Pan dulce (sweet bread)

Pan dulce ( "sweet bread") is one of the poster treats in Mexico . One of the first non-native foods that was introduced to Mexico by Spain was wheat, a Spanish religious necessity. The creation of sweet bread was influenced by the French and Spaniards who were the ones that introduced baked goods such as crispy rolls, baguettes, and sweet pastries to Mexico. This inspired the indigenous peoples to create different types of panes 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.

The creative contribution of French baked goods to Mexico's cuisine peaked in the early 19th century during the dictatorship of Porfirio Diaz. Skilled Mexican bakers adopted French techniques to create new bread designs with colorful names. Today, Mexican bakers are among the most inventive in the world; it is estimated that there are between 500 and 2,000 types of breads currently produced in Mexico. Among these include:

A beso (kiss), from Mexico, is made by creating round domes on the top with a drop filling of jam in the middle.

Campechanas are rectangular glazed Mexican pastries, a very common pan dulce.

Conchas (shells) are known for their shell-like shape and sugar shell pattern on the top. This is one of the most famous Mexican pastries and widely recognized in the United States. It is also referred to as "pan de huevo".

Cuernos (horns) are a Mexican pastry that is known for their horn-like shape. This pastry has garnered many comparisons to the French croissant.

Empanadas (turnovers) are a pastry more commonly served in Cuba and South America but also have a place in Mexican cuisine. They are filled with meat or other ingredients such as cheese or vegetables of different sorts.

Marranitos / cochinitos / puerquitos (little pigs) are pastries sweetened with piloncillo and spiced with cinnamon. The bread has erroneously been called "gingerbread pig" because the finished result looks similar to gingerbread. However, ginger isn't used to make the pastry.

Molletes (cheeks / arm or leg muscle) was a round bread that was made in Spain before being brought to Mexico. There it was transformed into what is known now as a "bolillo". It is opened up to make different types of sandwiches.

Orejas (ears) are flaky and sweet Mexican pastries that are shaped like an ear and are very common at bakeries. They are very similar to a French Palmier

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Wikipedia