October closes in Mexico with the days of the dead, dedicated to showing love and respect to deceased friends and family. It is said that when the Iberians arrived in Tenochtitlan (Mexico City), they were shocked by the custom of human sacrifices, so they came up with the idea to make a bread covered with red sugar that simulated a heart instead.
Spongy and delicious, there are many versions of the delicious “pan de muerto” – this recipe teaches you how to make one that is a rounded shape with a ball in the center that symbolizes the deceased’s skull and the raised strips symbolize the bones.
INGREDIENTS: (Serving for 2 large loaves – 4 medium)
* 250 grams of flour (3/4 cup if you measure it in a mug)
* 7.5 grams of dry yeast
* 75 grams of sugar (1/4 cup if you measure it in a mug)
* 3 grams of salt (a pinch. Salt enhances the flavor)
*1 egg
* 45 grams of creamy butter
* 100 ml of warm milk (1/2 mug)
* Zest of an orange (careful not to grate the white part because it will turn the bread sour)
* A pinch of vanilla or orange extract
TO VARNISH
* Generous portion of melted butter
* Sprinkle refined sugar
RECIPE:
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Heat half of the milk and place all the yeast and a teaspoon of the sugar – stir well and put it aside where there are no drafts, and it is warm. If done correctly, after a few minutes, you will see a foamy layer begin to form; that means your yeast is activated. The hardest step is done!
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Place the flour on your clean kitchen table and make a hole like a volcano. Top with the salt, sugar, and zest of an orange.
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The volcano’s center hole put the creamy butter, egg, milk, the flavoring, and mix with the yeast.
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Mix slowly from the inside out until you have a slightly sticky ball and smooth consistency.
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Knead, knead, knead. Hit it, throw it, stretch it, rub it lovingly but decisively. It will take 10-15 minutes to achieve a smooth texture. If it is ready because it looks tender, it does not break if you stretch it.
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Form a ball by stretching from above and let the dough rest in a bowl with a bit of oil. Cover it with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and let it rest in a warm place without drafts for one hour. During this time, the dough will rise and will double in size.
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Flatten the dough so that it releases the gas that the yeast generated and make a roll. From that roll, you cut the ends and separate to make the bones at the end, then divide the dough in two.
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With each part of the roll, you will make a ball and remember to stretch the top part and that the “seams” remain below.
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Now the bones. Add a teaspoon of flour to the dough that you separated, so that they rise differently from the bread dough. Knead it and cut it into six parts – with two parts, you are going to form balls (the little dead’s head) and with the other four form sausages that you are going to finish stretching with your fingers open (photo) so that you have the shapes of the bones. Place the bones in a cross shape on your loaves and in the center the heads of balls. Cover it again with plastic wrap or a wet kitchen towel and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
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When your loaves are resting, preheat your oven to 180ºC, remove the cloth or the plastic, and put your bread to bake. After 20 minutes, you will have a golden bread on which you will spread the melted butter carefully and sprinkle the sugar and… ready your bread of the dead!
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