Name: Pan de Muerto
Prep time: 3 h
Total time: 3 h 40 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Mexican cuisine
Ingredients: 0.5 cup butter, at room temperature; 0.75 cup white sugar; 1 tbsp whole aniseed; 1 tsp salt; 6 cup white bread flour or all-purpose flour, divided; 4 qty large eggs, at room temperature; 0.25 cup warm water (not to exceed 110 F); 2 tbsp orange zest; 0.25 cup packets instant dry yeast; 1 qty Serving suggestion: Mexican hot chocolate or champurrado

Nearly everyone in central and southern Mexico enjoys pan de muerto—translated literally as "bread of the dead"—in early November as an important element of the annual Day of the Dead celebration. Most family and communal ofrendas (offerings for the beloved deceased) include at least one loaf left for the enjoyment of visiting souls.

Pan de Muerto

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine butter, sugar, aniseed, salt, and 1/2 cup of flour.

Use dough hook to mix ingredients until they begin to come together.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together eggs, water, and orange zest.

Add to stand mixer bowl, along with another 1/2 cup of flour. Mix until combined.

Add yeast and another 1/2 cup of flour, mixing to combine.

Add remaining flour 1 cup at a time, mixing between additions, until a dough forms.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 1 minute.

Cover with a clean, damp dishcloth and let rise in a warm area for 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 350 F. Separate about 1/4 of the dough and use it to make bone shapes to drape across the loaf.

Shape rest of dough into a flat-bottomed semi-sphere. Position bone shapes on the top of loaf and press gently so they adhere. Let dough rise for an additional hour.

Bake the loaf for about 40 minutes (30 minutes for smaller loaves).

Cool and glaze, if desired, before serving.

Cut pan de muerto into large wedges for eating by hand. Serve with Mexican hot chocolate or champurrado (chocolate atole) if you like.

Pan de Muerto

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