Pan De Muerto - Bread For Day Of The Dead

Total Time: 3 hrs 35 mins Preparation Time: 3 hrs Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup butter, cut into 8 pieces
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 ounce active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup hot water
• 2 eggs
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, unsifted
• 1/2 teaspoon anise seed
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons sugar

Recipe

• 1 bring milk to boil and remove from heat. stir in margarine or butter, 1/4 cup sugar and salt.
• 2 in large bowl, mix yeast with warm water until dissolved and let stand 5 minutes. add the milk mixture.
• 3 separate the yolk and of one egg. add the yolk to the yeast mixture, but save the for later. now add flour to the yeast and egg. blend well until dough ball is formed.
• 4 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.
• 5 knead dough again on floured surface. now divide the dough into fourths and set one fourth aside. roll the remaining 3 pieces into "ropes.".
• 6 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.
• 7 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 lightly.
• 8 when 30 minutes are up, brush top of bread with egg and sprinkle with sugar mixture, except on cross bones. bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.