The two most classic concha flavors you’ll find at panaderias in Mexico are chocolate and vanilla. (The shell-shaped sugar topping to these classic Mexican sweet breads also come in fun colors, but those are usually vanilla in disguise.) For concha fanatic Rick Martinez, the question was always why couldn’t he have both? “For those who want a little bit of everything (like me),” Rick says, “I give you La Concha Negra y Blanca.” It’s a fun little play on New York’s famous Black-and-White cookie, amped up with lots of chocolate and vanilla flavor. Note that Rick recommends using vanilla paste (we like the one from Heilala), which holds onto its flavor better than extract or beans when heated, and Dutch-process cocoa, which lends a deeper, richer chocolate flavor than regular cocoa.
