Lisa’s Pan de Huevo or Egg Bread from Panama

Pan de huevo or egg bread was her all-time favorite, remembers Lisa Kear, one of our favorite Panamanian homecooks. Though she now lives in Knoxville, Tennessee, Lisa fondly remembers the fresh breads that were sold in the coastal streets of Colon, Panama, where she grew up. The type of pan she loved the most is this challah (also known as pan de huevo or egg bread), a favorite festive food on the Christmas and New Year’s table in Panama.

Although Lisa isn’t exactly sure why and how this traditionally Jewish bread became a popular Christmas item (she theorizes the large Jewish population in Panama could be one reason), she is very glad it has become part of her homeland’s Panamanian Christmas tradition. First, because it’s delicioso, she says, and second: “the bread has a beautiful yellow coloring and rich flavor as a result of all of the egg yolks in it.”

What makes this recipe so extra special is that it is entirely Lisa’s—she put it together after years of experimenting, with the goal of creating the softest texture possible and most flavor.

To take pan de huevo bread to the next level, Lisa recommends using your own sourdough starter. The starter she made for this year’s pan de huevo is from the fermented juice of cherries that she grows in her backyard. After baking fresh bread for so many years, Lisa can now taste the difference between bread baked with dry yeast and bread baked with a live culture of yeast.

Though this pan de huevo may take a bit more time and effort than other bread recipes (especially if you are kneading the dough by hand), it is entirely worth it, says Lisa. She recommends using any leftover dough for rolls, buns, or any other shape bread. A freshly baked loaf of pan de huevo is also perfect for making sandwiches with holiday leftovers, especially the family-famous Christmas ham recipe she makes every year from her Panamanian father’s own recipe.

If you’re looking for more festive, authentic Latino Christmas recipes, check out our roundup of Familia Kitchen homecook’s favorite holiday recipes for inspiration!

Ready to Bake Lisa’s Pan de Huevo for the Holidays?

Lisa’s Pan de Huevo or Egg Bread from Panama

Recipe by Lisa Kear

4.4 from 5 votes

Cuisine: Panamanian

Servings

5 to 8

servings

Prep time

35

minutes

Cooking time

18

minutes

Resting time

2 to 3

hours

Ingredients

• 1 tsp active yeast

• 1/4 cup water, warmed to 80° F

• 1/2 cup whole milk, warmed to 80° F

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 1 egg

• 2 cups bread flour

• 1 tsp salt

• 2 Tbsp butter, softened

• 2 Tbsp butter, melted

Directions

• Dissolve the yeast in warm water for 10 minutes in a mixing bowl.
• Add warm milk, sugar, egg and flour to the bowl and then knead for 2 minutes.
• Once a dough starts to form, add the salt.
• Knead until blended, then add the butter, in pieces, into the dough.
• Knead for another 10 to 20 minutes, or until dough can be stretched gently without breaking.
• Shape the dough into a ball and place in a plastic container with a fitted lid or cover tightly with plastic wrap.
• Store the covered dough a warm area until it doubles in size.
• Once the dough has doubled, deflate it by softly punching it. Then gently remove the dough from container.
• Divide the dough in 3 equal pieces
• Gently roll out each piece into a 10- to 12-inch log.
• Braid together all three pieces (the braided loaf can also be rolled into a crown shape).
• Set the shaped dough on a baking sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
• Place the baking sheet inside an non-preheated oven and let it rise until the dough doubles again.
• Remove the baking sheet out from the oven, and then preheat the oven to 350°.
• Bake for 18 to 24 minutes until golden. The seams of the braids should start to pull apart.
• Remove the pan from the oven and set the pan on a cooling rack. Then gently brush all over with melted butter.
• Let the bread cool for 2 minutes. Then gently remove it from then pan and set it directly on a cooling rack to completely cool. It’s ready to serve!

Notes

• The total resting and baking time can change, depending on temperature, since the dough will rise faster in warmer climates.