Venezuelan Cachitos de Jamon (Ham Stuffed Bread Rolls)
Recipe for homemade Cachitos de Jamon, these tasty South American/Venezuelan breakfast bread rolls are stuffed with smoked ham and bacon.
Servings 16 bread rolls
Ingredients
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 500 g
- 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast 14 g
- 1/2 cup melted butter 120 g
- 1 cup warm water 240 ml, divided into 2 equal parts
- 3 tablespoons powdered milk
- 1/2 cup sugar 100 g
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the filling:
- 400 g ham
- 200 g smoked bacon
- 1/2 cup butter 120 g
For the glaze:
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons sugar
Instructions
- Dissolve one tablespoon of sugar in ½ cup of warm water and add all the yeast. Stir with a spoon or fork until the yeast dissolves, and let this mixture sit for about ten minutes until the yeast activates. Note that you use a small amount of the water and sugar for this, because the yeast activates in small amounts of water, and the sugar helps it ferment more quickly.
- You'll know the yeast has activated because you'll see bubbles forming on the surface of the container. If no bubbles have formed, the yeast may be in poor condition or expired, and you'll need to use another yeast.
- Place the activated yeast in the bowl of the mixer, or in a regular bowl if you choose to knead the dough by hand. Add the other ½ cup of water, the egg, powdered milk, sugar, vanilla, and melted butter. Mix very well until you obtain a smooth mixture.
- Gradually sift the flour over the mixture and knead vigorously. If you're kneading by hand, it's best to place the flour in the shape of a volcano on a flat surface, and add the liquid mixture to the center, gradually incorporating it.
- You can also prepare the dough in a food processor or mixer.
- When the dough comes away from your hands and is soft and pliable enough, form it into a ball and let it rest in a bowl for 30 minutes or until it doubles in size.
- While the dough rises, cut the ham and bacon into strips no more than one centimeter wide.
- Then mix them together with two tablespoons of butter for the filling. Set aside.
- After the dough has risen, remove it from the bowl and place it on the surface where you'll make the cachitos or bread rolls. Knead it for a few minutes to remove excess air. Divide it into two equal parts.
- Take the first part, form it into a ball, and roll it out with a rolling pin to a maximum thickness of 0.5 millimeters. The resulting shape should be round, as if you were making a pizza.
- Preheat the oven to 160°C/320°F.
- Cut the dough crosswise, forming four large triangles. Then repeat this cut, but now in an X, dividing each triangle into two more. You will have eight triangles.
- Brush each triangle with the remaining butter from the filling. Next, select the first triangle to fill, and place two generous spoonfuls of ham and bacon on the widest part of the triangle.
- Fold the edges inward to cover the edges of the ham filling, so the filling can't spill out.
- Next, finish rolling the remaining rolled out dough over the filling: Take both ends of the dough and press them toward the center to create the classic half-moon or crescent shape. Place the first cachito or bread roll on the baking sheet. Repeat the process with the remaining dough triangles, and also with the second batch of dough.
- Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper or baking paper. Place the cachitos on the baking sheet, well separated from each other. They generally double in size in the oven and tend to puff up a bit, so you want to prevent them from sticking together.
- In a small bowl, beat the egg with the sugar. Then, using a pastry brush, brush the cachitos with the egg wash mix. Let them rest for approximately 20 more minutes. It's best to bake them in two batches.
- Bake the cachitos in the preheated oven. Remove them from the oven when they look golden brown. If you want a more professional finish, brush the cachitos with a little extra butter while they're still warm.
- I usually store the cachitos in a glass bowl in the refrigerator, and they last up to three days. When you're ready to eat them, just reheat them slightly in the oven or microwave, and enjoy!