PAN DE MUERTOS

MEXICO'S DAY OF THE DEAD BREAD

 

When I worked as Zarela's, every Halloween, we would built an Altar in Honor of someone who had passed that year, and on this altar, we would put the foods and their earthly possession.

I would make the Pan de Muerto for the altar. It's a delicious Mexican Sweet Bread-  With Mexico's diverse cultural traditions, this bread varies across the different regions of Mexico. The bread in the above altar picture is made in the Oaxaca region.

Even though I have retired, I still made this bread every Halloween. Below is my recipe for this delicious Mexican Sweet Bread. Enjoy!!

Below are different Pan de Muerto breads I made over the years:

Chef Ed's

Pan de Muerto

Ingredients:

For the Sponge

  

1 ounce (4 packets) of active dry yeast

1 cup of tepid water (100 to 110 degrees)

1 cup all purpose unbleached flour

 

-Pour the tepid water into a medium bowl, sprinkle yeast over the water and with a wooden spoon blend mixture

Let yeast rest  for about 7 or 8 minutes in a warm spot - than with a wooden spoon, mix in the flour, in about three turns until it become a smooth like batter.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap; place in a warm spot until the sponge doubles in size- about 40 minutes.

 Bread Ingredients:

6 cups of all purpose unbleached flour

9 ounces of soft butter, cut into small pieces

6 large whole eggs

5 large egg yolks

1 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk

2 tablespoons of Orange flower water (if you can't find this use 2 tablespoons of water with a couple drops of Orange Extract)

1 to 2 more cups of flour, for forming the dough

Melted butter for greasing the bowl

For Glaze

1 whole egg, plus one yolk and a tablepoon of water- place in a small bowl and with a fork mix all the ingredients

Colored sugars, or plain sugar

-After the yeast has double, put the 6 cups of flour in a large mixing bowl, blend in butter, using the paddle. Add the eggs, condensed milk and the orange flower water. Beat until blended, than ADD THE SPONGE MIXTURE, than using a dough hook, start adding more flour until the mixture comes together. Remove from the mixing bowl, and Knead for about 5 minutes on a well floured surface, add more flour as needed until you have attained a smooth and elastic dough. Place in a greased bowl, cover with kitchen linen or plastic wrap, place in a warm are till dough doubles in size about 1 1/2 hour.

After the dough  has risen, punch it down, knead a couple of times. Cut away 48 ounces of dough and form into 16 three ounce rolls, placing them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Use the balance of the dough to form the large loaf of bread and bones. 

Place the loaf on a baking sheet; Using a pastry brush dipped in water to adhere the bones to the bread.

Cover the formed breads with a clean kitchen towel, and place in a warm spot, until the dough doubles in size, about 1 hour.

 

After the dough has risen, brush with egg wash, and sprinkle with sugar white and colored.

Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 10 minutes, than lower the heat to 350 degrees, and bake until the breads are golden colored. Remove from the oven, and place the bread on a wire rack to cool.

 CHEF ED'S NOTE

This years Pan de Muerto is in honor of my good

friend Robert Lee.

I miss you  every day