Yoyos or Yo-Yos (Mexican pastries)

“Yo-yos” (named after the still-popular 1920s toy of a disk on a string) is the name of a Mexican sweet bread (pan dulce) that resembles the toy, minus the string. A “yo-yo” has been called a raspberry jam and coconut sandwich cookie, although other fillings besides raspberry can be used. A strawberry filling is also popular. “Yoyos” are cited in English print from at least 1992.
 
The Caracas Arepas Bar in New York City serves a Venezuelan dish that it also calls “yoyos”—deep fried balls of sweet plantain stuffed with white cheese, with a honey dipping sauce. The Venezuelan “yoyos” are not considered “pan dulce” and are quite different from the Mexican “yoyos.”
 
 
Wikipedia: Yo-yo
The yo-yo is a toy consisting of two equally sized and weighted disks of plastic, wood, or metal, connected with an axle, with a string tied around it. First becoming popular in the 1920s, “yo-yoing” is still enjoyed by children and adults alike.
 
Rico Pan De Dulce
Tempting Sweet Breads: Pan De Dulce
(...)
Two very sweet creations are yoyos and marianas. Yoyos look just like their namesake. They are two soft cookies joined with thin glue of confectioners’ icing. Then they are rolled in raspberry jelly and finally in coconut. Marianas look similar to the yoyos with the raspberry and coconut coating but are shaped like the small sponge cake Americans use for strawberry shortcake. They have confectioners’ sugar icing piped around the top of the cake which contains cherry or pineapple filling. They are extremely rich!
 
Mexican Bakery Traditions
Flores makes “Yo-yos,” pastries of white bread covered in strawberry jam and coconut flakes
(Photo by Kate Medley for the Mississippi Arts Commission).
 
Rodriguez Bakery (Lovington, NM)
Esponjas, Empanadas, Cuernitos, Yoyos, polvorones, galletas, biscochos, y mas!
 
29 April 1992, Rocky Mountain News (Denver, CO), “Cinco de Mayo Nourishes Cultural Traditions of Mexico” by Marty Meitus:
... special cookie he calls yoyos, a raspberry jam and coconut sandwich cookie.
 
Texas Monthly Recipe Swap
Re: What’s the cookie???
Author: vicki
Date: 01-17-03 20:23
And the yo yos or beso…cookie rolled in preserve then rolled in coconut….ymmmm
(...)
Re: What’s the cookie???
Author: angela
Date: 01-08-07 14:29
I am hoping someone can help me with finding a recipe for a type of pan dulce…my boyfriend loves the sweet bread that is coated with raspberry and coconut, and has a raspberry jelly filling inside. I have looked all over the internet for a recipe and the only luck I have had was finding a name for them which is “yoyos”. Can someone provide me with a source of where I might be able to find the recipe for the yoyos? Thank you!
     
Flavors
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
The Long Green Mole
(...)
Brought home pumpkin & sweet potato filled empanadas, yoyos (strawberry & coconut), cherry & apple fritters, & a cute corn shaped pastry filled with raspberry! 
   
AIGA
Freshly baked: U.S. students brand a Mexican panadería
by Patricia Cué
September 12, 2006
 
Some popular Mexican bread names:
concha/shell
baile/dance
gachupín/Spanish immigrant
trompón/blow on the face
moño/bow
media noche/midnight
cuerno/horn
piedra/stone
conde/count
reja/fence
caracol/snail
chamuco/devil
chancla/slipper
regañada/scolded
monja/nun
pachuco/Mexican-American teenager
hueso/bone
suspiro/sigh
pañuelo/handkerchief
volcán/volcano
yoyo/yoyo
 
DCist
November 2, 2006
An Abundance of Antojitos
(...)
In addition to antojitos, Tacos Pepito’s is, of course, a full-on panaderia, or Mexican bakery. Aside from pumpkin empanadas (which they said they didn’t have), we’ve yet to develop a taste for most Mexican pastries, despite the appealing array of unusual shapes, patterns, and bright colors of items like yoyos and pan de huevo (pictured above).
 
Midwest - Chowhound
Indy-Good Mexican Bakery
I recently moved back to Indy from Lafayette and am looking for a good bakery, rather than driving all the way home. I’m specifically looking bolillos, yoyos, chilindrinas, and tres leches cake. I’ve been to all the ones on the west side-38th and Lafayette area. There isn’t anything that stood out in the Fountain Square or Little Mexico (Washington St.) areas either. Any suggestions, preferably near downtown. Most places that I’ve gone to are either not clean or the baked goods are D-R-Y.
sausagefinger Dec 19, 2007 04:07AM
 
New York - Yelp
Caracas Arepa Bar  
91 E. 7th St.
New York, NY 10009
(212) 228-5062
NYNewbie
03/01/2008
I’ve tried to have dinner here about a million times, but it’s always too crowded when I walk by. So, the other day I tried it for lunch. Fantastic.
The arepas are wonderful (try the chicken and avacado or the shredded beef/black beans/plantains/cheese) but the yoyos are the best part.
Oh, and yoyos is pronounced jojos—don’t mess it up or the waiters will make fun of you.
 
the cranberry (Univ. of N.M.)
Cooking up culture
Mexican bakeries offer sweet treats and a chance to connect with Latino traditions
by NANCY SEPULVEDA
For some Latinos with a sweet tooth, a package of Chips Ahoy! won’t cut it.
 
For those who crave an empanada, sweet bread or biscochito with their morning cup of café con crémapanaderia – or Mexican bakery – is often the answer.
 
“It’s not at all like what you would find in a grocery store’s bakery,” said Albuquerque native Linda Mejia. “The selection is larger and mainly has traditional Mexican treats.”
 
Those goodies can include panes de esponja: miniature loaves of white bread coated with vanilla, strawberry or chocolate confection;  yoyos: rounds of strawberry sponge cake sandwiched around vanilla custard and rolled in coconut flakes; and jubiletes: chunks of bread smeared with honey butter and sprinkled with pecans and sesame seeds.
(...)
Posted May 8, 2008
   
The Frugal Foodie
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Caracas Arepas - Restaurant review
(...)
. Yoyos - deep fried balls of sweet plantain stuffed with white cheese with a deliciously sweet honey dipping sauce
. Guasacaca & Chips - Venezuelan style guacamole with chips
 
The yoyos were so sweet Jef and I both stated that it could probably be a mild dessert but delicious none the less and who doesn’t love guac and plantain chips? Everyone, duh!
   
Community Impact (Round Rock, TX)
Juarez Restaurant & Bakery - Round Rock
Written by Teresa Pione
Friday, 05 December 2008
(...)
Other bakery items include:
. polvorones - Mexican cookies
. sema - wheat sweet bun flavored with anise
. yoyos - muffin style pastry with coconut flake
. bunuelos - crispy bread with cinnamon sugar