Coyotas De Sonora

1. Start by prepping the piloncillo and other fillings. Unwrap the piloncillo and grate it to break it into little chunks. Note: If the piloncillo is too hard, warm it up in the microwave for about 10 seconds to soften it up.
2. Mix it with the flour and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream the vegetable shortening or margarine with an electric mixer or by hand. When it starts to get soft, add the sugar and salt and continue mixing for about a minute.
4. Add the flour and mix until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the beer to the mixture while continuously kneading the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic.
5. Transfer the dough onto a clean surface and knead it gently for a minute until it becomes smooth and cohesive.
6. Shape the dough into into small balls (about 40 grams, the size of a golf ball), place on a plate and wrap in plastic wrap, and let rest for 20 to 30 minutes.
7. Preheat oven at 350 F or 180 C. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Making the disks

1. With tortilla press: Place the dough ball between two pieces of plastic in a tortilla press (I use a ziplock bag, with the sides cut open)  Then gently press the dough ball until it forms a 4-6 inch disk. Repeat until all balls are pressed.
2. Rolling dough by hand: Divide into 4 equal portions. Roll out dough onto lightly floured surface to about ¼ to ⅛ -inch thickness. Using a cookie cutter or a cup, cut out circles of dough about 4-6 inches in diameter. Gently lay the disks onto the prepared baking sheets.

Assembling & Baking

1. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the prepared piloncillo or your preferred filling into the center of the dough circle. Add another disk on top to cover the filling. To seal the dough, crimp the edges of the crust together with a fork, leaving little fork lines in the dough. Then poke the top with a fork to create small holes.
2. In a small bowl, lightly whisk the egg with one tablespoon of water until it's all combined.
3. Brush the top of the coyota with the egg mixture, making sure it's coated but not dripping.
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Let them cool on the baking tray for 10 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack.