El Pan De Muerto - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
5 - 5 1/2 cups flour
2 (1/4 ounce) packages dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon whole anise seed
1/2 cup sugar
4 eggs
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons grated orange zest

Preparation

In a saucepan over medium flame, heat the butter, milk and water until very warm but not boiling.
Meanwhile, measure out 1-1/2 cups flour and set the rest aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the 1-1/2 cups flour, yeast, salt, anise seed and sugar.
Beat in the warm liquid until well combined.
Add the eggs and beat in another 1 cup of flour.
Continue adding more flour until dough is soft but not sticky.
Knead on lightly floured board for ten minutes until smooth and elastic.
Lightly grease a bowl and place dough in it, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1-1/2 hours.
Punch the dough down and shape into loaves resembling skulls, skeletons or round loaves with\"bones\" placed ornamentally around the top.
Let these loaves rise for 1 hour.
Bake in a preheated 350 F degree oven for 40 minutes.
Remove from oven and paint on glaze.
Glaze: Bring to a boil for 2 minutes, then apply to bread with a pastry brush.
If desired, sprinkle on colored sugar while glaze is still damp.