Go Back
+ servings
Chimbo sweet bread Chiapas
Print

Chimbo Sweet Bread

Chimbo is a typical sweet bread from the State of Chiapas, a “marquesote” bread that is submerged in a delicious syrup perfumed with cinnamon and star anise.
Course Breads
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword HOW TO MAKE CHIMBOS
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 32 Small Servings
Calories 149kcal

Ingredients

For the bread (Marquesote):

  • 8 eggs yolks separated
  • 100 g of sugar
  • 220 g of flour
  • 15 g baking powder
  • 100 g of melted butter room temperature

For the syrup:

  • 600 g of sugar
  • 4 star anise
  • One stick of cinnamon

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 175º Celsius. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until they form peaks, then slowly mix in (while still beating) the egg yolks one by one. Also mix in half of the sugar.
  • Sift the flour and baking powder and add to the mixture along with the rest of the sugar. Do this slowly, gently turning over the batter, in order to preserve its spongy consistency.
  • When adding the butter, you must first mix it separately with a small portion of the batter, then incorporate it slowly into the rest.
  • Pour the mixture into your prepared mold and bake for 20 minutes. The crust must be firm and have a slightly golden color.
  • ALLOW THE CAKE TO COOL COMPLETELY BEFORE HANDLING IT. CUT IT INTO LONG PIECES RANGING FROM 5 TO 8 CM IN LENGTH. IT IS TRADITIONALLY CUT IN A DIAMOND PATTERN.

TO MAKE THE SYRUP:

  • To make the syrup, add the sugar, star anise, and stick of cinnamon to a pot with 1 liter of water.
  • Bring the water to a boil, but do it slowly at first. As soon as it starts releasing dark bubbles/foam, you must scoop it out with a spoon. At this point, reduce the heat and keep cooking the mixture until it reduces to half its size.
  • Let the syrup cool slightly. While it is still warm, submerge the pieces of the marquesote bread in it. Squeeze the bread a little so it absorbs enough syrup to get moist on the inside. Drain the excess syrup from the “Chimbos” and serve them on a plate.
  • The Chimbos are now ready to enjoy!

Notes

  • Use a rectangular mold (buttered and floured) that is no larger than 50 cm in width, and no deeper than 5 cm.
  • When submerging the bread in the syrup, the syrup needs to be cool enough for you to handle, but still warm to the point that it is liquid enough to be soaked up by the bread (if it’s too thick the bread won’t absorb it).
  • The 100g of sugar is if you’re making the Chimbo soaked in the syrup. If you’re making the Marquesote as a stand-alone sweet bread (without soaking in the syrup), use 200g of sugar instead.

Nutrition

Calories: 149kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 39mg | Potassium: 72mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 140IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 0.6mg