“If I am dead, I would travel back for pan de muerto.”

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

I love color.

I dont love sweets.

Pan de muerto in a bowl next to a stack of plates, a purple kitchen towel, and glasses of water, all on a brick surface

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

Sweet things are luminous!

The joy vanishes, however, the moment the sweets touch my mouth.

Its not that I hate the taste, its just not nearly as enjoyable as the colors promise.

Pan de muerto in a bowl next to a stack of plates, a purple kitchen towel, and glasses of water, all on a brick surface

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

Dia de Muertos comes in happy color, in celebratory color, in color that reaches across death.

First, theres cempasuchil yellow, meant to lead the dead to our altars.

There are intricately decorated skulls, sugar, and ceramic.

Bowl of pan de muerto starter next to a small spatula

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

There are lit candles waving their flames like hellos.

If I am dead, I would travel back for pan de muerto.

Now, why do I love pan de muerto so much if its sweet?

Pan de muerto starter in a bowl after 20 minutes of resting

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

Its not even brightly colored!

Pan de muerto tastes like colors make me feel.

Pan de muerto is joy.

Pan de muerto ingredients in a mixer bowl (eggs, starter, flour, citrus zest, and sugar)

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

My mom is a baker.

Hope you enjoy it!

Pan de Muerto

Do not discard the egg whites.

Pieces of butter added to a stand mixer as pan de muerto ingredients are mixed together

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

You will use them to brush the bread before baking.

The recipe was tested measuring the ingredients by weight, where provided.

Add the warm milk and sugar, and stir until fully dissolved.

Stand mixer mixing the pan de muerto ingredients using a dough hook

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

Stir in the flour until fully incorporated.

Let the mixture rest uncovered at room temperature for about 20 minutes until it bubbles.

Increase the speed to medium and add the butter piece by piece until fully incorporated.

Pan de muerto dough in the mixer bowl (still slightly sticking to the edges of the bowl)

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

It is a wet doughresist the urge to add more flour.

Sprinkle the salt around the outer edge of the flour.

Use one hand to mix the wet ingredients, slowly folding in the flour until a homogeneous dough forms.

Pan de muerto dough in the mixer bowl (dough no longer sticky)

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

Its a wet doughresist the urge to add more flour.

Transfer the dough into a large greased bowl and cover it with plastic wrap.

Rest it at room temperature for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until doubled in size.

Pan de muerto dough resting in a buttered bowl for pan de muerto recipe

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

Lightly sprinkle a clean work surface with flour.

Tip the dough onto it and divide it into four equal portions (about 280g each).

Set one portion aside for the bones and skulls.

Pan de muerto dough doubled in size after resting for 1 1/2 to 2 hours

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

To shape each bread, flatten a piece of dough using the palm of your hands.

Pull the outer edges up and over the center, all around.

Pinch the pulled-up edges together and flip the dough over so that the smooth side is facing up.

Pan de muerto dough divided into 4 equal portions on a light dusted surface

Simply Recipes / Mark Beam

Cup your hands around it to shape it into a ball (bolear in Spanish).

To shape the bones roll six portions into a 5-inch log.

Using your three middle fingers, press down on the log leaving the equal space between them.

Hand pinching the bottom of a dough portion to form into a ball for pan de muerto recipe

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

you could also simply pinch the dough in even intervals to make them look like bones.

To shape the skull simply roll three portions into a small ball.

Place two bones on each ball of dough, crossing in the middle.

Hand shaping a dough portion into a ball for pan de muerto recipe

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

One skull goes in the center where the bones meet.

Press down gently to adhere.

Lightly brush the top of each loaf with egg whites.

Three dough balls on a parchment paper lined baking sheet for pan de muerto recipe

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

Bake them for about 25 minutes, until the tops are golden brown.

Check after 15 to 20 minutes.

If the tops are too dark, cover with foil and continue baking.

9 small dough balls on a lightly dusted counter

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

Allow the bread to cool on a rack for about 20 minutes.

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Hand rolling out a piece of dough into a “bone” and pressing down to create bone-like indents

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

Leftover 3 dough portions formed into small balls (skeletons) for pan de muerto recipe

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

6 “bones” and 4 “skulls” on a lightly dusted surface

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

Bones placed on each dough ball in an X pattern and topped with the skull (placed where bones meet)

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

Pan de muerto after resting for 1 1/2 to 2 hours on the baking sheet

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

One pan de muerto brushed with butter next to another already topped with sugar (all on a parchment paper lined baking sheet)

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

Pan de muerto sprinkled with sugar next to one already covered in sugar (all on a parchment paper lined baking sheet)

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

Pan de muerto in a bowl next to some orange carnations, and in the background, a stack of plates, a purple kitchen towel, and glasses of water, all on a brick surface

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm