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Making Pan de Muertos, Mexican Bread of the Dead

Published  November 2, 2016 10:36am EDT
FOX 2 Detroit

(WJBK) - Pan de Muertos, or Mexican Bread of the Dead, is a traditional Mexican sweet bread that is eaten on the Day of the Dead to honor lost loved ones.

Omar Hernandez, owner of Mexicantown Bakery, and Myrna Segura with the southwest Detroit Business Association joined us in the FOX 2 Cooking School to show us how to prepare the bread, and to show us what Detroit businesses are taking part in the holiday. 

Pan de Muertos (Mexican Bread of the Dead)

¼ cup Margarine
¼ cup milk
¼ cup warm water (110 degrees F)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup white sugar
2 eggs, beaten
¼ cup white sugar
¼ cup orange juice
1 tablespoon orange zest
2 tablespoons white sugar

• Heat the milk and the butter together in a medium saucepan, until the butter melts. Remove from the heat and add them warm water. The mixture should be around 110 degrees F (43 degrees C).

• In a large bowl combine 1 cup of the flour, yeast, salt, anise seed and 1/4 cup of the sugar. Beat in the warm milk mixture then add the eggs and orange zest and beat until well combined. Stir in 1/2 cup of flour and continue adding more flour until the dough is soft.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic.

• Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size. This will take about 1 to 2 hours. Punch the dough down and shape it into a large round loaf with a round knob on top. Place dough onto a baking sheet, loosely cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until just about doubled in size.

• Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for about 35 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven let cool slightly then brush with glaze.

• To make glaze: In a small saucepan combine the 1/4 cup sugar, orange juice and orange zest. Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil for 2 minutes. Brush over top of bread while still warm. Sprinkle glazed bread with white sugar.