• Add milk, yeast, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and 3 tablespoons of flour in a medium bowl.
• Stir to form a runny mixture.
• Allow the mixture to rest in a warm environment for about 15 minutes or until is foamy and doubled in size.

Make the dough & proof

• In the bowl of a stand mixer add the remaining flour, sugar, and the preferment dough you made before.
• Add the egg, nata, vanilla extract, butter, and salt.
• Set the medium speed and knead until a smooth dough forms.
• Slightly grease a large bowl with butter or oil.
• Oil your hands with a bit of oil and remove the dough from the bowl.
• Quickly form a ball and place it in the bowl.
• Cover with cling film and allow to proof until doubled in size (from 1 to 3 hours, depending on the room temperature).

Make the gorditas

• Slightly flour a working surface and transfer there the dough.
• Flour a rolling pin and roll the dough into a sheet about ¼-inch (1 cm) thick.
• With a 2.75-inch (7cm) round cookie cutter, cut the dough to form the gorditas.
• As you cut them, place them in a lightly floured baking sheet.
• Reshape the dough scraps and continue to cut out additional rounds until all dough is used.

Second proof

• Cover the gorditas with cling film and allow them to proof in a warm environment for 30 minutes.

Cook

• Heat a comal or iron-cast pan over medium-low heat.
• Carefully, add as many gorditas fit in the pan and cook for one minute or until you’ll see the bottom starts to get brown and crispy.
• Gentle, flip gorditas and keep cooking for another 5-6 minutes to make them puff and cook evenly on the inside (read notes).
• Gorditas will be ready when golden brown on the top and bottom sides.
• Transfer them to a serving plate and wrap them with a kitchen towel to keep them warm.