats Fruit Parfait to the menu to bulk the meal healthily.

How Do I Store It?

Store leftover concha breakfast bake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I like to reheat it in a 350°F (180°C) air fryer for 3-4 minutes to maintain the crunch on the exterior. You can also reheat concha breakfast bake in the microwave for 1-1 1/2 minutes or in a 350°F (180°C) oven for 10 minutes.  

Can I Freeze It?

You can freeze the concha breakfast bake after you bake it. Bake the casserole in a disposable or freezer-safe pan according to the recipe instructions. Allow it to cool completely, skip the glaze, and wrap it in a couple of layers of plastic wrap. I also like to wrap the pan in a final layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil, but this is optional. Freeze the concha breakfast bake for up to 3 months. 

You can thaw the breakfast bake in the fridge overnight, then reheat it according to the instructions above. Glaze the casserole after you reheat it. 

This Concha Breakfast Bake is beautiful and fun to look at; it’s also a unique breakfast that your family will love. Filled with amazing almond and butter flavors, it’s a great meal to begin the day with. Whether you’re looking for next Sunday’s breakfast or a show-stopping recipe for your next holiday brunch, this dish won’t disappoint. Pin this recipe to your breakfast or brunch board for easy finding later. Let me know what you think of it in the comments, and don’t forget to share it with your world.

Concha Breakfast Bake

Marta Rivera at Sense & Edibility

5 from 7 votes

Concha Breakfast Bake takes day-old conchas and bakes them in an almond egg custard, before topping it with shredded coconut and a drizzling of sweet-tart lime glaze.

Servings: 8 servings

Print Pin Recipe SaveSaved!

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Equipment

• 9x13 inch baking dish

Ingredients

  

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For the Concha Breakfast Bake

• 3 tablespoons (45 grams) unsalted butter melted and separated
• 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 medium lime zested and juiced, reserve juice for the glaze
• 1 teaspoon (2 grams) ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 cups (720 milliliters) half and half
• 4 large eggs at room temperature
• 3 large egg yolks at room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons (7.5 milliliters) almond extract
• 1/2 cup (40 grams) sweetened coconut flakes separated
• 1 1/4 pounds (13 mini conchas or 615 grams) conchas cut into 1-inch cubes

For the Lime Glaze

• 3/4 cup (90 grams) powdered sugar (icing sugar), sifted
• 1 1/2 tablespoons (25 milliliters) lime juice reserved from above
• 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) unsalted butter melted
• half and half or water, as needed to thin

Instructions 

• Use a pastry brush to grease the bottom and sides of a 9x13x3-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) of the melted butter. Set the dish aside.

  Next, heat an oven to 350°F (180°C).

Assemble the Concha Breakfast Bake

• Add the granulated sugar, lime zest, ground cinnamon, kosher salt, the remaining melted butter, eggs, egg yolks, half-and-half, almond extract, and 1/3 cup (25 grams) of the coconut flakes to a large bowl.

  Use a whisk to mix the ingredients in the bowl until smooth. 
• Add the cubed concha pieces to the bowl and toss them into the custard with a large spoon.

  Once the concha pieces are fully coated, pour the mixture into the greased baking dish.

Bake the Concha Casserole

• Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake the concha breakfast casserole for 30 minutes at 350°F (180°C). 

  After 30 minutes, remove the baking dish from the oven and uncover.
• Sprinkle the remaining shredded coconut over the top of the breakfast bake.

  Return the baking dish to the oven and continue baking, uncovered, for another 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165-175°F (75-80°C).
• Remove the concha breakfast bake from the oven and allow it to cool for 10-15 minutes.

Prepare the Lime Glaze

• Add the powdered sugar, melted butter, and the reserved lime juice to a small bowl.

  Use a whisk to stir the ingredients together until smooth and thick, with the consistency of glue.
• Drizzle or spoon the lime glaze over the slightly cooled concha breakfast bake before serving.

  Use a wide spatula to cut and serve the concha breakfast bake. Serve it with a fresh fruit salad, your favorite yogurt, or a side of prepared breakfast meat.

Notes

Swaps and Substitutions:

• Swap out the almond extract for vanilla extract or rum extract.
• Replace the shredded coconut flakes with the same amount of chopped or sliced nuts, chocolate chips, or omit it.
• Replace the lime zest and juice with lemon or 2 teaspoons of orange zest and 1 1/2 tablespoons of orange juice.
• Swap the concha bread in this recipe with day (or two) old Pan Sobao or Brioche, rosca de reyes, pan de muerto, chilindirnas, or French bread. 
• Use 1 1/4 pounds (615 grams) of regular-sized conchas or mini conchas.
• You can top the concha breakfast bake with maple syrup instead of the lime glaze.

Tips and Techniques:

• If you're using a loaf of bread, use 1 pound and decrease the half-and-half to 2 3/4 cups (660 milliliters).
• You can find conchas in most Mexican or South American bakeries (panaderías) or in your supermarket's bakery section if you live in a city with a large Mexican population.
• Use stale bread so it doesn't become soggy when mixed with the custard. 
• If you prefer a thinner glaze, add 2-3 teaspoons of half-and-half or water to the bowl and stir to incorporate it.

Make-Ahead Instructions:

• Put the covered dish in the refrigerator overnight after filling it with the concha casserole and bake it the following morning.
  • If you're baking the casserole in a ceramic or glass dish, remove it from the fridge 30 minutes before putting it into the oven to avoid shattering it. 
• You can make the lime glaze for this breakfast bake up to a week ahead. Transfer the glaze to an airtight container and store it in the fridge. You'll need to heat it in the microwave to loosen the firm butter.

Storage Instructions:

• Store leftover concha breakfast bake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Reheat leftover concha casserole in a 350°F (180°C) air fryer for 3-4 minutes to maintain the crunch on the exterior, in the microwave for 1-1 1/2 minutes, or in a 350°F (180°C) oven for 10 minutes.  

Freezing Instructions:

• To freeze the concha breakfast bake after you bake it:
  1. Bake the casserole in a disposable or freezer-safe pan according to the recipe instructions.
  2. Allow it to cool completely, skip the glaze, and wrap it in a couple of layers of plastic wrap and wrap the pan in a final layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil.
  3. Freeze the concha breakfast bake for up to 3 months. 
  4. You can thaw the breakfast bake in the fridge overnight, then reheat it according to the instructions above.
  5. Glaze the casserole after you reheat it. 

Nutrition

Calories: 719kcalCarbohydrates: 76gProtein: 16gFat: 41gSaturated Fat: 24gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 330mgSodium: 678mgPotassium: 230mgFiber: 2gSugar: 39gVitamin A: 1341IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 171mgIron: 2mg

Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert

Cuisine Hispanic, Latin American, Mexican

Keyword bread pudding, breakfast casserole, conchas

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