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Pan de muerto - Bread of the dead
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Pan de muerto

Pan de Muerto Recipe, a step by step photo tutorial guided by Mexican Baker. You'll love the easy process and the amazing flavors from this bread. Learn about the traditions and history. 
Course Breads
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword mexican bread of the dead recipe, pan de muerto receta, pan de muerto recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Resting Time about 1 hour each time. 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 35 minutes
Servings 16 small rolls or 2 large breads.
Calories 228kcal

Ingredients

  • 500 grams 4 cups All Purpose flour
  • 2 Tablespoons active-dry yeast
  • 100 grams sugar ½ cup
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 80 grams butter at room temperature + 30 grs. to brush the bread after baking.
  • 80 grams unsalted margarine room temperature plus more for bowl and pans.
  • 4 large eggs room temperature
  • Orange zest from 2 oranges
  • 60 ml. warm water about 110 degrees
  • 1 teaspoon orange blossom water or orange essence
  • 1 large egg lightly beaten to brush the bread
  • Sugar to decorate the bread at the end.

Instructions

  • Place the 4 eggs, margarine, salt and half of the sugar in the mixer bowl. Using the paddle attachment start working the dough for about 2 minutes. Add the All-purpose flour in small amounts alternating with the water. Add the dry active yeast and mix until well combined.
  • Continue now by adding one at a time the butter, the orange zest, the rest of the sugar and the orange blossom essence, mixing well after each addition until soft dough forms.
  • Get the dough out of the mixer bowl and place onto work surface; knead until smooth, dusting work surface lightly with flour as needed if the dough begins to stick. Knead for a couple more minutes. Coat the interior of a large bowl with margarine; transfer dough to bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let stand in a warm place until it doubles in size, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
  • Transfer the dough from the bowl onto working surface, separate 300 grams of the dough to form the decorative bones later on. Cut the rest of the dough in 70grs. pieces or in two equal pieces if making 2 large breads. (Making sure to separate 300 grams of dough to form the decorative bones.). Prepare 2 greased baking sheets, set aside.

Shaping the Pan de Muerto bread

  • Take one portion of the dough and place in the palm of your hand, we put our fingers in and add a bit of pressure and shape each piece into a tight ball rolling the dough on the surface. This is called “bolear” in Spanish (if, at first they do not look fine to you, do not worry you will achieve this with practice) Place on prepared baking sheets 2 inches apart. Press the dough slightly.
  • Now place the remaining 300 grs of dough we reserved onto the work surface, dusting with flour if needed, and knead until the flour is integrated perfectly (this is for the bones to decorate our breads).
  • We take small portions of dough and roll in small logs putting a little pressure with the fingers to form the bones. Once your bones are already formed (we need 2 for each bread). Brush each roll forming a cross on top of each bun with a mix made out of the remaining beaten egg with 1 Tablespoon of water, once we marked the cross with the brush we place the bones as it shows in the above picture, cutting any extra dough.
  • And finally, with the leftover dough form small balls, varnish the center of the buns where the bones come together and put the ball there as shown in the picture. Cover baking sheets with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until buns are touching and doubled in size, 1 ½ to 2 hours.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Add a pinch of salt to our mix of egg and water and brush the buns before placing in the oven. Transfer buns to oven and bake until golden brown, 15 to 17 minutes, approximately, if making the small buns. If you are making the larger version the baking time will change a little. Remember that every oven is different, (when the bottom of the bread is golden it indicates that they are ready). Transfer to a wire rack and cool to room temperature.
  • Once your Pan de Muerto bread has a completely cooled brush with the remaining butter and then dust with sugar.

Video

Notes

Instructions are given to work the dough in the Electric Mixer but it can be done by hand.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Small roll | Calories: 228kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 267mg | Potassium: 416mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 478IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 2mg