Dia De Los Muertos

multiple Spanish speaking countries (mostly Mexico and South American countries) celebrate what is called Dia De Los Muertos, the Day of the Dead. this is a day to remember and pray for their loved ones who have already passed from this world. they believe that one this day more than any other day of the year, they might be visited by lost loved ones. people decorate cemeteries and altars in their homes with the favorite foods and photos of the departed along with flowers and other decorations such as skulls made out of sugar. another common practice is the baking and eating of pan de muertos- dead bread. there are multiple varieties of this bread, some including rosewater and orange zest. the bread is consistently yeast based and usually sweet. i began the tradition of making pan de muertos after learning about dia de los muertos in high school spanish class. celebrations are somewhere from October 1st to November 2nd, coinciding with All Saints Day (and just conveniently located near Halloween).

here is what i am eating now, a vegan Pan De Muertos: you can find lots of recipe variations if you search for them.

3/4 cup lukewarm water
1 pkg active dry yeast
1 cup Smart Balance Light or other vegan margarine ( i just dont like earth balance for some reason), melted and cooled to room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
1 lb medium firm tofu, pureed until smooth
1 tsp salt
cinnamon or pumpkin pie seasoning to taste according to your preference (1 to 2 tbsp)
(people also sometimes use clove or 1tbsp orange zest)
up to 1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
up to 3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (or whatever ratio you like, i used mostly wheat)

to top it off:
1 tbsp soy milk
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Mix the yeast with the warm water and let sit for five minutes. Mix your flours together. Stir in the melted Smart Balance, the pureed tofu, the sugar, the spices of your choice, the salt and 1 1/2 cups of the flour. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough forms a sticky ball. Turn this onto a lightly floured board and knead for about 10 minutes, adding more flour if needed to prevent sticking. Place in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a clean cloth. Allow to rise in a warm spot until it has doubled in size — about 90 minutes.

Punch dough down and knead a couple of times. Get creative. Some loaves are braided and made into a circle with two little dough "bones" places on top. Some loaves are simple round loaves with bones crossing them. Do whatever you like. Let these loaves rise for 45 minutes and preheat your oven to 375 F, brush the loaves with the 1 tbsp of soy milk and bake for 30-40 minutes.

Remove the loaves from the oven, brush with a little extra melted Smart Balance, and sprinkle the top with a bit more brown sugar and cinnamon.
Tastes just like the egg laden version. I promise. Omni approved and everything. :)


Feliz Dia De Los Muertos.