'Bread of the dead' just got healthier
| • | Specialty mushrooms |
By Elaine Magee
I learned about the "bread of the dead" in Spanish class and I would like to make this at home for my family this Halloween. Is there anything I can do to make it healthier? We try not to eat white bread anymore.
We can attack this "bread of the dead" from a few different nutritional directions. We want to increase the fiber while decreasing the fat and switching to smarter fats, and then decreasing the sugar, which will also help bring down the calories. The orange glaze that gets brushed on the rolls while warm from the oven can also be trimmed in sugar by a tablespoon. All of this reduces the calories by 15 percent and the fat by 25 percent, saturated fat by 73 percent and the fiber has been tripled.
These orange-glazed wheat rolls are used to celebrate Mexico's Day of the Dead, so this bread is often shaped into skulls or round loaves with strips of dough rolled out and attached to resemble bones. If you don't want to use egg or egg substitute, delete it and add in 3 tablespoons more fat-free half-and-half or low-fat milk.
The original recipe contains 242 calories, 7 grams fat, 3.8 grams saturated fat, 63 milligrams cholesterol and only 1 gram fiber per roll.
PAN DE MUERTO (BREAD OF THE DEAD)
For bread:
Glaze:
In a nonstick saucepan over medium heat, heat the canola oil and milk until just warm to the touch.
Add the milk mixture to the bread machine pan and pour in the beaten egg, egg substitute and sugar. Then pour in the flours and add the salt to one corner of the bread machine pan. Make a well in the center where the flours are and pour in the yeast.
Set the bread machine to dough cycle and press start. After 1 hour and 40 minutes, the dough will be ready. Remove it from the pan and shape it into about 9 round rolls and place them evenly on a cookie sheet. Cover with a dishcloth and let them rise in a warm place in your kitchen for about 1 hour.
Meanwhile about 10 minutes before they are ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake until lightly brown and cooked throughout (about 25 minutes).
While the rolls are baking (or any time before), in a small nonstick saucepan, combine glaze ingredients and bring to a boil over medium heat for 2 minutes. Brush glaze evenly over rolls with a pastry or silicone brush.
Makes about 9 servings.
Elaine Magee is a registered dietitian. Learn more at www.recipedoctor.com.
