Mexican
Pan de Muerto
A tender Day of the Dead bread perfumed with orange and anise, finished with sugar and traditional bone-shaped decoration.
8 servings · 70 minutes prep · 32 minutes cook
Ingredients
Dough
- 3 3/4 cups bread flour
- 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp orange zest
- 1 tsp anise seed, lightly crushed
- 3 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1/2 cup warm whole milk
- 1 tbsp orange blossom water
- 12 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
Finish
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tsp orange zest
Directions
Mix and Proof the Dough
- Mix the bread flour, instant yeast, sugar, kosher salt, orange zest, and anise seed in a stand mixer.
- Add the eggs, egg yolk, warm whole milk, and orange blossom water. Knead until a rough dough forms, 3-4 minutes.
- Add the softened butter 1 tablespoon at a time and knead until the dough is glossy, elastic, and clears the bowl in strands, 12-15 minutes.
- Cover and rise until doubled, 1 1/2-2 hours.
Shape and Final-Proof the Loaf
- Reserve one-fifth of the dough for bones. Shape the remaining dough into one tight round loaf on a sheet pan.
- Shape the reserved dough into crossed bone strips and a small ball. Attach with a little water.
- Proof until very puffy but still springy, 60-75 minutes. Heat the oven to 350F.
Bake and Finish
- Bake until deep golden and the center reaches 195F, 28-32 minutes.
- Mix the sugar with the orange zest. Brush the warm bread with the melted butter and coat with orange sugar.
