From A World of Cake (Storey, Oct.)
Pan de Muerto
This yeast bread, traditionally prepared for the Mexican Day of the Dead, is usually designed to look like crossbones and skulls. It’s given as an offering to a family’s ancestors, but it’s labor-intensive to make, and it’s delicious, so I would recommend that you make two batches: one for your ancestors to enjoy and one for your family to eat.
Starter
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 ¼ teaspoons sea salt
½ cup water
3 eggs
Dough
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
Zest of 1 orange, grated
4 cups all-purpose flour
8 egg yolks
¼ cup water
4 egg yolks, beaten
Toppings
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup granulated or colored sugar
Makes 6-8 individual-serving cakes
TO MAKE THE STARTER
Combine the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in a large bowl. Add the water and eggs and beat for about 5 minutes. Place the dough in a buttered bowl and allow it to rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size, about 2 hours.
TO MAKE THE DOUGH
When the starter has risen, give it a light blow to deflate it and then break it into pieces and place in a mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, butter, and orange zest. Beat in the flour and eight egg yolks. Slowly mix in the water until the dough is sticky but smooth. Add additional water or flour if needed.
Lightly knead the dough on a floured work surface, then form it into a round dome. Butter and flour a mixing bowl and place the dough in it, cover, and let sit in a warm place until it has doubled in size, about 2 hours.
TO SHAPE
When the dough has risen, punch it down. Set aside one-quarter of the dough. Mound the remaining dough on a floured work surface. Press fist-sized balls of dough into 6-inch rounds. Cover and let rise for 1 hour.
Count the number of dough rounds you have prepared, and divide the reserved dough into that number of parts. Shape each part into two bone-shaped logs, each roughly 7 inches long, pinching in the center so that the ends are wider than the middles. Set on a baking sheet and let rise until the cakes are done rising.
When the dough is risen, set two bones on top of each round, intersecting in the middle to form a crossbones. Brush the cakes with the beaten egg yolks.
TO BAKE
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter two baking sheets. Transfer the cakes to the sheets and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cakes are golden and springy. Open the oven door and let sit for five minutes.
TO SERVE
Remove the cakes from the oven. Brush the surface of each one with the melted butter, and sprinkle with sugar. Let cool before serving.
VARIATION
Rosca de Reyes (for Day of the Dead)
Prepare the dough and shape into a ring, reserving some dough to make bones. Shape 5 bones, as described in the recipe, and top the ring with the bones, candied figs, and candied fruit strips.
