For the religious and agnostic alike, observation of All Saints and
All Souls--The Days of the Dead as they are commonly called in Mexico--is
one of the most important events of the year. People travel hundreds of
miles to take flowers and food to the graves of their departed relative but
it is no morbid affair as they eat and celebrate together. In some homes
an altar will be setup and decorated with yellow flowers,
cempasuchil(Tagetes erecta), candles, candied skulls and fruits, tamales,
mole, chocolate and pan de muerto. In and around the capital the breads
are of varying sizes, round and decorated with stylized "bones" and a round
top knot representing the skull. In parts of Oaxaca the bread is formed
into human shapes, and in Michoacan monos, small figures of animals or
people, are made.
* Exported from MasterCook *
Pan de Muertos(All Saints and all Souls Day Bread)
Recipe By : Dianna Kennedy-The Art of Mexican Cooking
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
The Starter
1 pound unbleached flour
plus extra for bowl and work surface
1 1/4 tsp sea salt
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 tbsp active dry yeast
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp water
3 lg eggs -- lightly beaten
unsalted butter for greasing bowl
The Final Dough
The starter -- cut in small pieces
1 cup sugar
14 tbsp unsalted butter -- softened
plus extra for greasing baking sheets
1 pound unbleached flour
plus extra for board and bowl
8 egg yolk and 2 tbsp water -- lightly beaten
1/4 cup water
1 tsp orange flower water or
grated rind of 1 orange
The Glaze
4 egg yolks -- lightly beaten
1/4 cup unsalted butter -- melted
1/3 cup sugar
Typed for you by Jazzbel@batelnet.bs
For the Starter:
Put the flour, salt sugar, and yeast into a mixing bowl and gradually beat
in the water and eggs.(Mexican bakers do not bother to cream the yeast,
knowing that it is fresh--doit if you wish). Continue beating until the
dough forms a cohesive mass around the dough hook; it should be sticky,
elastic and shiny--about 5 minutes). turn out onto a floured board and
form into a round cushion shape. Butter and flour a clean bowl. Place the
dough in it and cover with greased plastic wrap and a towel and set aside
in a warm place--ideally 70F--until the dough doubles in volume, about 2
hours.
The Final Dough
Liberally grease 4 baking sheets(for both breads). Put the starter, sugar
and butter into a mixing bow and mix well, gradually beating in the flour
and egg yolks alternately. Beat in the water and flavoring--you should
have a slightly sticky, smooth, shiny dough that just holds its
shape(since, eggs, flour, climates, differ, you may need to reduce or
increase the liquid). Turn the dough into a lightly floured surface and
form into a round cushion shape.
Wash out mixing bowl, butter and flour it, and replace the dough in it.
Cover with greased plastic wrap and a towel and set aside in a warm
place--ideally about 70F--for about 1 1/2 hours, until it almost doubles in
size, or set aside overnight in the bottom of the refrigerator.
Bring the dough up to room temperature befrore attempting to workwith it.
Turn out on to a lightly floured board and divided the dough into two equal
pieces. Set one aside for forming later. Take three quarters of the dough
and roll it into a smooth ball. press it out to a circle about 8 in in
diameter--it should be about 1 in thick. Press around the edge to form a
narrow ridge--like the brim of as hat--and transfer to one of the greased
baking sheets. Cover loosely with greased plastic wrap and set aside in a
warm place(about 70F) to rise half its size again--about 1 hour. taking
the rmaining 1 quarter of the dough, dicide it into four equal parts. Roll
one of the parts into a smooth ball. Roll the other three into strips 8 in
long, with four knobs each, one on each end and two about 1.5 in from the
onet at the end(for bones). transfer the four pieces to another greased
tray, cover loosely with greased plastic wrap and set aside to rise for
about 1 hour.
Repeat these steps to form the second bread with the remainder of the
dough.
Heat the oven to 375F.
At the end of the rising period, carefully place the strips of dough
forming the bones across the main part of the bread, place the round ball
in the middle to form the skull, and press your finger in hard to form the
eye sockets. Brush the surface of the dough well with the beaten yolks and
bake at the top of the oven unti well browned and springy--about 15
minutes. Turn off the oven, open the door, and let the bread sit there for
5 minutes more. Remove from the oven, brush with melted butter, ans
sprinkle well with sugar.
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Later,
Jazzbel
>>>>>
"A gourmet who thinks of calories is like a tart who looks at her watch".
--James Beard.