Mexico Pan de Muerto
Pan de muerto, known in English as "bread of the dead," is popular in Mexico in the weeks leading up to Día de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead, celebrated on November 1 and 2 each year. This sweet bread has many regional variations and is traditionally baked with bone-shaped phalanges decorating on the top. The baker of the bread traditionally wears decorated wristbands, originally intended to protect the baker from getting burned by the oven.
Recipe Servings: 1 loaf
Prep Time
40 minutes
+ 23 hours resting
+ 23 hours resting
Cook Time
50 minutes
Total Time
24 hours 30 minutes
Vegetarian
Vegan
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Kosher
Halal
Ingredients
Bread:- ¼ cup (60 ml) milk
- ¼ cup (60 ml) butter
- ¼ cup (60 ml) warm water (110° F/43° C)
- 1¼ tsp (6.25 ml) active dry yeast
- ½ tsp (2.5 ml) salt
- 2 tsp (10 ml) anise seed
- 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour, divided
- ¼ cup (60 ml) white sugar, divided
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 tsp (10 ml) orange zest
- Oil, for bowl
- ¼ cup (60 ml) white sugar
- ¼ cup (60 ml) orange juice
- 1 Tbsp (15 ml) orange zest
- White sugar, for sprinkling
Directions
- Heat the milk and the butter together in a medium saucepan until the butter melts.
- Remove from heat and add the warm water. The mixture should be around 110° F (43° C).
- In a large mixing bowl, combine yeast, salt, anise seed, 1 cup (240 ml) of the flour, and ¼ cup (50 g) of the sugar.
- Beat in the warm milk mixture. Then add the eggs and half the orange zest and beat until well combined.
- Stir in ½ cup (120 ml) of flour and continue adding more flour to make a soft dough.
- On a lightly floured surface, turn the dough out and knead until it is smooth and elastic.
- Place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl covered with plastic wrap. Allow to rest in a warm place until the dough is doubled in size, around 1 to 2 hours.
- Punch the dough down and shape it into a large round loaf with a round knob on top. Place dough onto a baking sheet, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and let rest in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 more hour.
- In a preheated oven, bake at 350° F (175° C) for 35 to 45 minutes.
- While bread is baking, make the glaze by combining ¼ cup (60 ml) of sugar, orange juice, and orange zest in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil for 2 minutes.
- When bread is done baking, remove from the oven, let cool slightly, and then brush with glaze. Sprinkle glazed bread with white sugar.
Making the Bread:
Making the Glaze:
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