Halloween season, and specifically the 2nd of November, is a really imporant date for mexican folks. We celebrate a festivity called Day of the Dead, or Día de Muertos in spanish. It is a tradition in which we take a day to celebrate our loved ones that have passed away. We usually make ofrendas, which is a small altar with pictures of our loved ones and we fill it with food/things they used to really enjoy when they were alive. Among the food that is prepared throughout this season there is a type of bread called Pan de Muerto . It’s bread made out of orange flavored dough covered with sugar. It can vary in size, but it is usually round with small parts that resemble bones on top of the bread. It is very, very popular and very, very tasty.

This is a vegan recipe of this type of bread. If you end up making this yourself, let me know how it went. Hope you like it!

Ingredients

  • 560 g wheat flour (4 ⅔ cups)
  • 160 g sugar (¾ cup + 1 tbsp)
  • 2 teaspoons instant yeast for bread
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • ½ cup of soy milk, warm
  • ¼ cup of orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon of of orange zest
  • 1 ½ teaspoons of vanilla extract
  • 120 g margarine, melted (½ cup + ½ tbsp)
  • 170 g potato, peeled, boiled and mashed or blended until mashed potatoes texture (~⅔ cup of mashed potatoes)

Topping

  • 2 tablespoons of margarine, melted
  • ½ cup of sugar

Instructions

  1. In a mid sized bowl, sift the flour and add the sugar, yeast and salt.
  2. In another mid sized bowl, mix the milk, orange juice, orange zest, vanilla, melted margarine (120 g). Add the masshed potatoes and mix again.
  3. Pour the previous mix in the bowl where you have your flour and mix until the dough starts incorporating.
  4. Move the dough to a plain surface covered in flour and knead for 8 minutes or until the dought looks slightly shinnier, feels very smooth, but does not stick to your hands as easily.
  5. Grease a large bowl with a bit of olive or coconut oil and place the dough inside it. Cover it with a kitchen towel or large plate so that it stays warm and let the dough rise. Place the bowl in a warm place until it doubles its size. (Approximately 1 ½ hours) WARNING: The dough can be a bit sticky and this is normal, so do not worry.
  6. Once the time has passed, deflate the dough by punching it slightly. This will allow better handling of the dough.
  7. Take the dough out of the bowl, take a small chunk (130 g aproximately) and set it aside. Divide the remaining dough in 8 parts. Roll each of these into balls and transfer them to a tray with waxed paper or a silicone mat (leave enough space between each piece). Press each ball slightly.
  8. Divide the small 130 g chunk of dough in 16 parts and extend each one forming strips that are long enough to cover each of the dough balls. When you extend each strip, roll them with your hand and fingers slightly open so that you form the small divisions that represent the skeleton.
  9. Place 2 strips forming an ‘X’ on top of each dough ball so that they adhere to itself. (Optionally, you can also add smaller dough balls on top of the ‘X’ you just made). Repeat the process with the rest of the dough balls.
  10. Cover with a towel and let it rest for 30-45 mins on a warm spot, or until it doubles its size.
  11. Once 15 minutes are left before the dough finishes rising, preheat the oven at 176°C (350°F).
  12. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until the bread has taken a goldenish color. Take out of the oven and let it rest over a slit for 10 minutes.
  13. Once the 10 minutes have passed, melt 2 tablespoons of margarine, and cover the bread with a brush. Then, sprinkle a bit of sugar on top. Shake the bread a little bit to remove the excess of sugar.
  14. Keep the bread in an airtight container so that it does not dry as fast. We recommend that you use a microwave to heat the bread for approximately 10 minutes before eating it. This is so that it has a soft consistency. A pan with a wide lid works good as well, but will dry the bread faster.

This is it! Hope you enjoy the recipe, and if you do, please let me know!