Pan de Muerto

A light and airy brioche with a stringy crumb, scented with orange zest and cinnamon. The golden crust is brushed with melted butter and coated in crunchy sugar.

• Prep time: 180 min
• Cook time: 25 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 645
• Protein: 12 g
• Carbs: 91 g
• Fat: 25 g

Ingredients

• 333.3 g Wheat flour ( sifted )
• 100 g White sugar ( plus extra for topping )
• 13.3 g Fresh baker's yeast ( crumbled )
• 2 piece Egg ( at room temperature )
• 83.3 ml Whole milk ( lukewarm )
• 100 g Minimum butter sweet ( softened )
• 0.7 piece Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck ( fine zest )
• 0.7 tsp Cinnamon powder ( ground )
• 0.7 pinch Fleur de sel ( fine )
• 0.7 tbsp Orange blossom water

Instructions

1. Yeast activation

   Warm the whole milk. Dissolve the fresh yeast in it with a pinch of sugar. Let it bubble for 10 minutes until foamy.

2. Initial mixing

   In the mixer bowl, pour the flour, white sugar, salt, cinnamon, and orange zest. Add the eggs, the milk-yeast mixture, and the orange blossom water.

3. Kneading and developing

   Knead at medium speed. When the dough becomes elastic, incorporate the softened butter piece by piece. The dough should pull away cleanly from the sides and be smooth.

4. First proofing

   Cover with a cloth. Let it rise in a warm place until the dough doubles in volume. It should be soft to the touch.

5. Traditional shaping

   Degas the dough. Form smooth balls. Keep a little dough to shape bone-like cylinders to cross on top. Press firmly so they stick.

6. Second proofing

   Let the brioches rise on a baking sheet. They should look light and plump before baking.

7. Baking

   Bake at 180°C. Bake until the crust is golden brown. The brioche should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.

8. Sweet finish

   Upon removal from the oven, brush with melted butter. Generously sprinkle with white sugar for a crunchy finish.

Chef's tips

• The butter must be very soft (pommade) to incorporate without breaking the dough's structure.
• If the dough is too sticky at first, don't add flour; knead longer to develop the gluten.
• Respect the rising times; it is the secret to a stringy, shreddable crumb.

Storage

Store in a cloth bag or airtight container for 2-3 days. Freezes very well once cooled.