Directions

1. Step 1

   Activate the yeast by combining yeast with warm milk and about half the sugar.

2. Step 2

   In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the sorghum flour, cornstarch, tapioca starch, psyllium husk, and salt. (You can also mix this dough by hand in a large bowl.)

3. Step 3

   Once the yeast mixture has grown in size and looks bubbly, add it to the flour bowl with the eggs and anise extract.

4. Step 4

   Once hydrated, add diced, softened butter and orange zest. Paddle to combine and finish with the xanthan gum with speed off. Mix on low speed so the xanthan gum stays in the mixing bowl. The xanthan will help the dough change textures from a runny batter to a soft dough.

5. Step 5

   Knead the dough for 10 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowls periodically to ensure an even mixture.

6. Step 6

   Dust a clean surface with additional sorghum flour. Scrape the dough out of the bowl with a plastic bowl scraper. Sprinkle the dough with more flour and portion using a bowl scraper or a metal bench scraper. Cut off a quarter of the dough and then cut off about 1 Tbsp of dough from that smaller piece, that will be the “head” in the middle. Shape this into a very small ball. With the medium sized piece of dough, cut that in half to make two logs that will become the “bones” of the Pan de Muerto.

7. Step 7

   With floured hands, shape the larger piece of dough into a large ball. Place the ball of dough on a parchment paper lined baking sheet in the center. Flatten the dough ball out to about 1 inch tall. The round should be about 6”x6”.

8. Step 8

   Shape the two logs of dough into “bone” shapes using well floured fingers. The dough will be very sticky! If it is too soft to work with, you can chill the dough in the fridge for about 10 minutes. The high hydration of the dough is important for a tender crumb in gluten-free breads! Run the log of dough in between your fingers until it looks like a necklace with beads. Brush a bit of water into a cross on the top of the dough round. Place the bones over the crossed lines so it will adhere to the large dough round. Add a bit more water to the center of the cross, with a small indent in the middle and place the small “head” in the center.

9. Step 9

   Wrap the sheet tray in plastic wrap and place on top of the oven to rise for 1-2.5 hours, or until it has doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 300°F

10. Step 10

    Bake the Pan de Muerto for 10 minutes, rotate the tray, and bake for another 10 minutes. Cover the tray with aluminum foil and continue baking for 5-10 more minutes. The foil tent will help to prevent over-browning and will allow the center to fully rise and bake through.

11. Step 11

    Once fully baked, remove from the oven allow to cool for 5-10 minutes.

12. Step 12

    Melt the additional butter and brush the baked Pan de Muerto with the melted butter. While the butter is still wet, dip or sprinkle the bread with sugar to fully cover the exterior. Transfer the bread to a wire rack to cool fully, so that the bread can finish baking in the center. This is called carryover cooking!

13. Step 13

    Enjoy your Pan de Muerto with loved ones and place on your ofrenda for Día de los Muertos!