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Pan dulce (lit. "sweet bread") is one of the poster treats in Mexico and other Latin American countries. One of the first non-native foods that was introduced to Mexico by Spain was wheat, a Spanish religious necessity. The creation of the sweet bread was influenced by the French and Spaniards whom where the ones that introduced delicious baked goods such as crispy rolls, baguettes, and sweet pastries to Mexico. This ensued the creativity to create different types of pan dulces such as besos, conchas, and cuernos amongst others. The bread is considered to be one of Mexico's most inexpensive treats and is consumed daily as breakfast or late supper-- known as merienda.

Some of the Different Types of Pan Dulces
The creative contribution of the French baked goods to Mexico peaked in the early 19th Century when Porfirio Diaz dictated. Skilled Mexican bakers adopted French techniques to create new bread designs with colorful names. Today, having Mexican baking be one of the most inventive in the world, it is estimated that there are between 500 and 2,000 types of breads being produced in Mexico. Among these include:


 * Besos (kisses)
 * Campechanas
 * Conchas (shells)
 * Cuernos (horns)
 * Empanada (turnovers)
 * Marranitos/Cochinitos/Puerquitos (little pigs)
 * Molletes (cheeks)
 * Orejas (ears)
 * Piedras (rocks or stones)
 * Polvorones (wedding cookies)
 * Yoyos (Yo-Yos)

Besos (Kisses)
Besos (Kisses) are Mexican sweet bread that is very popular on Valentines Day. It is made by creating to round domes on the top with a drop filling of jam in the middle.

Campechanas
Campechanas are rectangular glazed Mexican pastries very common for pan dulces.

Conchas (Shells)
Conchas (Shells) are a Mexican pastry that is famous for its shape of a shell. The pastry contains a sugar shell pattern on the top. This is one of the most famous mexican pastries recognized in the United States.It is also referred to as "pan de huevo".

Cuernos (Horns)
Cuernos (Horns) are a Mexican pastry that is famous for its shape of horns. This pastry has garnered many comparisons to the french croissant.

Empanadas (Turnovers)
Empanadas (Turnovers) are a pastry more served in the Cuban and South American but has been related to Mexican cuisine. It is a pastry that is filled with meat or other toppings such as cheese or vegetables of different sorts.

Marranitos/Cochinitos/Puerquitos (little pigs)
Marranitos/Cochinitos/Puerquitos (little pigs) are pastries from South American that are a translation for little pigs. The bread is has been said to be called "gingerbread pig" because the finished result looks like gingerbread. However, ginger isn't actually used to make the pastry.

Molletes (cheeks)
Molletes (cheeks) was a round bread that was made in Spain before coming to Mexico. There is was transformed into what is known now as a "bolillo". It is opened up to make different types of sandwiches.

Orejas (Ears)
Orejas(Ears) is a flaky and sweetened Mexican pastry that is shaped like a ear and is very common at bakeries.

Piedras (rocks or stones)
Piedras (rocks or stones) is a pastry made of old bread and is know to be hard like a rock. Many people eat this with very hot drinks.

Polvorones (wedding cookies)
Polvorones (wedding cookies) is a pastry famous at weddings that has a lot of shortening on top.

Yoyos (Yo-Yos)
Yoyos (Yo-Yos) are a Mexican pastry named after the yoyo toy and is shaped exactly like it but does not have the string. It has a filling and usually is consisted of raspberry jam.

Special Breads
With the invention of Pan Dulce in Mexico, other significant breads were produced to celebrate special occasions and traditions such as Rosca de reyes and Pan de muerto. These special breads are part of the traditional customs that have been around for centuries. The stories behind these special occasional breads derive from religious beliefs, the dominant being Roman Catholic.

Rosca De Reyes
Rosca de Reyes (King's Cake) is a treat in addition to the gift giving of the Three Kings Day, Dia de los Reyes Magos which is held twelve days after the birth of Jesus Christ, Christmas. This bread is symbolic in many ways, the most illustrative being its round shape which signifies the crown of the Reyes Magos, see Biblical Magi. Baked inside is a small white plastic figurine that is supposed to represent the baby Jesus. The reason for the hidden baby Jesus symbolizes the secrecy of the location of Jesus as a child. The ruler of Jerusalem, King Herod, learned about the birth of the rightful King of Jerusalem and ordered that all male infants be killed so that he could keep his crown. Whoever finds the small figurine is obligated to host a party for the celebration of the Dia de la Candelaria -- Fiesta de la Candelaria -- which occurs on February 2nd.

Pan De Muerto
Pan de Muerto, or Day of the Dead Bread, is a special bread that is consumed and offered as a part of the Dia del los Muertos celebration in October. As opposed to Halloween, Day of the Dead is lively and commemorates the dead. Up until recently, there were no scary costumes or trick-or-treaters in Mexico. Pan de muerto dates back to the conquest years as a replacement for the Aztec rituals of human sacrifice. As the Spaniards witnessed a heart being ripped out of a human and then bitten, they created bread in shapes of hearts with red coated sugar to avoid human sacrifices. Pan de muerto traces its roots back to the Aztec tradition of placing food as offerings on the tombs of the deceased. The food offerings sustained the spirits on their journey to their underworld. The bread takes many different shapes, from skulls to animals to crosses and mummies. The traditional Pan de muerto is shaped like a skull, round and has a little ball at the center top to represent a cranium. Following are the four bones to symbolize the four courses of the universe.

Cultural Significance
Pan dulce is considered to be a Mexican cuisine even though its origins are European. Other countries in Latin America and even Europe have adapted some of Mexico's pastries, but it is in Mexico that the creative new shapes originate. Today, pan dulce is seen in many parts of the United States, especially in places like California and Texas, as a result of migration.

MEXICO
In Mexico, pan dulce is a daily consumption for breakfast or late supper, merienda. The pan dulce is usually accompanied by hot chocolate, milk, or coffee and is dipped into the drink for better taste. Pan dulce is significant in Mexico because it is a cuisine that has been around since the colonization years when the Spaniards introduced wheat and the French brought crispy baguettes and rich pastries. Traditional local dishes were soon replaced with European cuisine that aroused Mexican's taste buds. In addition to its great taste, pan dulce is also inexpensive, an incentive for daily consumption.

USA
As migration occurred from Mexico to the United States, traditions, customs, and dishes also migrated. Pan dulce can be found in Mexican markets in many U.S. states including California, Texas, Arizona, Georgia, New Mexico, etc. Though pan dulce may not be consumed as frequently, it is a pastry that is a common consumption in Latin American homes.