Día de los Muertos Classic Recipes:

Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a Mexican holiday in which families celebrate the lives of their loved ones who have passed. It is often a joyous event with family, music and food. Glorious food. Some of the dishes people prepare are the favorite meals of the deceased, and others are simply traditional. If you are feeling a bit courageous, try some of these delicious recipes for your own Day of the Dead celebration! 

Pan de muerto     

Pan de muerto is a sweet bread adorned with a bone design that is traditional for many Dia de los Muertos celebrations.    

Start to finish: 2-3 hours

Servings: 6-10

Starter:

1 ¾ cup flour
⅔ teaspoon table salt
2 tablespoons sugar
Two 7-gram packets dry yeast
½ cup lukewarm water
2 eggs
⅔ cup white sugar
¾ cup unsalted butter
1 ¾ cups flour
3 egg yolks
Wash:
3 egg whites
2 tablespoons orange juice
¼ teaspoon Mexican vanilla
1 tablespoon oragne zest
Decoration:
Softened butter
White sugar 

To make the starter culture, mix the flour, salt, sugar and yeast together in a mixer or beat by hand. Add water and eggs. Knead for about 3 minutes until dough is elastic and shiny. On a floured table, shape into a ball and place in greased container. Cover and let rise approximately 2 hours. 

To make the bread, mix starter with remaining bread ingredients. On a floured table, divide the dough into two equal portions (for two loaves). Work one half of the dough at a time. Separate each half into three sections. Use one third to make four smaller pieces of equal size for the decorations. Form one of the four smallest pieces into a small ball for the center at the top and the others into strips to make the “bones.”  Form the larger portion into a ball as round as possible. Place all pieces on a baking sheet and let rest until they rise to double the size, approximately 1 hour. Brush large ball with eggwash and place small ball on top and the strips vertically around the loaf. Firm up with both hands. Brush the bread again with eggwash. Bake at 375 degrees for 5 minutes, then lower the temperature to 355 degrees. Turn off the oven and leave the bread inside for 2 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on a rack.

To decorate, use a pastry brush to paint the loaf with softened or melted butter and sprinkle with white sugar. Makes 2 medium loaves. 

(Recipe by Renata Gonzales)

Arroz con leche

Arroz con leche is a sweet rice pudding and very common as a dessert. 

Start to finish: 35-40 minutes
Servings: 4-5
4 cups whole milk
1 cup Arborio rice
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 cinnamon stick
¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Warm 4 cups of whole milk. Heat 1 cup Arborio rice with 2 cups of water, ⅛ teaspoon salt and 1 cinnamon stick. Slowly add milk (about ½ cup at a time) to the simmering rice, stirring constantly. Let most of it absorb before adding the next portion. Finally, add ¼ cup sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Stop heating when the pudding is still very soupy—about 20 minutes or so. Sprinkle with cinnamon and enjoy!

(Recipe from Julia Alverez)

Champurrado

Champurrado is a warm, thick chocolate-based atole drink.
Start to finish: 30 min (including cooling)
Servings: 4-5
4 cups of milk
6 ounces Piloncillo or organic whole cane sugar
1 thick stick of Mexican cinnamon
1 ½ (3 ½ ounces) Tablet Mexican Chocolate like Taza
½ cup of corn flour
2 cups of water

In a medium size pot, simmer the milk along with the piloncillo, cinnamon and chocolate until it dissolves. This will take about 6-8 minutes.

Mix the corn flour with the 2 cups of water until all the lumps have dissolved. If needed, use a strainer to get a fine mixture.

Add the corn flour mixture to the pot and stir. Keep simmering at low heat and keep stirring for about 8-10 more minutes until the chocolate has a light gravy consistency.

Warning: Since this is a slightly thick drink, it is hotter that you may think. Be careful while serving and drinking.

Serve and enjoy!

(Recipe by Mely Martinez from the cooking website Mexico in my Kitchen)

NOTES:

The Champurrado’s consistency is like that of a light gravy. If you want a lighter version, reduce the amount of corn flour to ⅓ cup.

If fresh corn masa is available in your area use 1 cup of masa instead of the corn flour.
Piloncillo or Panela is unrefined whole cane sugar.

When buying Piloncillo or Panela, make sure it is pure. Some stores carry a look alike version that is just regular sugar in the form of a cone and doesn’t have the flavor or nutrients of Piloncillo.

To easily cut the Piloncillo, warm the Piloncillo first to soften it.

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