There’s Still Time to Score Houston’s Viral Pumpkin Spice-Filled Conchas | Eater Houston
"I watched La Hacienda Bakery, located in a strip mall at 180 Uvalde Road in the Timberwood area, go viral on TikTok in October for its seasonal concha rellenas — stuffed conchas loaded with a pumpkin-spice filling and shaped and colored orange like little pumpkins. Though it was the first time the bakery sold this style of pan dulce, the pastries were an instant hit, garnering more than a million social-media views and selling out almost daily, with thousands of the pillowy pumpkin conchas sold some days and diners driving up to 16 hours (and even promising to fly in) to get them. Owner Leslie Rangel — who runs the shop with her mother, the original owner — delivered the conchas to New York for a Good Morning America segment on October 31 (co-host Michael Strahan seemed enamored), and she told the hosts the filling was created to be unique and “perfectly balanced, creamy, not too pumpkin-y.” The demand produced a waitlist and packing/shipping efforts (now delayed), intense pressure and heartfelt apologies in an Instagram video, and plans to hire more bakers; the bakery has shared behind-the-scenes footage of staff stuffing the sweet bread, baking, and sprinkling powdered sugar, and has extended the pumpkin-spice offering through November with first dibs for those who signed up for the waitlist before October 31." - Brittany Britto Garley
