Make Me Something Sundays: Pan de los Muertos

Today's recipe comes from a very good friend of mine, who also happens to be an extreme Halloween-ist!

"A page taken directly from my southern California roots when the Hispanic communities celebrated the DAY OF THE DEAD ; a time to remember family members who have passed on. One of the most important Mexican holidays, DIA DE LAS MUERTOS usually begins with a candlelight procession to the cemetery, a picnic on the grave, and the decoration of an alter to the departed. Gifts of food and flowers are left on the grave. These celebrations were magnificent, colorful, thought-provoking …….I found the whole thing quite moving.

"Pan de Muertos is a bread honoring and acknowledging the departed (also eaten by the living), usually set on an altar or if possible at a gravestone as a symbolic and yes, practical gesture of sharing a meal. For practicing pagans this food offering fits our Samhain observations so adding a bit of Pan de Muertos to the occasion makes sense!"

Ingredients:

• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon anise seed
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 4 eggs (room temperature)
• 4 additional cups of all-purpose flour (approximately)

*The ANISE is a key component. I've seen this bread made with the seeds and also with the anise flavoring. The seeds really do make the recipe so avoid taking the easy way out by using an artificial anise flavoring!**

Directions:

Scald the milk, then add in the butter and set aside to cool. In a large mixing bowl, mix 1 ½ cups of flour with the yeast, salt, anise, and sugar. In a small bowl, beat the eggs. Slowly add the milk mix to the egg mix, beating constantly. Then beat the egg mix into the flour mix. Add additional flour 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Once a soft dough forms, knead for 10 minutes. Oil the surface of the dough, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled (about 1 ½ hours). Punch down and form the dough into a ball on a baking sheet. It is traditional to shape the dough with a knob on the top and with bone-like ribbons criss-crossing over. If you are doing this, it is to be done at this time. Let the dough rise again, covered, for about 45 minutes to an hour. Bake at 350º F for 40 minutes.

If you'd like to glaze the loaf with a traditional orange glaze, just boil 1/2 cup of sugar with 1/2 cup of orange juice until the sugar dissolves, stirring constantly. Brush it on the bread while it's still warm.

Thank you, 'Madame Defarge', for your amazing recipe! I plan on trying this very soon. I'll post pictures of what comes out of it!