MEXICAN DAY OF THE DEAD BREAD (Pan de Muerto)

MEXICAN DAY OF THE DEAD BREAD  (Pan de Muerto)
At the Sunrise Presbyterian Church that I served in Miami, we once counted over 60 nations of birth among our membership.  We started having a “Multicultural Dinner” each year, encouraging people to make and share something from their home culture.  This was a popular serving from the Mexican families.  It is common in central and southern Mexico.  On October 31 and in early November, the people there celebrate the “Day of the Dead.”  It is not a day of sadness, but of joyful celebration as they remember their dead relatives.  Many families offer at least one of these loaves for the enjoyment of the visiting souls.

Ingredients

• 4 ounces butter (at room temperature)
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 3 teaspoons whole aniseed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 6 cups flour (white bread or all-purpose, divided)
• 4 large eggs (at room temperature)
• 1 1/4 cups warm water (not to exceed 110 F)
• 2 tablespoons orange zest
• 2 (1/4-ounce) packets instant dry yeast

1.     In the bowl, combine butter, sugar, aniseed, salt, and 1/2 cup of the flour.

2.     Mix the ingredients until they begin to come together.

3.     In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, water, and orange zest.

4.     Add this to the first bowl containing the dry ingredients, along with another 1/2 cup of the flour. Mix until combined.

5.     Add the yeast and another 1/2 cup of flour, mixing to combine.

6.     Add the remaining flour 1 cup at a time, mixing between additions, until a dough forms.

7.     Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it for 1 minute.

8.     Cover it with a clean, damp dishcloth and let rise in a warm area for 1 hour and 30 minutes.

9.     Separate about 1/4 of the dough and use it to make bone shapes to drape across the loaf. Think a chain of balls connected together, as if the long dough is a bone and the balls are joints.

10.Shape the rest of the dough into a flat-bottomed semi-sphere. Position the bone shapes on the top of the loaf and press gently so they adhere. Let the dough rise for an additional hour.

11.Bake the loaf in a 350 F oven for about 40 minutes (30 minutes for smaller loaves).

12.Cool and glaze, if desired, before serving.

Glazes for Pan de Muerto

You might selected one of these glazes to finish your pan de muerto. After applying a glaze, sprinkle the loaf with plenty of white sugar.

·         Orange Juice-Egg White Glaze: Mix 3 tablespoons thawed orange juice concentrate and 1/3 cup sugar with 2 large egg whites. Brush it on the bread during the last 10 minutes of baking.

·         Orange Juice Glaze: Bring 3/4 cup sugar and 1/2 cup fresh orange juice to a brief boil, then cool to room temperature. Brush it on the bread after the loaf cools.

·         Brown Sugar-Cranberry Juice Glaze: Bring 1/4 cup piloncillo (or dark-brown sugar), 1/4 cup white sugar, 2/3 cup cranberry juice, and 2 tablespoons orange zest to a boil, then let it cool to room temperature. Brush it on a baked loaf after the bread cools.