How to make Day of the Dead Bread or Pan de Muerto

During the weeks around the Days of the Dead or All Saints and All Souls, celebrations of traditional round loaf is baked and decorated iwht pieces of dough usually formed into tears or bones. On November 1st and 2nd, many food like this Day of the Dead Bread is placed in colorful offering for the dead, along with chocolate and vivid yellow marigolds.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 4 cups all-purpose plain flour
• 6 eggs
• 1 tsp dry yeast
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp aniseed
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup butter (melted)
• orange-flower water (optional)
• egg wash (1 egg white and 1/2 egg yolk)
• cinnamon sugar for sprinkling

1. Combine the yeast with water and 1/3 cup of flour.
   Let stand till mixture doubles in volume.

2. Place the remaining flour in a large bowl, make a well in cener and place the eggs, salt, sugar, aniseed, nutmeg, butter, orange-flower water in well.
   Beat together, add yeast mixture, combine with dough.

3. Knead on a floured board for 15 mins or till dough no longer sticks to surface.

4. Place dough in greased bowl, cover with cloth and let rise in warm, draft-free area for 3 hours or till doubled in volume.

5. Preheat oven to 450 degree.

6. Pinch off about 1/3 of dough and form into 2 inches ball and long rope.
   Mold pieces of rope to resemble little bones.
   Set aside.

7. Shape remaining dough into a round loaf and brush with egg wash.
   Place ball of dough in center of loaf and arrange "bones" in a cicular pattern around ball. Brush with remaining egg wash.

8. Bake for 10 mins in hot oven, lower temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking for 30 mins.

9. Sprinkle with sugar and serve at room temperature.

Tips & Warnings

• You can shape the dough into any shape or form you desire, you do not have to follow the instructions above.
• You can even shape the dough into a ball and put a simple cross on top.
• Feel free to experiment with any shape you desire
• Make sure yeast is not expired otherwise bread will NOT rise

Resources

• More Mexican Recipes