This is a soft buttery sweet bread to help us bring back the sweet memories of the people who cannot be with us anymore. It is traditionally made in Mexico for the Day of the Dead celebration. It is flavored with orange zest or anise seeds and brushed with a glaze and sprinkled with sugar. The preparation depends on the region as everybody has their own recipe. This recipe is from the Mexico City region.
Día de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead is a celebration in Mexico between October 31st and November 2nd. During this time period, Mexicans remember their ancestors who have past away. It is not a scary, spooky time but rather a joyous, spiritual time. People go to the cemetaries, to the altars of their deceased friends and relatives. They also lavishly decorate an altar in their homes with candles and memories.
This celebration’s roots are in the Prehispanic times. Native Americans celebrated this time period because they belive that our ancestors’ spirits return to Earth to be with us during this time period. After the Catholic Spanards arrived, they had combined this tradition with their own celebration, All Sain’t Day and this unique holiday that the Mexicans celebrate today was born.
As I have mentioned before, it is a festive, spiritual celebration. There is music, candles and special foods served. One food they serve is a special bread called Pan de Muerto. It is given as an offering to the ancestors’ spirits and has special meanings. While the exact meaning is not known, it is believed that the crosses on the top represent the bones. The circular shape in the middle could be a tear dropp, or a skull or the heart.
Traditionally, they always use oranges to make the bread and anise seeds are sometimes added too. I don’t have oranges so I ended up using almond extract and anise seeds. I belive they worked nicely here and the anise seeds are used traditionally anyway.
My recipe is from the following source.
For another Halloween treat for this special time please try my Barmbrack bread recipe from last year (source).
RECIPE
Ingredients
- 4 oz butter (110g) at room temperature
- 3/4 cup of sugar + more for the top
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 5 cups of flour + more for kneeding the dough
- 4 eggs + 1 egg for the top (room temperature)
- 1 1/4 cup warm milk
- 2 pkg dried yeast or 5 tsp
- zest and juice of 2 oranges
- 2 Tbsp vanilla or almond extract
- 1 Tbsp anise seeds
Preparation
For clarification, please view the video provided at the end of the blog.
–Makes 2 loaves
Preheat oven to 350F.
Prepare the yeast. Add the yeast to warm milk (104-108F). Cover. It is ready when the yeast comes up. Set aside.
Mix the butter, sugar, salt and 1/2 cup of flour. Set aside.
Mix eggs, 1/2 cup flour, orange zest and juice or almond extract and anise seeds.
Combine all above ingredients plus 1/2 cup of flour.
Slowly add the rest of the flour 1 cup at a time and mix untill all ingredients are incorpoated.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes.
Cover it with a clean, damp cloth for 90 miutes.
Seperate about 1/4 of the dough and use it to make the decorations for the top. These are the bone shapes to drape across the top and the balls to place them in the middle.
Divide the rest of the dough into two ball shaped loaves and place them on lightly oiled cookie sheets.
I divide this 1/4 piece from the original dough into 6 parts, four for the bone shaped decorations and two for the middle part.
For the bone shaped decoration, shape the dough into a flat-bottomed semi-sphere. Position them on top of the bread and press lightly down to make sure they adhere. Put the little balls in the middle to connect the bones.
Let the assembled loaves rest for 1 hour.
Spread lightly beaten eggs and sugar on the surface of the loaves.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
When cool, glaze the loaves with melted butter and sprinkle on some sugar.
enjoy!
Source
https://www.thespruceeats.com/pan-de-muerto-2343007
Please feel free to watch this Mexican women how to make the bread.
Twin Cities Herbs 