SAMHUINN: Pan de Muerto
Bread of the Dead
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup (half a stick) margarine or butter, cut into 8
pieces
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 package active dry yeast
1/4 cup very warm water
2 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour, unsifted
1/2 teaspoon anise seed
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons sugar
Bring milk to boil and remove from heat. Stir in margarine or butter,
1/4 cup sugar and salt.
In large bowl, mix yeast with warm water until dissolved and let stand 5
minutes. Add the milk mixture.
Separate the yolk and white of one egg. Add the yolk to the yeast
mixture, but save the white for later. Now add flour to the yeast and
egg. Blend well until
dough ball is formed.
Flour a pastry board or work surface very well and place the dough in
center. Knead until smooth. Return to large bowl and cover with dish
towel. Let rise in
warm place for 90 minutes. Meanwhile, grease a baking sheet and preheat
the oven to 350 degrees.
Knead dough again on floured surface. Now divide the dough into fourths
and set one fourth aside. Roll the remaining 3 pieces into “ropes.” On
greased baking
sheet, pinch 3 rope ends together and braid. Finish by pinching ends
together on opposite side. Divide the remaining dough in half and form 2
“bones.” Cross and
lay them atop braided loaf.
[ed.–Or just make regular loaves, preferably round, and cut a
pentagram, yin/yang or solar cross in the top of each.]
Cover bread with dish towel and let rise for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a
bowl, mix anise seed, cinnamon and 2 teaspoons sugar together. In another
bowl, beat egg white lightly.
When 30 minutes are up, brush top of bread with egg white and sprinkle
with sugar mixture, except on cross bones. Bake at 350 degrees for 35
minutes.
Feeds 8 to 10 souls.
