Day of the Dead food reflects tastes of the deceased

BY NICOLE MARSHALL MIDDLETON World Scene Writer
Sunday, October 28, 2012
10/28/12 at 5:19 AM

Remembering family members who have died is the theme of the Mexican holiday Día de los Muertos - the Day of the Dead. So it seems fitting that food for the celebration reflects the tastes of deceased loved ones.

Mario Garcia of Pasteleria Mexicana, 7942 E 21st St., explained that the holiday is the time that his culture sets aside to remember all of their family members, not just the individuals who have died.

"We remember their favorite foods on this special occasion. We make the favorite foods of our family members as if they were around to share them," Garcia said.

At his family's bakery, they offer Pan de Muertos, Bread of the Dead. The bread loaves typically have pieces of dough on top formed to look like bones or skulls. The bread Garcia sells has flavorings such as cinnamon, orange juice and guava fruit.

"The bread is made to be able to spend time with our family members and enjoy that time celebrating all of the family members who have died," Garcia said.

Pasteleria Mexicana also makes many cakes that customers order to honor their relatives who have passed. He said the cakes can be decorated with skulls, flowers and even the names of the deceased.

Here is a recipe for Pan de Muertos, as well as a recipe for churros.

PAN DE MUERTOS

½ cup granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling

½ teaspoon fine salt

1 teaspoon anise seed

½ ounce (2 packets) active dry yeast

½ cup whole milk

½ cup water

8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick)

4 large eggs

4½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the work surface

Vegetable oil, for oiling the bowl

1 egg yolk beaten with 2 teaspoons water

1. Combine the sugar, salt, anise seed and yeast in a small mixing bowl. Heat the milk, water and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until the butter is just melted; do not allow it to boil. Add the milk mixture to the dry mixture and beat well with a wire whisk.

2. Stir in the eggs and 1½ cups of the flour and beat well. Add the remaining flour, little by little, stirring well with a spoon until the dough comes together.

3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured wooden board and knead it until it’s smooth, elastic and no longer sticky, about 9 to 10 minutes. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and allow the dough to rise in a warm area until it has doubled in size, about 1½ hours.

4. Heat the oven to 350 and arrange a rack in the middle. Punch down the dough and divide it into 2 pieces. Cut 3 small (about 1-ounce) balls from each half and mold them into skull-and-bones shapes. Shape the large pieces of dough into round loaves and place the skulland- bones on top. Place the breads on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and let them rise another hour.

5. Brush the loaves with the egg yolk mixture and bake. Halfway through baking, about 20 minutes, remove the loaves from the oven and brush again with the egg wash and sprinkle lightly with granulated sugar. Return to the oven and bake until the loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped, about another 20 minutes.

— adapted from Chow.com ORANGE-KISSED CHURROS WITH “HOT” CHOCOLATE SAUCE

1 large navel orange

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 large eggs

Canola oil, for frying

4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

3 tablespoons each water and sugar

1½ tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

Cinnamon Sugar

1 cup sugar plus ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, mixed

1. Line 2 or 3 large baking sheets with wax paper; dust liberally with flour. Grate zest from orange and reserve. Juice the orange and pour into 1-cup measure; add water so juice measures 1 cup. Bring orange juice mixture, zest, butter and salt to a rolling boil over high heat in 2-quart saucepan; stir in flour all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon over low heat until mixture pulls away from sides of pan and forms a ball, about 1 minute; remove from heat.

2. Transfer mixture to large bowl of stand mixer. With mixer on medium speed, add eggs, one at a time, beating until a smooth paste forms. Spoon mixture into pastry bag; pipe twenty-eight 4-inch strips onto baking sheets. Let air-dry 30 minutes. Carefully loosen each churro with floured fingers to make sure bottoms aren’t sticking to paper.

3. Place chocolate, water and sugar in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, until melted and smooth, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in butter, vanilla and cayenne, if desired. Keep warm.

4. Fill a deep 10-inch skillet with 1 inch oil. Heat oil to 350 degrees. With floured fingers, lift churros by the rounded tops and drop into oil (6 at a time). Fry until golden, turning, about 1½ minutes on each side. Lift with slotted spoon; drain on paper towels.

5. Place cinnamon sugar in a medium bowl. Toss warm churros in cinnamon sugar to coat. Serve with dipping sauce.

— adapted from Woman’s Day

Nicole Marshall Middleton 918-581-8459
nicole.marshall@tulsaworld.com

Associated Images:

Day of the Dead bread loaves typically have pieces of dough on top formed to resemble bones or skulls. Tulsa World file