Recipe - Pan De Muerto

1 tablespoon Active dry yeast; (1 packet)
One fourth cup Warm water
2 teaspoon Sugar; divided
One fourth cup Milk; or soymilk
2 teaspoon Anise seed
One fourth cup Butter or margarine; cut in
small pieces
One fourth cup Sugar
2 teaspoon Orange flower water*
2 tablespoon Orange zest
One fourth teaspoon Salt
2 Eggs; room temperature
2/3 cup Whole wheat flour
1 2/3 cup Allpurpose flour;
unbleached
1 teaspoon Milk; or soymilk
1 tablespoon Sugar

In large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water with 1 teaspoon sugar.
Set aside until bubbly, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, scald milk or soymilk and anise seeds in small saucepan over
mediumhigh heat. Stir in butter or margarine, One fourth cup sugar, orange flower
water, orange zest and salt. Cook until butter melts; set aside to cool
until lukewarm.

Beat eggs into yeast mixture. Add milk mixture; whisk until blended.

Add flours; stir with wooden spoon until dough forms ball. Turn dough out
onto wellfloured surface; knead for 5 minutes. Put dough back into mixing
bowl; cover. Set in warm place to rise until doubled in size, 1 One half to 2
hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Turn dough out; punch down. Knead again for 2
minutes. Pinch off One half cup dough; form remaining dough into round loaf.
Divide reserved piece of dough in half and roll into 2 boneshaped pieces.
Cross "bones" over top of loaf. Allow dough o rise again for an hour.

Brush entire loaf with 1 teaspoon milk or soymilk and sprinkle with 1
tablespoon sugar.

Bake until lightly browned and hollow sounding when tapped on bottom, about
35 minutes. Makes 1 loaf of about 10 slices.

*Orangeflower water: Distillation of bitterorange blossoms used as a
perfume like flavoring in baked goods, sweets and beverages. Available in
gourmet shops and by mail order.

Formatted by Karen Sonnessa ksonness@suffolk.lib.ny.us

NOTES : Orange and anise scented "bread of the dead" will, literally, lift
your spirits. Even more flavorful the second day, the treat is wonderful
toasted, buttered and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.
Recipe by: Vegetarian Times, October 1996

Posted to MCRecipe Digest by "Karen Sonnessa" ksonness@suffolk.lib.ny.us
on May 5, 1998