Mexican Orange Chocolate Pull- Apart Buns

This recipe uses the Pan de Muerto bread base we’ve been making for years. It’s a solid recipe, and we started making them because when my youngest was little, she had an egg allergy. Instead of skipping any kind of tradition because of her allergies, we decided to start making egg- free baked goods at home.

Though she is no longer allergic to eggs (thank goodness!), this recipe remains beloved in our house. This year, we made forty loaves just for the Dia de los Muertos season alone since we were invited to present at my daughter’s school.

For the holiday season, I decided to stuff it with a white chocolate ganache which complements these orange scented pillows like pure bliss. I took a bit of inspiration from a few experiences I’ve had: The flavor is a trip to Lavaloha, a cocoa farm we visited in the Big Island last summer where they sold white chocolate bars studded with cocoa nibs perfumed with a hint of orange oil. The shape is from a distant memory of Terry’s Orange Chocolates which only show up on the shelves of your local stores around the holidays. When I was a kid, every year, I looked forward to buying a box, and smacking it on our counter to release the slices to share. Though Pan de Muertos is typically sold as individual large buns, I decided to shape ours in a pull- apart style, reminiscent of Terry’s. Just don’t smack them on your counter!

Though the recipe below is not plant- based, you can find the original version here.

Mexican Orange Chocolate Pull- Apart Buns

Serves:6

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Inactive Time: ~2 hours, 45 minutes

Baking Time: 20 minutes

Cooling Time: 20- 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 4 hours

For the buns:

1 teaspoon active dry yeast

⅓ cup+ 2 tbsp cup milk, warmed to 85-95 degrees F

2 cups bread flour

¼ cup golden sugar*

½ teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon orange zest

1/8 cup orange juice

¼ cup+ 2 tbsp gold potato, cooked and mashed

1/4 cup melted butter

For the ganache filling:

1+ ¼ cup white chocolate chips

⅓ cup heavy whipping cream

For the glaze:

2 tbsp milk

1 tbsp maple syrup

Confectioner’s sugar for dusting

Instructions:

In a bowl, add yeast to warmed milk. Set aside to bloom, 10-15 minutes.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, orange zest.

Add orange juice, mashed potato and melted butter to yeast mixture. If necessary, use an immersion blender or food processor.

In a stand mixer attached with a dough hook, add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix, about 15 minutes.

Cover bowl with plastic wrap or a towel and let rise until doubled in size.

In the meantime, prepare the ganache by microwaving white chocolate chips in 30 second increments until soft. Add heavy cream and microwave again for another 30 seconds. Remove from microwave, and mix with a spatula until thoroughly incorporated. Allow to cool, and scoop into an icing bag fitted with a large tip. I prefer to use a sandwich bag, so I can just cut the corner when I’m ready to fill the dough. Refrigerate until ready to fill your dough.

When dough has doubled in size, punch in the middle, then divide into six equal pieces and roll into balls.

Flatten dough with a rolling pin into a circle, squeeze white chocolate ganache in the middle and fold the edges of the dough over the filling, pinching tightly so they stick together.

Flip the balls of dough and arrange on a greased or lined springform pan, so they are not touching.

Allow to rise a second time, about 30-45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine ingredients for glaze. Brush the top of the rolls with the glaze.

Bake in the center rack of the oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown and shiny. Release the sidewall of your springform pan and allow to cool.

Dust with confectioner’s sugar just before serving.