This gluten free Mexican bread is sweet and buttery similar to brioche and panettone (a buttery Italian sweet bread). Bread of the dead is a tradition in Mexico during the Halloween season. Learn more about their tradition and how to make gluten free Mexican bread of the dead. Check out the texture of this bread in the video, too!
History of Bread of the Dead
As tradition goes in Mexico, to honor dead souls, one would bake bread decorated with bone-shaped dough. They would build an altar and place the bread as an offering. The following day, they would eat the bread. This is just one tradition. There are many. They celebrate three days, similar to Christians. You can learn more about the Christian All Saint Eve/Halloween, All Saints’ Day, and All Souls’ Day traditions through Allhallowtide. Learn about The Day of the Dead.
I Do Not Like Anise and Black Licorice Flavors
Don’t worry. One, you don’t have to add anise seed. Two, the anise flavoring is super light and is complemented and balanced out by the bread’s sweetness and orange flavor. I am not fond of black licorice or anise, but this bread is delicious to me.
I Love Orange and Anise Flavors
Wonderful! Whichever flavors you enjoy, consider adding 1/4 teaspoon of each in an extract form. Orange and anise extracts provide a more flavorful bread.
Gluten free Mexican bread is sweet and buttery just like brioche. Add some crossbones and you've got yourself a delicious Halloween treat!
Scoop the dough into an oiled bowl, cover with a tea towel, and allow to rise 1 hour or until double in size, in a warm environment. (I preheated my oven to 170ºF and turned it off.) (Note that the photo shows the bread at the 2 cup mark.)
While the dough is rising, oil an 8-inch spring-form pan; set aside. (My pan actually measured 7-1/2-inches.) (Note that once risen, the photo shows the bread now at the 4 cup mark.)
Remove about 1/3 cup of risen dough, divide into 2 pieces, and set aside. (You'll use these to make the crossbones for the top of the bread.) Freeze the dough 5 minutes or until easily moldable.
Mold the chilled dough into two bone-shaped pieces, narrow in the middle. Place on top of the round dough in the pan to form crossbones.
Set the pan in a warm oven that has been turned off for 40 minutes or until double in size.
Bake the bread for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes of baking, tent the top of your bread with foil to prevent over-browning. (To help prevent aluminum from seeping into your bread, feel free to add a sheet of parchment paper between the bread and the foil.
Set a timer for another 10 minutes. After 10 minutes more of baking, test the bread for doneness. If it doesn't spring back or feel set/baked, bake up to an additional 10 minutes, testing every 5 minutes.
Remove the bread from the oven and baste with additional egg white. Sprinkle the top with coarsely ground sugar and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the bread springs back when lightly touched.
Best if served warm, as it melts the butter iniside which makes the texture nice and soft.
*Scant = a little less than
Variation:
Instead of topping the bread with sugar, you may serve it with an orange glaze.
To Make the Orange Glaze: Combine 2/3 cup confectioner's sugar, 1/4 cup melted and slightly cooled unsalted butter or margarine, and 1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice until creamy. Use as a sauce for your bread. If the glaze sets, stir in additional juice as needed.
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