Pan de Muerto del Valle de México

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Stand mixer with dough hook, or a strong pair of hands and patience
• •Two rimmed baking sheets lined with parchment
• •Pastry brush for egg wash and melted butter
• •Instant-read thermometer for checking the enriched crumb

Instructions

1. 1

   Wake the dough

   In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Add the lukewarm milk, whole eggs, egg yolks, orange zest, orange blossom water, and crushed anise seed. Mix on low until a rough dough forms. It will look sticky and uneven at first. Good. Enriched dough starts messy before it becomes obedient.

2. 2

   Knead with butter

   Knead on medium-low for 6 minutes, then add the softened butter one tablespoon at a time. Wait until each piece disappears before adding the next. Continue kneading 8 to 10 minutes more, until the dough is glossy, elastic, and pulls from the sides of the bowl while still clinging lightly to the bottom. Butter slows gluten down, so give it time. No me vengas con atajos.

3. 3

   First rise

   Scrape the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise at warm room temperature for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until doubled. If your kitchen is cool, it may take longer. The dough should feel airy when you press it, not dense like raw clay. The calendar does not bake bread. The dough does.

   For better flavor, refrigerate the covered dough overnight after 45 minutes at room temperature. Bring it back to cool room temperature before shaping. Panaderías know this: slow fermentation gives better bread.
4. 4

   Divide the dough

   Turn the dough onto a lightly floured board. For two large loaves, cut off about one quarter of the dough and reserve it for the bones and knobs. Divide the remaining dough into 2 equal pieces and shape each into a tight round. For individual breads, reserve one quarter for decoration and divide the rest into 10 rounds.

5. 5

   Shape the bones

   Divide the reserved dough into pieces for the canillas and top knobs. Roll each bone strip with your fingers spread open, pressing lightly in three places so the dough forms raised knuckles. Cross two strips over each loaf. Roll a small ball or tear-drop knob and press it into the center. This shape is the signature. If the bones are flat, you rushed the work.

6. 6

   Proof the loaves

   Set the shaped breads on parchment-lined baking sheets. Cover loosely and let rise 45 to 60 minutes, until puffy and almost doubled. Press the side gently with a floured finger. The dent should fill back slowly. If it springs back immediately, wait. If it collapses, you waited too long. Bread teaches discipline without saying a word.

7. 7

   Bake until golden

   Heat the oven to 350F. Brush the loaves lightly with egg wash, avoiding heavy puddles around the bones. Bake individual breads for 18 to 22 minutes, or large loaves for 26 to 30 minutes, until deep golden and the center registers about 190F. The crust should smell of butter, orange, and toasted sugar from the egg wash.

8. 8

   Butter and sugar

   Let the bread cool 10 minutes. Brush the surface with melted butter, then cover generously with granulated sugar while the butter is still tacky. Do not sprinkle timidly. This is pan de muerto from the Valle de México, not diet bread. Let it cool fully before placing it on the ofrenda or slicing for chocolate caliente.

Chef Tips

• •Buy orange blossom water from a Mexican or Middle Eastern market and smell it before using it. It should smell floral and clean, not like perfume from a bathroom. Bad azahar ruins the bread.
• •Use bread flour if you can. All-purpose flour works, but the loaf will be softer and less structured. That is a compromise, not an upgrade.
• •The anise seed is not mandatory in every CDMX bakery, but it belongs to many central Mexican versions. Crush it lightly so it perfumes the dough without turning every bite into licorice.
• •Do not overbake pan de muerto. Dry bread on the ofrenda is common because people bake it like a lean loaf. This is enriched bread. Pull it when the center reaches 190F and the crust is golden.
• •Serve with chocolate caliente, cafe de olla with piloncillo and canela, or atole. The bread is sweet, but it was built for a bitter or spiced drink beside it.

Advance Preparation

• •The dough can be mixed the night before. Let it rise 45 minutes at room temperature, refrigerate overnight, then shape the next day after it softens slightly.
• •Baked pan de muerto is best the day it is made. It keeps 2 days wrapped at room temperature, and day-old slices are excellent toasted lightly and served with chocolate caliente.
• •Do not sugar the bread before freezing. Freeze baked, unsugared loaves tightly wrapped for up to 1 month, thaw, warm gently, then brush with butter and sugar before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 130g)