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Perfect Pan de Muerto with Orange Blossom Glaze

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This deeply fragrant and incredibly soft Mexican bread for Día de Muertos features a double dose of orange flavor with a floral, sweet orange blossom glaze. It’s a soul-soothing, visually stunning bake that’s surprisingly manageable to make at home.

Ingredients

  • For the Tangzhong Starter: 3 tablespoons (24g) bread flour
  • For the Tangzhong Starter: 1/2 cup (120ml) whole milk
  • For the Dough: 2 1/2 cups (320g) bread flour, plus more for dusting
  • For the Dough: 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • For the Dough: 2 1/4 teaspoons (7g) active dry yeast
  • For the Dough: 1 teaspoon (6g) fine sea salt
  • For the Dough: 1 teaspoon (2g) anise seed, lightly crushed
  • For the Dough: 1 tablespoon (6g) orange zest
  • For the Dough: 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • For the Dough: 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
  • For the Dough: 1/4 cup (60g) unsalted butter, very soft
  • For the Dough: 1/4 cup (60ml) warm water (about 105-110°F)
  • For the Orange Blossom Glaze: 1 1/2 cups (180g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • For the Orange Blossom Glaze: 2-3 tablespoons (30-45ml) orange juice, freshly squeezed
  • For the Orange Blossom Glaze: 1 tablespoon (15ml) orange blossom water
  • For the Orange Blossom Glaze: 1 tablespoon (15g) unsalted butter, melted
  • For the Orange Blossom Glaze: Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Make the Tangzhong (10 minutes): In a small saucepan, whisk together the 3 tablespoons of bread flour and 1/2 cup of milk. Place over medium heat and whisk constantly. Within 2-3 minutes, it will thicken into a paste that looks like thick pudding. Remove from heat and let it cool completely. You can speed this up by spreading it on a plate.
  2. Activate the Yeast (5 minutes): In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the warm water, 1 teaspoon of the sugar, and the yeast. Stir gently and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it’s foamy and smells like bread. If it doesn’t foam, your yeast is dead. Start over.
  3. Mix the Dough (10 minutes): To the foamy yeast, add the remaining sugar, the salt, crushed anise seed, orange zest, the two whole eggs, the egg yolk, the cooled tangzhong paste, and about half of the bread flour. Mix on low with the dough hook until combined. Add the rest of the flour and mix on low for 2 minutes. The dough will look shaggy and dry. That’s okay.
  4. Incorporate the Butter (5 minutes): With the mixer running on low, add the very soft butter one tablespoon at a time. It will look like a greasy mess for a minute. Don’t panic. Scrape the bowl down and turn the mixer to medium-low. Knead for 6-8 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. It will still be a little tacky, that’s perfect.
  5. First Rise (1 to 1.5 hours): Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly greased bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size. I put mine in the microwave with a cup of hot water.
  6. Shape the Loaf (15 minutes): Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently punch it down. Cut off a piece of dough about the size of a large egg (about 100g) and set it aside. Shape the main piece into a smooth, tight ball. Place it on your prepared baking sheet. Now, for the decorations: divide the reserved dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope, about 6 inches long. Place two ropes across the top of the ball to form a cross. Place the other two ropes around the…
  7. Second Rise (45 minutes to 1 hour): Cover the shaped loaf loosely with a clean kitchen towel. Let it rise again until it’s puffy and almost doubled. It should look like a fat, happy cloud.
  8. Bake (25-30 minutes): Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the bread for 25-30 minutes, or until it’s a deep golden brown and sounds hollow when you tap the bottom. If it’s browning too fast, tent it loosely with foil after 15 minutes.
  9. Make the Glaze (5 minutes): While the bread bakes, whisk together the sifted powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of orange juice, the orange blossom water, melted butter, and a pinch of salt. Whisk until smooth. Add the last tablespoon of orange juice only if needed to reach a thick, pourable consistency.
  10. Glaze & Cool: Let the bread cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a cooling rack. While it’s still warm (but not hot), generously brush or drizzle the glaze over the top. Let it set for at least 20 minutes before slicing. The glaze will harden to a beautiful, glossy finish.

Notes

Don’t skip the tangzhong – it’s the secret to bread that stays soft for days. Temperature is everything: butter must be soft, eggs room temperature, and milk scalded but not boiling. Don’t over-flour your surface; this is a sticky dough by nature. Trust visual cues over times. The bread is best enjoyed the day it’s made. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Do not refrigerate. Freeze unglazed bread for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: Pan de Muerto, Day of the Dead bread, orange blossom, Mexican bread, anise bread, Día de Muertos, enriched dough, tangzhong, fall baking

Find it online: https://cookluma.com/perfect-pan-de-muerto-with-orange-blossom-glaze/