Hidden on the first floor of Overland Park’s BOK Financial building is Aurora Cafe and Bakery, a small eatery serving cold brew lattes, well-crafted sandwiches and some seriously sensational pastries. Husband and wife duo Javier and Kerrianne Nuñez bring both their culinary backgrounds to create a menu that you can’t go wrong choosing from, but it’s Javier’s artisan conchas that steal the show.
Conchas are a Mexican sweet bread recognized for their seashell-looking cracked top. They’re usually cheap and delicious, but depending on who makes them, they can often be too dry. But not Javier’s conchas.
The baker, who recently helmed Ibis Bakery’s bread program, uses sourdough techniques that result in a softer, fluffier product. Along with a fermentation starter, locally milled Marion Milling’s whole grain flour adds another layer of flavor and depth.
Raspberry cream cheese, lemon, funfetti and chocolate made with real cacao are just a few concha flavors in rotation, but if you see the crème brûlée concha behind the pastry case, drop everything and order several. It’s filled with vanilla pastry cream and coated with a glassy layer of burnt sugar that’s thin and fragile enough to give a pleasant crunch when biting into it. Whatever your usual morning doughnut of choice is, skip it. Aurora’s conchas should be your new sweet, fluffy treat.
