Conchas or in Belize, Caprichos: My Latest Obsession

Conchas or Pan Dulce or Caprichos are and I can NOT believe I’ve been avoiding them for all of these years. They are different names for a very popular sweet bun sold at all the local bakeries on Ambergris Caye. And I LOVE a bakery. But I’ve always picked other items over this bread – wrongly assuming it was just a plan bread with sugar on top…or guessing that it was very dry. I was wrong.

This enriched yeast bun is sweeter (though not too sweet) and way moister than regular bread. Denser as well…almost like a donut. And it has a very distinctive layer or thick crust on top that shatters when you bite into it. With a cup of coffee, these treats are SOOO delicious.

Here are some quick details about this sweet bread found in Belize. The concha was born in Mexico – where they are called Pan Dulces (“sweet breads”) or Conchas, like conch – because of their shell like pattern on the top. In Belize, they are called Caprichos – or “Little Whims”…like a little extravegence. Because that is exactly what they are…in the afternoon…with a cup of tea or coffee. Heaven.

They are having a moment…more like a decade…in the USA apparently, though Mexican bakeries or panderias, have always sold them. I’m reading that the famous James Beard foundation held a creative burger competition in 2016 and the winner was a Concha Burger. A crazy mash-up of about 40 ingredients…sweet and salty. Anyway…apparently artisan conchas in artisan flavors – from macha to cinnamon, anise, almond and more and in a rainbow of different colors.

Holy moly, I just saw a recipe for a leftover concha bread pudding. YUM.

I’ve tasted two caprichos in San Pedro – from Annie’s Bakery and Casa Pan Dulce bakery. Let’s talk about them both! I definitely have a favorite but they both have their merits.

Let’s start with Casa Pan Dulce. It is the larger, more commercial sized bakery that is located in town and north of town – about 1 block south of the bridge on the main road. They sell hundreds of loaves of white bread each day (a staple for most families) and a wide array of sweet and savory pastries. From meringues to slices of birthday cake. They also have a shop in Belmopan which has the coolest neon caprichos on the way.

I did some pretty good eating in my 24 hours in Belize’s capital of Belmopan last year while I was getting my Belizean citizenship. Yahoo!

The San Pedro main shop has some very specific hours…

You grab some tongs and a metal tray and you pick your items. Things are behind glass now (since the pandemic) but you can swing open the doors and take as little or as much as you like. There is also bagged bread, buns, hot dogs buns and even conchas.

Belizeans have a thing for savory + sweet. And you can see it at Casa Pan Dulce. Ham and cheese pastries sprinkled with sugar. (Which is actually delicious…a bit weird to my palate de Americana but tasty)

To the caprichos! They come in great colors – especially around holiday time. September will bring the red white and blue.

They are $1bzd each. A deal! They are light and fluffy, a bit dry and have a thin crust. They would probably make an AMAZING concha bread pudding. Especially with the cute sprinkes? I’m going to try that and report back. Would be great with coffee or tea.

They are tasty but not my favorites.

Now…to Annie’s Pastry. Just north of town on the main road. Annie’s is open from 2-8pm. They are located just south of the San Pedro High School and are BUSY when the kids get out.

Annie’s makes fantastic cake by the slice (they now have ice cream cake slices too!), johnny cakes, buns, cinnamon buns (zapped for 10 seconds in the microwave in the am…SOOOO good), stuff jalapenos, chicken puffs and cones (a cone of pastry stuffed with chicken salad, topped with cream cheese and sprinkled in sugar!) and more…

At Annie’s you get tongs and a basket to fill.

And back to the side by side. Annie’s Concha is bigger – about 1 1/2x as big and weighs atleast 2x the Casa Pan Dulce concha. Annie’s is $1.75bzd compared to $1bzd for Casa Pan Dulce.

Where Casa Pan Dulce’s is more a bread, the Annie’s Capricho is dense…almost a donut. With a thick crust on top…that’s not too sweet. It’s SOOOO good. A dessert rather than a light snack with tea or coffee. (Beware: you will be covered in that crust after you bite in)

I’m hooked on them right now. On bread in general to be honest! Please alert me if you know of any other spot that sells conchas/caprichos in San Pedro.

And I might try this with a burger one day…it could be amazing…maybe?