Pan de Muerto
- 🍞 1 tbsp active dry yeast
- 🍬 1 tbsp white sugar
- 🌾 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 🥛 1/3 cup warm milk
- 🌾 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 🍬 1/2 cup white sugar
- 🧂 1/2 tsp salt
- ⭐ 1 tsp ground star anise
- 🍊 1 tbsp orange zest
- 🧈 1 stick (6 tbsp - 1/4 cup) soft margarine (room temperature)
- 🛢️ 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 🥚 3 eggs at room temperature
- 🧈 Melted butter for brushing
- 🍬 Sugar for coating
Pan de Muerto is a beloved Mexican sweet bread traditionally enjoyed during the Día de los Muertos celebrations. Known for its soft, fluffy texture and unique bone-shaped decorations, this bread carries a rich cultural significance. While it is typically unfilled, we’ll add a delightful twist by stuffing it with dulce de leche. Feel free to experiment with other fillings like Nutella or your favorite preserves.
Ingredients
For the Sponge:
🍞 1 tbsp active dry yeast
🍬 1 tbsp white sugar
🌾 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
🥛 1/3 cup warm milk
For the Bread:
🌾 4 cups all-purpose flour
🍬 1/2 cup white sugar
🧂 1/2 tsp salt
⭐ 1 tsp ground star anise
🍊 1 tbsp orange zest
🧈 1 stick (6 tbsp - 1/4 cup) soft margarine (room temperature)
🛢️ 1 tbsp vegetable oil
🥚 3 eggs at room temperature
🧈 Melted butter for brushing
🍬 Sugar for coating
Instructions
1- Prepare the Sponge:
In a container, mix the yeast, sugar, flour, and warm milk.
Stir until the yeast dissolves completely.
Cover the container with plastic wrap and let it sit until the mixture doubles in size.
2- Make the Bread Dough:
In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, white sugar, salt, ground star anise, and orange zest.
Add in the soft margarine, vegetable oil, eggs, and the sponge mixture.
Knead the dough until it is smooth and no longer sticky, which may take about 20 minutes. You can use a mixer to ease the process.
3- Shape the Bread:
Divide the dough into five equal parts.
Take four parts and shape each into a ball. If using a filling, press the ball flat, add a spoonful of dulce de leche, seal, and reshape into a ball.
The fifth part will be used for decoration. Divide it again into smaller pieces and roll each into long strips. Roll thin strips to form bone shapes and place them in a cross on top of each dough ball. Make a small ball from the leftover dough and place it at the center on top.
4- Second Rise:
Place the dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Cover them with plastic wrap and allow them to rise until they increase about half their size.
5- Bake:
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Bake the bread for 15-18 minutes until golden brown.
6- Finish:
- Once baked, brush each bread with melted butter and roll in sugar to coat completely.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15-18 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour (includes rising time)
Servings: Makes 4-5 breads
Equipment: Mixer (optional), Baking Sheet, Parchment Paper, Plastic Wrap
Cooking Tips:
- The bread is traditionally plain, so feel free to skip the filling if you prefer the classic version.
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YouTube channel - No Way José Cuisine: https://www.youtube.com/@NoWayJoseCuisine
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