A traditional Mexican sweet bread, Pan de Muerto, often enjoyed during Day of the Dead. This version can be stuffed with dulce de leche, Nutella, chocolate, or jam, though it's traditionally plain. An alternative is brushing it with egg wash and topping with sesame seeds before baking.
In a container, mix all the ingredients for the sponge (active dry yeast, 1 tbsp white sugar, 1 tbsp all-purpose flour, 1/3 cup warm milk) and mix until the yeast dissolves; cover with plastic and let it double in size. In a bowl, mix all the ingredients for the bread (4 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup white sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp ground star anise, 1 tbsp orange zest, 1 stick soft margarine, 1 tbsp vegetable oil, 3 eggs) and add the yeast mixture. Knead it until it is not sticky; this might take up to 20 minutes. If you have a tiny mixer, use it; otherwise, kneading by hand will yield a very fluffy dough. Separate the dough into 5 equal parts. Round up 4 of them; press each ball, spread Dulce de leche or any other desired filling, seal it, fold it, and round up again. Skip the filling if you prefer. Cut the 5th part into 4 pieces and roll each into a long strip. Cut a little piece off, then cut the strip into 2 smaller strips; roll each small strip with 3 fingers to form the 'bones'. Place these 'bones' crosswise on top of the rounded bread pieces and press. Then, make a ball with the little piece you cut off earlier and place it on the top center. Place the formed breads on a sheet pan with parchment, cover them with plastic, and let them rise until about half of their size. Uncover and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 15-18 minutes. Brush each baked bread with melted butter and coat with white sugar.
