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Empanada Dough Recipe

Course Baking, Empanadas
Cuisine Mexican

Ingredients

  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 teaspoon anise seeds
  • 1-2 inch piece of canela cinnamon stick
  • 8 oz in weight of vegetable shortening
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 lb all purpose flour (about 3 1/2 cups) sifted
  • * ½ cup sugar mixed with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

  • For Dough: Combine the water, anise seeds and cinnamon stick in a small sauce pan. Heat on medium/low heat. This cinnamon and anise tea needs to steep while you mix other ingredients.
  • In the stand mixer, cream the shortening for a few minutes. Mix in the sugar, salt and baking powder. Gradually mix in 3 1/2 cups( 1 pound) of the flour. Reserve the rest of the flour.
  • Strain the tea, removing the solids. Gradually mix 4 ounces of the room temperature tea to the stand mixer. You want to add just enough tea until the dough comes together. If it feels dry and crumbly, add a little more liquid. Don’t over mix or the crust will be tough. It should feel moist but not stick to your fingers. Transfer to lightly floured surface and knead dough into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 30 minutes.
  • To Assemble: When filling is cool and dough has rested, form 24 to 28 (1½-inch) dough balls and set aside.
  • Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Take one dough ball at a time and press in tortilla press lined with plastic storage bag or wax paper. Or you could roll out the dough on a flat surface. Fill with 1½ to 2 tablespoons of filling, fold over, and using a fork, or your fingers, pinch and fold over edges together , creating a braid look that seals empanada.
  • Bake: Transfer empanadas to a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 20 to 24 minutes or until light golden brown on the edges. While the empanadas are still slightly warm, roll in a cinnamon/sugar mixture. Once cooled, transfer to storage container with a tight lid. Empanadas will soften after a few hours. Yields 24 to 28 small empanadas.