Almojábana

Almojábana Boyacense (Colombian Corn and Cheese Rolls)

Crackling-topped cheese-and-cornmeal rolls from the Colombian coffee axis, traditionally split and eaten with hot chocolate at breakfast.

Prep

25 min

Cook

30 min

Total

55 min

Serves

12 rolls

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •500 g (1 lb 2 oz) precooked yellow maize flour (masarepa / harina precocida de maíz amarillo), P.A.N. or similar Colombian brand; do not substitute with cornmeal or masa harina
• •500 ml (2 cups) whole milk
• •250 ml (1 cup) water
• •60 g (¼ cup) unsalted butter
• •15 g (1 tbsp) granulated sugar, traditional amount is just enough to round the flavor
• •6 g (1 tsp) fine sea salt
• •300 g (10½ oz) queso fresco (or queso costeño), crumbly, mildly acidic fresh cheese; farmer's cheese or queso blanco is the closest U.S. substitute — do not use mozzarella
• •2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• •15 g (1 tbsp) soft unsalted butter, for the tray

Steps

1. 1 Preheat the oven to 230 °C (450 °F) and set a rack in the middle. Lightly butter a rimmed baking sheet or line it with parchment.
2. 2 In a heavy saucepan, combine the milk, water, butter, sugar, and salt. Bring just to a simmer over medium heat, stirring so the butter melts and the salt dissolves.
3. 3 Remove the pan from the heat, add all of the precooked yellow maize flour at once, and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until a smooth, thick, arepa-style dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes more to make sure the starch is fully hydrated.
4. 4 Transfer the dough to a large bowl and let it cool until just warm (about 5 minutes). It should be hot enough to feel comfortable to handle but cool enough not to scramble the eggs.
5. 5 Crush the queso fresco with your hands or crumble it with a fork into fine pieces, working out any large lumps. Fold the crumbled cheese into the warm dough until evenly distributed; the warmth will soften the cheese and make the dough pliable.
6. 6 Add the lightly beaten eggs and work them in with your hands or a spatula until fully incorporated. The dough will look slightly wet and glossy; this is correct.
7. 7 Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 10 minutes so the flour fully absorbs the liquid and the cheese firms up again; this resting step is what gives the rolls their crackled tops.
8. 8 With lightly greased hands (oil or butter), scoop portions of about 70 g (roughly 2½ oz, a generous ¼ cup) and shape each into a rough ball, then flatten slightly into a disc about 6 cm (2½ in) wide and 2.5 cm (1 in) thick. Place them on the prepared tray, spacing them about 4 cm (1½ in) apart.
9. 9 Bake on the middle rack for 18 to 22 minutes, until the rolls are well puffed, deeply golden on the bottom, and the tops are pale gold with fine cracks. Internal temperature should read about 90 °C (195 °F).
10. 10 Let the almojábanas rest on the tray for 3 minutes — this sets the crumb so the cheese firms up again — then serve immediately with hot chocolate or aguapanela.