Pan de muerto

10 Servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1 tablespoon Active dry yeast; (1 packet)
¼ cup Warm water
2 teaspoons Sugar; divided
¼ cup Milk; or soymilk
2 teaspoons Anise seed
¼ cup Butter or margarine; cut in small pieces
¼ cup Sugar
2 teaspoons Orange flower water*
2 tablespoons Orange zest
¼ teaspoon Salt
2 Eggs; room temperature
⅔ cup Whole wheat flour
1⅔ cup All-purpose flour; unbleached
1 teaspoon Milk; or soymilk
1 tablespoon Sugar

Directions

In large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water with 1 teaspoon sugar.

Set aside until bubbly, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, scald milk or soymilk and anise seeds in small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in butter or margarine, ¼ cup sugar, orange flower water, orange zest and salt. Cook until butter melts; set aside to cool until lukewarm.

Beat eggs into yeast mixture. Add milk mixture; whisk until blended.

Add flours; stir with wooden spoon until dough forms ball. Turn dough out onto well-floured surface; knead for 5 minutes. Put dough back into mixing bowl; cover. Set in warm place to rise until doubled in size, 1½ to 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Turn dough out; punch down. Knead again for 2 minutes. Pinch off ½ cup dough; form remaining dough into round loaf.

Divide reserved piece of dough in half and roll into 2 bone-shaped pieces.

Cross "bones" over top of loaf. Allow dough o rise again for an hour.

Brush entire loaf with 1 teaspoon milk or soymilk and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar.

Bake until lightly browned and hollow sounding when tapped on bottom, about 35 minutes. Makes 1 loaf of about 10 slices.

*Orange-flower water: Distillation of bitter-orange blossoms used as a perfume like flavoring in baked goods, sweets and beverages. Available in gourmet shops and by mail order.

Formatted by Karen Sonnessa <ksonness@...> NOTES : Orange and anise scented "bread of the dead" will, literally, lift your spirits. Even more flavorful the second day, the treat is wonderful toasted, buttered and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.

Recipe by: Vegetarian Times, October 1996 Posted to MC-Recipe Digest by "Karen Sonnessa" <ksonness@...> on May 5, 1998

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