pan de muertos (mexican bread of the dead)

Ingredients

• Servings: 1
• 1/4 cup margarine
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees f/45 degrees c)
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons anise seed
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 teaspoons orange zest
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Recipe

• heat the milk and the butter together in a medium saucepan, until the butter melts. remove from the heat and add them warm water. the mixture should be around 110 degrees f (43 degrees c).
• in a large bowl combine 1 cup of the flour, yeast, salt, anise seed and 1/4 cup of the sugar. beat in the warm milk mixture then add the eggs and orange zest and beat until well combined. stir in 1/2 cup of flour and continue adding more flour until the dough is soft.
• turn the dough out a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic.
• place the dough into a lightly greased bowl cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size. this will take about 1 to 2 hours. punch the dough down and shape it into a large round loaf with a round knob on top. place dough a baking sheet, loosely cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until just about doubled in size.
• bake in a preheated 350 degrees f (175 degrees c) oven for about 35 to 45 minutes. remove from oven let cool slightly then brush with glaze.
• to make glaze: in a small saucepan combine the 1/4 cup sugar, orange juice and orange zest. bring to a boil over medium heat and boil for 2 minutes. brush over top of bread while still warm. sprinkle glazed bread with sugar.