Pan de Muertos

Pan de Muertos

Ingredients

Bread: ¼ cup milk

¼ cup margarine

¼ cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

3 cups all-purpose flour

¼ cup white sugar

1 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast

½ teaspoon salt

2 eggs, beaten

1 tablespoon orange zest

Glaze:

¼ cup white sugar

¼ cup orange juice

2 teaspoons orange zest

2 tablespoons white sugar

Directions

Bread: Heat milk and margarine in a medium saucepan over low heat until margarine melts. Remove from heat and add warm water. Mixture should be around 110 degrees F (43 degrees C). Combine 1 cup flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in a large bowl. Beat in warm milk mixture, then add eggs and orange zest; beat until well combined. Stir in 1/2 cup flour and continue adding more flour until dough is soft. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic. Place dough into a lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours. Punch dough down and shape into a large round loaf with a round knob on top. Place dough onto a baking sheet; loosely cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until just about doubled in size, about 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 35 to 45 minutes. Cool slightly before brushing with glaze.

Glaze: Combine 1/4 cup sugar, orange juice, and orange zest in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil for 2 minutes. Brush glaze over top of warm bread. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar