• Bloom your yeast: in a medium glass bowl, add the milk, water and yeast. Whisk to combine, and allow it to activate in a warm spot in your kitchen, about 5-10 minutes. (It will look foamy.)
• Whisk in ½ cup of flour. Allow this to rest uncovered until it doubles in size, about 25 minutes.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar, on medium speed, until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• Beat in the eggs one at a time, one medium speed, until fully incorporated, about 1 minute.
• Once fully mixed, change out the attachment for the dough hook and add your yeast mixture. Mix on medium speed until fully mixed, about 2 minutes.
• Begin adding the flour incrementally, about ½ cup at a time, and mixing on low speed, scraping down the sides as needed. Mix until the dough begins to pull away from the sides. It may remain a little tacky. This process takes about 5 minutes.
• Add the zest, anise seed and salt and continue to mix with the dough hook for about 5 minutes, or until the dough is less tacky and comes off the sides of the bowl easily.
• Place the dough on a clean surface and knead by hand long enough to shape into a ball.
• Grease a large mixing bowl and place the dough in the bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and allow it to double in size in a warm place, about 1 ½ – 2 hours.
• Gently punch down the dough in the bowl and flip it out onto a clean surface.
• Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces.
• Take one ball of dough a cut off 3 smaller pieces. (These should be about tablespoon sized pieces, or ½ ounce pieces.) These will be used for the bones. Roll the large piece of dough into a tight ball. Place on baking sheet.
• Roll the smaller pieces into balls. Take two of those small balls and roll them into long finger-like pieces.
• Lightly brush the bread with water and place the two long bone pieces over the ball of dough in an “X” shape.
• Use your finger to poke down the spot where the “X” meets and place the remaining small dough ball on top.
• Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot, about 45 minutes. Repeat with remaining doughs to end up with 6 pan de muertos.
• Preheat your oven to 350° during the last 15 minutes of proofing.
• Bake until golden brown, about 25-30 minutes. (You can cover with foil if they begin to get too brown.) Let cool completely.

For the Topping:

• Melt butter (stove top or microwave) and let cool.

• Brush melted butter over the pan de muertos.
• Sprinkle the bread with sugar.