After some research and an afternoon of experimenting in Laboratorios La Cueva, aka my kitchen, I have made a satisfactory batch of pan de muerto, or the bread of the dead. Pan de muerto is a traditional food prepared for the Day of the Dead in Mexico. It is a slightly sweet, light, yeasted bread made in the shape of a pile of bones. The bread is one of the many items included in the ofrenda, an altar constructed in the home to welcome the souls of deceased family and friends. Below is the recipe I cobbled together to recreate this most delicious bread…

Ingredientes:
1/2 taza mantequilla
1/2 taza leche
1/2 taza agua*
5-5 1/2 tazas harina blanca
2 cucharadas de levadura
1/2 taza azucar
4 huevos
(ingredientes para la capa de azucar: 1/2 taza azucar, 1/3 taza jugo de limon o naranjo, la ralladura de 1 limon o naranjo)

*En vez del agua, se puede usar un te de anis o el te de siete azahares. El te de siete azahares es un te relajante que incluye, entre otras cosas, manzanilla, anis, rosas, y tilo. Una alternativa es incluir una cucharada de semillas de anis el la masa.

The ingredients:
1/2 cp butter
1/2 cp milk
1/2 cp water*
5-5 1/2 cps white flour
2 tbsp dry yeast
1/2 cp sugar
4 eggs
(ingredients for glaze: 1/2 cp sugar, 1/3 cup lemon or orange juice, 1 lemon worth of zest)

*In place of water, tea made with anise seed or te de siete azahares may be used. Te de siete azahares, or tea of seven blossoms, is a traditional Mexican tea made with linden flower, rose petals, passion flower, chamomile, and anise seeds. Alternatively, some recipes include a tablespoon of anise seed in the dough.
2-Proxima, mezcla 1 1/2 tazas de harina blanca con la levadura, el sal, y el azucar en un tazon grande.
3-Agrega la mezcla de leche y mantequilla
4-Agrega los huevos
5-Sigue incorporando la harina hasta que la masa no esta pegajoso, pero todavia esta suave.
6-Masaje la masa para 10 minutos hasta que la masa se hace elastica y suave.
7-Pon la masa en un tazon aceitado y dejala levantar en un lugar caliente para una hora, hasta que doble el tamano.
8-Destapa la masa, y forma las "pilas de huesos." Yo hice seis pedazos de la masa. Use cinco para formar bolitas, y el sexto use para formar los huesos.
9-Cubre la masa otra vez, y deja que se levanta otra hora.
8-Caliente el horno al 350 grados F, y hornea los panes para 40 minutos.
9-Mientras los panes estan en el horno, puedes hacer la mezcla de azucar para taparlos.
10-Mezcla el 1/2 taza de azucar con el jugo de limon o naranjo, y la ralladura. Yo tenia en la casa un limon y una botella de jugo de naranjo, y por eso use una combinacion de los dos jugos. Hierve la mezcla dos minutos, mas o menos, hasta que se reduzca un poco.
11-Cuando los panes estan listos, aplica la mezcla de jugo y azucar al superficie de los panes. Entonces, espolvorea el azucar sobre los panes.

Entonces, invita a unos amigos para compartir este rico pan. Reserva un pan para la ofrenda, y haz cafe para disfrutar con este Pan de Muerto..

First, heat the butter, milk, and water in a sauce pan to warm, but not letting it get hot enough to boil. Next, combine 1 1/2 cups of flour with the yeast, salt, and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat in the warmed butter-milk mixture. Add all 4 eggs. Mix in 1 cup of flour. Continue working in flour until the dough is no longer sticking to the bowl, but is still soft. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead about 10 minutes, until the dough is soft, smooth, and elastic. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and let it rise in a warm place, covered, for about an hour, until it doubles in size. I incubated my dough next to the heat vent in my bedroom. Uncover the dough, punch it down, and shape the loaves. I divided my dough into six pieces. I formed five small loaves and used the sixth portion to make the “bones,” laying them across the top of each loaf. Then, let the loaves rise for another hour. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and bake the loaves for 40 minutes. While they are baking, make the glaze! To make the glaze, combine the sugar in a small saucepan with about 1/3 cup of lemon or orange juice, and the zest of one citrus fruit. I had a lemon and a container or orange juice on hand, so I mixed the juice of one lemon with some orange juice and the zest of the lemon. Boil it for a few minutes to reduce it a bit. Brush it onto the warm bread. Then, for decorative effect, sprinkle granulated sugar onto the warm glaze. The final step is to invite some friends over to share the delicious bread with. Set aside some bread for the altar, and make a big pot of coffee to enjoy with the rest…