Easy Pan de Muerto Recipe (with Guava Atole | Mexican Day of the Dead Bread Tradition

butter

🥗Healthier: coconut oil

💰Cheaper: margarine

Coconut oil provides a dairy-free option while maintaining moisture.

all-purpose flour

🥗Healthier: whole wheat flour

💰Cheaper: bread flour

Whole wheat flour adds fiber and nutrients.

sugar

🥗Healthier: honey

💰Cheaper: brown sugar

Honey is a natural sweetener with a unique flavor.

eggs

🥗Healthier: flaxseed meal

💰Cheaper: egg substitute

Flaxseed meal is a vegan alternative that binds ingredients.

Zest both oranges.

Juice the oranges to get around 1 cup of juice.

Strain the orange juice to remove seeds and pulp.

Add star anise to the orange juice and heat until boiling, then remove from heat.

Prepare the polish by taking 3 tablespoons of flour, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and the yeast, and combine them.

Add lukewarm milk to the polish mixture and let it sit for 15-20 minutes.

In a mixer, cream the butter and the remaining sugar using the paddle attachment.

Add eggs one at a time, incorporating fully before adding the next.

Add half of the flour to the mixer and mix.

Add the rest of the flour and continue mixing.

Add orange essence, orange zest, and the prepared polish to the dough.

Gradually add the orange juice until the dough is slightly sticky.

Mix for about 10 minutes, then let the dough rest for a few minutes.

After resting, mix again for about 20 minutes with 5-minute rests in between until the dough is less tacky.

Transfer the dough to a buttered bowl, cover, and let it rise for about an hour until doubled in size.

Flour the surface and work the dough, then cut it into four equal pieces.

Shape each piece into a ball and form bones and skulls from extra dough.

Cover shaped dough and let rise for another hour.

Preheat oven to 375°F and bake the bread for about 20 minutes until brown.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens