Pan de Muerto

[caroline]

Well, here goes. I found this recipe in Adela Fernández' bilingual La Tradicional Cocina Mexicana published in 1985. It produces a spectacular result. And thank you for posing the question because this will be my house gift for the next umpteen years.

AF is an interesting person. Her father dominated Mexican cinema during its glory period in the 30s, 40s and 50s. She grew up in a well-to-do household in Mexico City with lots and lots of servants. But like others in that group, the best known in the US being Diego Rivera and Frieda Kahlo, they decided to celebrate the mixed heritage of Mexico. They put on self-consciously indigenous dinners, wore indigenous costumes, and generally broke with the class structure (well, sort of).

Ludja, it's a more complicated version of Zarela's recipe. And she is one of my absolute favorite people writing in English on Mexican food.

So here's AF with my voice over. It's a Mexico- City type recipe. There is no one Pan de Muerto.

I lb flour

1/2 oz yeast

4 oz sugar

4 oz lard

3 whole eggs

7 egg yolks

Pinch of salt

2 tablespoons orange blossom water

3 tablespoons strong anise tea

1 tablespoon grated orange rind

So, OK, this is the modern world. I set my bread machine to the dough cycle and put in 3 whole eggs and 7 egg yolks. Ludja, do you agree that this looks like a richer version of Zarela's recipe?

Voiceover. This has to be a convent recipe. They always had egg yolks to spare because the white was used to glue silver and gold leaf on the altars. Not quite indigenous. And never in my life have I made a bread where all the liquid was egg.

Then I make the anise tea. I put three tablespoons of anise seeds in three tablepoons of water and zap them in the microwave. Should have known. The dry seeds soak up all the water. Add more and zap again. The kitchen smells wonderful.

Add all the ingredients to the bread machine (strained anise tea, and lucky I have some terrific fresh white lard because I was going to make pastry) and orange blossom water (the modern pantry). Turn on and let it rip.

Turns out that this is really liquid, about like gravy. Can't imagine that firming up over the cycle. Add about a quarter again as much flour and start over. A great smooth, yellow dough.

Take it out, nip off perhaps one eighth and divide the rest in two. Shape into flattened rounds and put on a greased baking sheet. Make two knobs to put on top with part of the extra dough and use the rest for tear drops and femurs arranged in a cross pattern. Glue them on with---yes you guessed, egg yolk.

Leave to rise. AF says for 10-12 hours. Maybe she was in one of these dark, windowless Mexican kitchens. In my bright kitchen it would have hit the roof and flattened long before ten hours were up. So after a couple of hours I bake it.

Here AF's instructions are to the point. Use a 250 degree oven. I did and given the high egg count anything else would have burned. I take out the bread after half an hour.

Meanwhile following her instructions I have mixed 1 tablespoon of flour with 2/3 a cup of water and cooked it into a creamy mixture. This I brush over the bread. I'm not sure but I think this annointed of cooked breads with a flour and water paste is very Mexican. Lots of the "frostings" in mexico are colored flour and water pastes.

In any case this is thinner and dries instantly. Then this must be brushed with, you'll never guess, beaten egg, and then sprinkled with sugar. AF does not say but I return it to the oven for a few second because the egg is still a little liquid.

It's a quite spectacular light feathery bread. It will go stale instantly I am sure. And I can no longer taste separately the But it's disappearing at an amazing rate as everyone in the household cuts slices. Mexican are sure I ordered it from a bakery.

I'm dancing with triumph though the credit should go to AF,

Rachel

P. S. And here, for comparison, are the proportions offered by Canaipa (Cámara Nacional de la Industria del Pan): I kilo flour, 12 grams salt, 20 grams sugar, 150 grams margarine, 159 grams lard or butter, 10 eggs, 100 ml of milk, 30 gms of yeast, flavorings of sugar, cinnamon or vanilla.

[esperanza]

Well, here goes.  I found this recipe in Adela Fernández' bilingual La Tradicional Cocina Mexicana published in 1985.  It produces a spectacular result.  And thank you for posing the question because this will be my house gift for the next umpteen years.

←

WOW! I am just incredibly impressed and extremely grateful for a tested recipe. You get a two-thumbs-up! I will pass your recipe on to the person who was looking for one--and who knows, maybe even find time to bake it myself.

Esperanza

[caroline]

Well thanks for putting me up to it and adding such a great recipe to my repertoire. Asking, I found, did no good. like asking an american housewife for her favorite recipe for hamburger buns.

Now do you want to join me for meringue, angel food cake?

Rachel

[ludja]

Thank you very much Caroline! It sounds wonderful; and as esperanza mentioned, doubly so for having been tested by you! The combination of orange and anise sounds great.

So, OK, this is the modern world. I set my bread machine to the dough cycle and put in 3 whole eggs and 7 egg yolks.  Ludja, do you agree that this  looks like a richer version of Zarela's recipe?

←

It does seem to be richer. Per my estimates, Zarela's recipe also has about 1 lb of flour (4 cups)--so we can compare pretty straightforwardly. 3 eggs and 7 yolks vs 3 and 3, respectively. I think the lard would add a really nice taste along with the sweetness as well--(I love pie crusts with lard. austrian lented donuts and cannolis fried in lard ). Can't wait to try this!

Oh-- and here's the link to the general "fresh anise in mexico" thread for reference: mexican anise thread

[sandra]

I have been trying to make pan de muerto for 1 week now - no joy

I tried 4 different recipes so far - why are they all so doughy and unmanageable? It's impossible to knead them or shape them - and if you add enough flour so that they are, thy become heavy and dry...

Today I even tried a recipe for rosca de reyes, thinking it's a bit different and maybe it will work better - I just finished scooping the gloop onto a baking tray, with no shape, calaveras or bones...

If I were in Mexico I wouldn't even ponder making my own, but this is London, and we want some for the restaurant and Elizondo is not right around the corner...

Anyone make it? What am I doing wrong?

frustrated panadera in London

Edited October 27, 2005 by sandra (log)

[theabroma]

Sandra, could you give us some idea of the recipes you are using? Are they from cookbooks? Alas, it is not at all uncommon for cookbooks, especially baking ones, to have poorly tested recipes or inaccuracies in the measurements.

The pan de muerto dough, known in the off season as pan de yema, is very like a rich challah or brioche dough, and quite similar to the one used for stollen and panettone - it has milk, butter, and eggs and yolks in it (except the challah where water and oil are used along with the eggs for those who keep kosher). The main difference in pan de yema is that it has an infusion of anis seeds in it ... or sometimes the seeds themselves ... and orange flower water, for which you can use orange rind zested on a Microplane grater.

I do have a good recipe, using American all purpose flour (protein content about 10-11%). You can use bread flour but will have to adjust the liquid a bit, and take care with the kneading. Let me track it down and I'll send it along to you.

Are you working this dough by hand? If so, do you have the option of working it on a strong stand mixer? This is where a tabletop Hobart model is worth every penny of its cost. This buttery, eggy dough is soft and can be a pain to work with, especially by hand. You have to knead it a lot before you can make the decision that it needs more flour, and then only in very small amounts after more kneading. That's one reason a machine makes the task easier: it is so easy to just dump in extra flour by the handsful and the result is dry and heavy.

Let me see what I can lay my hands on.

Shall I pm the recipe or put it up here on the thread?

Regards,

Theabroma

[sandra]

ARG - I feel like I'm going nuts...

Here is the latest recipe from Frida's Fiestas: the others were form various other Mexican books, all gave the same result with the dough:

450g flour

1 envelope active dry yeast dissolved in 5 tabs warm milk

150g sugar

7 eggs

125g butter

60 ml warm milk

salt

cinnamon

anise seeds

vanilla

orange water

I mixed it all in the mega-kitchen aid with the dough hook and let it go for 45 minutes almost - did not add extra flour until it became obvious that it was not "gelling" so to speak - then added a wee bit at a time until it just formed ribbons, then dumped it in a bowl to rise 4 hours, then dumped the glob onto a sheet - It just came out of the oven and it's dry dry dry and heavy, not the light stuff I remember from home...

I would like to try your recipe - it will be the last one, I'm running out of trial and error time, please post it if you find it... I appreciate it -

I'm about to start throwing pan de muerto out the window at passers by...

Edited October 27, 2005 by sandra (log)

[ludja]

I would enjoy seeing theabroma's recipe as well if she is able to post it.

I just saw an article in the digest of the SF Chronicle this week with a recipe for a Pan de Muerto, in case you wanted another recipe for your files. It is adapted from a recipe from the baking cookbook by The Cheeseboard Collective in Berkeley. (I think the book was well received, in general). The article should be available for a week or two.

click

[theabroma]

Here 'tis. It is from an article on Muertos foods I wrote for the now extinct Women on the Net. It appears very long: I was trying to explain in an excess of simple detail how to do it for total first timers. I love the bread that results from this. Please let me know how it turns out!!!!

Theabroma

PAN DE MUERTO

Although this bread is inextricably linked to Día de Los Muertos, its only ties to pre-conquest Mexico lie in the stylized dough "bones" and "tears" and in the coarse red sugar topping used to adorn the loaves. The bone motif is a universal cultural reference to death; the color red is a reference to an ancient practice among Mesoamerican tribes of painting corpses red. Wheat growing, milling, and the production of ferment- or yeast-leavened doughs came to Mexico with the Spanish. The use of butter in the dough is European; the use of anise and orange flower water came from the Ottoman Turks during their occupation of the Mediterranean basin and from the Arab rule in Spain.

Enjoy this in the traditional manner - tear off chunks and dip into a small bowl of chocolate, with a large cap of foam - the spirit of chocolate itself. And - remember those who have gone ahead, and be grateful for those who are still among us.

For 2 large loaves you will need:

For the sponge:

1/2 cup warm water

1 T active dry yeast

1 T sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour (about 10% protein)

For the dough:

2 T anise seed

1/4 cup water

5 egg yolks (large)

3 whole eggs (large)

3/4 cup granulated sugar

8 ozw unsalted butter (soft, but not melted)

1/2 t salt

3 T orange flower water (Middle Eastern groceries, pastry suppliers, or pharmacies)

1T orange rind, finely grated

1 Ib all-purpose flour

For the glaze

1 egg

2 T water

For the finish:

1 cup granulated sugar

red food coloring (optional, paste or gel colors preferred)

Large mixing bowl

Towel

Flour for dusting work table

Stand-type electric mixer with paddle attachment and bowl

Knife

Sheet pan/baking pan

Parchment or pan liner

Pastry brush

Small bowl

Spatula

Spoon

MAKE A DOUGH SPONGE: put the warm water, sugar, and yeast in the mixer and mix on slow until the yeast and sugar are dissolved. Allow to sit about 5 minutes to proof the yeast. It should begin to puff and foam. If not, the yeast may be dead, and you will need to begin again with new yeast. Once the yeast has proofed, add the flour and mix on low speed until smooth. Remove paddle, scrape down sides of the bowl and cover top with a damp towel or plastic wrap. Allow sponge to double in volume. You may place sponge in the refrigerator and allow it to develop over night.

MAKE ANISE WATER: put anise seed and 1/4 cup water in a small pan and bring to a boil. Reduce to 3 T. Strain, reserving liquid and allow to cool. Discard seeds.

MAKE THE DOUGH: if you have placed the bowl in the refrigerator, bring it out and allow it to warm up a bit. Place bowl on the mixer with paddle attachment. Stir down the sponge. With mixer on slow speed, add the eggs, egg yolks, soft butter, orange flower water, orange rind, anise water, salt and half of the flour. Increase speed to medium, and mix for one minute, or until ingredients are well combined and creamy. Switch back to slow speed and start to add the remainder of the flour, a little at a time, until the dough comes together and "cleans the bowl". Take care not to over mix - it will toughen the bread

FINISH THE DOUGH: remove mixing paddle and scrape dough onto a very lightly floured worktable. Knead gently a few times - just for a minute or two. The dough should be soft, but not sticky; with enough oomph to hold a boule shape and not flatten out. If it is sticky, gently knead in small amounts of flour until it ceases to stick.

FIRST RISING: lightly butter a large bowl, put the dough in the bowl and roll it around to lightly oil the surface and prevent it from drying out. Cover with a damp towel and allow to double in bulk - about 2 hours.

FORMING LOAVES: gently deflate dough and return it to a lightly floured work table. Remove about 1 1/2 cupsful of the dough to make bones and tears. Divide remainder of dough in half and form each half into a smooth, compact round loaf. Place loaves on the sheet pan, on a diagonal if necessary to allow for further expansion during proofing and baking. Cover loaves loosely with a towel or a sheet of plastic wrap.

MAKING "BONES" AND "TEARS": each loaf gets 3 "bones" and 6 "tears". Using the reserved 1 1/2 cupsful of dough, make 8 equally sized balls. Using 6 balls, roll each into a rope about 8" long. Pinch each rope in the middle and about 1 1/2 inches from each end. Taper the ends to a point. These are the stylized bones - use your imagination with them. Using the remaining 2 balls, make 6 smaller balls from each one (12 total). Shape these balls into teardrops (an elongated pear shape, pointed at the top). ATTACHING BONES AND TEARS WITH THE GLAZE: beat the egg and 2T of water until well mixed. Lightly brush the glaze on the two loaves and on the bones and tears. Gently pick up the bones and lay 3 of them across the top of each loaf, forming a spoke pattern (this is why you pinch the bones in the middle - so you can cross them over each other without adding a lot of height to the loaf). Attach the tears in between the bones.

FINAL PROOF AND BAKING: preheat oven to 375F. Allow the loaves to rise until almost double in bulk - about 30 minutes. Place in center of oven and bake 30-35 minutes. Check loaves for doneness by tapping on the bottom - they should have a completely hollow sound when done. If necessary, return to the oven and check every five minutes up to an additional 15 minutes. Remove the loaves from the oven and allow to cool down a bit before sugaring.

SUGAR TOPPING: ideally, you would use coarsely granulated sugar but you may not be able to find it. Bakeries sometimes have it and will sell you a small quantity, otherwise it can be obtained from the King Arthur catalog. Regular granulated sugar is just fine. Just sprinkle the sugar heavily on the loaf and let it sit until completely cool. Shake off excess sugar. Now, if you want to get into a serious case of Aztec lily gilding, put the sugar in a small bowl and put several drops of liquid or paste red food coloring in the sugar. Work it like the dickens with the back of a small spoon, or, put it in the food processor. This sugar needs to be seriously deep pink or very red. Sprinkle the loaf heavily with the red sugar and allow it to cool completely. Shake off

excess sugar.

[sandra]

Mil gracias,

I will make my sponge now and the rest tomorrow... last chance for these breads!

splm

[caroline]

Sandra, I too have always found Mexican recipes come out too wet even with lots of knading, rising etc. But I have not had your experience that adding more flour makes them heavy. I wonder what's going on? Theabroma perhaps you know. When I add flour to make mine workable, they still turn out light as a feather and appreciated by even the most discerning Mexicans. A mystery to me. I will try theabromas's recipes to see if I can avoid the fiddling.

We had a thread on this last year by the way and there's another now somewhere on egullet--does anyone know the links?

Rachel

[sandra]

Caroline, I was looking for that thread to post this in, but couldn't find it -

I wish mine had not gotten so heavy, I'm just hoping one of my rejects doesn't fall on the puppy Gomez and squishes him...!

[caroline]

Sandra, if you go to the Day of the Dead thread in this forum you will find all the links.

good luck and here's wishing for Puppy Gomez!

Rachel

[ludja]

Here it is click.

(I'll also ask a host to merge the two).

Admin: merged threads.

Edited October 27, 2005 by SobaAddict70 (log)

[sandra]

Success!!

Great recipe, thank you Theabroma, it came out so much lighter and fluffier than previous attempts and it grew big and bubbly, turned a nice brown and well... it was great - we placed them on the altar in the restaurant (will ost a pic later)

And Gomez deosn't need to worry about falling breadbombs anymore!

Gracias!

[theabroma]

I am delighted to hear that and I do look forward to seeing the photos. Also glad to hear that Garcia is happy. This is most important ... I know all too well.

I think I may have missed something ... tell me about your restaurant. Where, menu,, etc. I am very curious.

Regards,

Theabroma

[sandra]

Theabroma,

I have been doing some work with Mestizo, a new Mexican restaurant in London - the only one of it's kind in London, authentic menu and real Mexican cooking.

We had Gastronomic week in September that went over really well, packed every night, and a big Dia de la Independencia dinner at the end of the week...

I posted all about it here: Gastronomic Week

and here: Independence Day Dinner

their website is here: Mestizo

Sorry for all the links, but it will give you an idea of why I am so excited!! Finally in London, a real mexican restaurant!

STill meaning to post pictures of bread, but will get to it, will get to it!!