Bread of the Dead

Combine 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon crushed anise seed and 2 packets (1/2 oz) yeast in a bowl.  Heat half a cup of milk and half a cup of water with 8 teaspoons butter until the butter is just melted (do not boil; you don't want the liquid hot enough to kill the yeast).  Whisk the liquid into the bowl and add four large eggs. Mix in 1 1/2 cup of flour then slowly knead in 3 more cups. Allow to rise.

I just add all the ingredients to my breadmaker and use it to knead and rise the dough (do not cook it in the breadmaker).


Divide the dough ball in half, from each half make 2 small dough balls of roughly an ounce or two each.  Mold each remaining large half into a round loaf and using the remaining balls of dough to form a crossbones shape on top.

Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and set aside for another hour to hour and half to rise again.  

Heat oven to 350

Brush the loaves with an egg yolk glaze (1 yolk beaten with a little water) and put in the middle of the oven.  After about twenty minutes remove from oven, brush again with the egg glaze and sprinkle with sugar or a mixture of sugar and cinnamon.  Put back in the oven and bake until golden brown and hollow sounding when tapped (about another 20-30 minutes).

And there you have it, Pan de Muertos or Bread of the Dead.