Pan de Muerto

 I really wanted to post this recipe before the actual Día de Los Muertos, but like much of the country on the days preceding and after the election, I have not been to most productive version of myself. 

Enough about me. Now the recipe. Beware, you will need a scale to take exact measurements of the ingredients. After all, baking is practicing chemistry. If you are truly committed to using imperial units, I recommend using the following conversion tool: https://www.thecalculatorsite.com/cooking/

Pan de Muerto

Starter
350 ml   Milk
300 gr    Flour, all purpose 
  20 gr    Yeast

Dough
700 gr    Flour, all purpose
  12 gr    Salt
200 gr    Eggs
  60 gr    Yolks
200 gr    Butter
190 gr    Sugar
  10 ml   Orange blossom extract
    1        Orange, we will use only the peel

Finish
100 gr    Butter
200 gr    Sugar

Equipment
Mixer
Hook attachment for mixer
Grater to grate the orange peel
Clear bowl to proof the bread
Plastic wrap to cover the dough while proofing
Parchment paper
Baking trays, I recommend one for each piece of bread

Instructions 
1. In a clear bowl mix the flour, milk, and yeast for the starter. You can do this by hand with a spatula; no need to use the mixer yet. Cover it and let it rest for about half an hour in a warm place. If you are in a cold place, setting your oven on bread proof mode and putting the starter in the oven may be your best option. 

2. Once your yeast has activated, which will become apparent once the starter is bubbly and airy, place the starter in the mixer bowl. Add the eggs and extra egg yolks and mix on medium low with the hook attachment for about 2 minutes or until you can no longer see the eggs. 

3. Add the flour bit by bit. I did it in 3 portions. Continue mixing in low speed and add the salt. After about 2 minutes, add the sugar, butter, orange zest and orange blossom extract. 

4. Keep mixing on medium high until you obtain an elastic dough that does not break easily and is no longer sticking to the bowl. It took me 30 minutes to work the dough to this point. This will depend on the strength of your mixer and the rate at which your dough is releasing gluten. So, it may take you more or less time than me. If you do not want to put your mixer under too much stress (anthropomorphizing much?), you can mix it by hand. Kuddos to you!

5. Once your dough is firm yet elastic, transfer to an oiled clear bowl and cover it. Let it rest for 1-2 hours in a warm place. I placed mine in the oven on bread proof mode because it was a cold, snowy day. Let your dough rest until it has doubled in size. If you live in a cold place, don't go by the time; wait until it has doubled in size even if it takes longer than 1 or 2 hours. Otherwise you will end up with bread that is way too dense and due to this may be uncooked in the middle... trust me on this one. I speak from experience. 

6. Once the dough has doubled in size, remove from the bowl and place on a flat and clean surface. I like to use a non-stick silicone mat on my kitchen island as my work surface. If you are not using a a silicone mat, you will need to flour your surface or else your dough will stick to your counter. Once you place the dough on the surface, you ahead and punch it to release that gas build up from the yeast. 

7. Using the scale, make portions of 300 grams each. It is important to divide in portions that are the same that way all of your breads will be cooked the same at the same temperature and time. Otherwise, if you get some smaller and some bigger, some will be over or under cooked. I recommend placing plastic wrap on the scale before measuring the dough to avoid getting your scale dirty. Dough is hard to remove in little crevices. If you have any left over dough, you can divide it in equal portions among the bigger pieces or you can set it aside to make something else. I made 3 smaller "conchas" (bonus picture at the end) with the left over dough. 

8. Make a ball with each 300 gr piece of dough. Cover the balls with plastic wrap and let them rest for at least 10 minutes. 

9. After resting, uncover each ball one by one as you are working with them to avoid drying them as you are shaping the dough. 

10. Take 1 of the balls and remove approximately 1/5 of it. Roll the bigger piece into a ball again and place it on the baking tray with parchment paper. I recommend placing a little bit of oil on the baking tray before placing the parchment paper so the oil will act as glue. Once you place the ball of dough on the tray, slightly press down on the dough to flatten the top a tiny bit. Do not press hard or too much. We are not making flat bread! Why flatten the top a tiny bit? Well, glad you asked! After placing the decorative pieces of dough on top, the "skull" will undoubtedly tip to one side if you skip this step. Trust me on this one again. I speak from experience. 

11. Take the 1/5 of the piece of dough and divide it into 3. Take the largest of the 3 and roll it into a little ball. This will be the "skull". Take one of the two pieces and roll it into cylindrical shape. Then, with your index finger, press in the middle and keep rolling. The dough will look like peanut in its shell or a bowtie. Then using both your index fingers, roll the sides in a similar fashion. This piece will be one of our "bones". Repeat with the last third remaining. 

12. Brush the large piece of dough with water where you are planning to place the "bones". Place the two "bones" on top of the dough on the baking tray making an X figure with them. Press down gently where the two "bones" meet and brush with water. Place the "skull" where the bones meet. The water will act as a glue and keep all the dough, the big piece and the "bones" and "skull" together. Cover your dough and let it rest in a warm place for at least 1 or 2 hours or until it has nearly doubled in volume. 

13. Repeat steps 11 and 12 for each 300 gr piece of dough. 

14. Preheat the oven at 335 F and set the rack in the middle. Cook each piece of bread for 20 minutes. I do not recommend baking more than one piece per tray because they will expand and touch each other. 

15. Let them cool in cooling rack. In the meantime, melt the remaining 100 gr of butter and get ready the sugar for the finishing. 

16. Brush each piece of bread with butter and sprinkle with sugar. 

Enjoy with a cup of hot chocolate.

Pictures for your amusement

Figure 1. Measure everything before starting. Four eggs, luckily came down to exactly 200 grams. 

Figure 2. Four egg yolks were just 9 grams over from the required quantity. I recommend mixing the yolks and removing/adding little by little until reaching exactly 60 grams. 

Figure 3. Making the starter. Aka, masa madre in Spanish.

Figure 4. Mixing the masa madre, the eggs, and egg yolks. 

Figure 5. Add flour in two to three portions at a time. Continue adding ingredients as described in the instructions. 

Figure 6. Most of the dough is in one piece that does not stick to the bowl. This dough is ready for the next step. 

Figure 7. Dough in oiled clear bowl ready to rest and rise.

Figure 8. Dough that has doubled in size after resting for 1-2 hours.

Figure 9. Making 300 grams portions and setting aside.

Figure 10. Portions rolled into balls and covered to rest.

Figure 11. One fifth of each piece of dough removed to form "skull and bones".

Figure 12. Dividing the one fifth into thirds to subsequently form the "skull" and "bones".

Figure 13. Utilizing the index finger to make indentations in the dough while rolling up and down simultaneously. 

Figure 14. Skull and bones.

Figure 15. Transferring skull and bones. 

Figure 16. Failure to flatten the top of the bread will result 

in the "skull" tilting to one side. 

Figure 17. A light and airy sponge is preferable over a dense 

and undercooked sponge. 

Figure 18. Enjoy with your loved ones, living and dead. 

Figure 19. Bonus Conchas de Muerto

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