Mexico · North America

Pan de Muerto

Day of the Dead bread: orange-scented, bone-topped, and sugar-dusted.

Intermediate#54 most lovedUses: Incubation
pan de muertoDay of the Dead bread

The Chemistry in This Bake

Proofing the enriched dough at controlled warmth, then finishing with a brushed sugar/butter coating as a surface treatment.

Learn the full technique →

Ingredients

  • All-purpose flour
  • Instant yeast
  • Warm milk
  • Eggs
  • Sugar
  • Butter
  • Orange zest
  • Orange blossom water
  • Salt

Method

  1. Knead an orange-scented enriched dough and let it rise until doubled.

  2. Reserve small pieces of dough and shape them into bone strips and a knob.

  3. Form the main dough into round loaves and lay the "bones" crosswise on top.

  4. Proof at controlled warmth until puffy, about 1 hour.

  5. Bake at 180 °C for 25-30 minutes.

  6. Brush with melted butter and coat generously in sugar while warm.