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Traditional Pan de Muerto with Easy Orange Blossom Glaze

Traditional Pan de Muerto - featured image
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This Pan de Muerto is a soft, aromatic bread with a tender crumb and a floral orange blossom glaze. It comes together in a single afternoon, making it perfect for Día de Muertos or any fall celebration.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 ½ cups (440g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 ¼ teaspoons (one ¼-ounce packet) active dry yeast
  • ½ cup (120ml) whole milk, warm (about 110°F)
  • ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • 6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons orange zest (from about 2 large oranges)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • For the tangzhong starter: 3 tablespoons (25g) all-purpose flour + ½ cup (120ml) water
  • For the orange blossom glaze: 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons orange blossom water, 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
  • For decoration: extra granulated sugar or coarse sanding sugar for sprinkling

Instructions

  1. Make the tangzhong starter: In a small saucepan, whisk together 3 tablespoons flour and ½ cup water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it forms a thick paste (about 2 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
  2. Activate the yeast: In a small bowl, combine the warm milk, 1 tablespoon of the sugar, and the yeast. Stir gently and let sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
  3. Mix the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining sugar, flour, and salt. Add the cooled tangzhong, foamy yeast mixture, eggs, softened butter, orange zest, and vanilla. Stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms.
  4. Knead the dough: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 10-12 minutes (or use a stand mixer with dough hook on medium-low for 8 minutes) until smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky. It should pass the windowpane test.
  5. First rise: Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot for 1-1.5 hours until doubled in size.
  6. Shape the dough: Punch down the dough gently. Cut off about ¼ of the dough and set aside. Shape the larger piece into a round ball and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
  7. Form the bones and top piece: Divide the reserved dough into 4 equal pieces for the ‘bones’ and 1 small piece for the top knob. Roll each of the 4 pieces into ropes about 6 inches long. Place them on top of the round loaf in a cross pattern. Roll the small piece into a ball and place it in the center where the ropes cross.
  8. Second rise: Cover the shaped loaf loosely with a clean towel and let rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour until puffy and almost doubled.
  9. Preheat and bake: About 20 minutes before the second rise is done, preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the bread for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 190°F (88°C). Tent with foil after 15 minutes if browning too fast.
  10. Make the glaze: While the bread cools, whisk together powdered sugar, orange blossom water, and orange juice until smooth. Adjust consistency as needed.
  11. Glaze and serve: Let the bread cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. While still warm, brush the glaze generously over the top. Sprinkle with sanding sugar immediately. Let glaze set for 10 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Don’t skip the tangzhong starter; it keeps the bread soft for days. Use a kitchen scale for accurate flour measurement. Let the bread cool to warm before glazing so the glaze sticks. The bread is best served warm but also great at room temperature.

Nutrition

Keywords: Pan de Muerto, Day of the Dead bread, orange blossom glaze, Mexican sweet bread, traditional bread, Día de Muertos

Find it online: https://freshforkful.com/traditional-pan-de-muerto-with-easy-orange-blossom-glaze/