The Bread of the Dead ( Spanish: Pan de Muerto ) is a special kind of bread baked in Mexico for the Day of the Dead . Officially, this event falls on November 2 , but the festival can last from one day to a week, depending on the region. This festival is especially popular and the bread with which it is associated is in the center and in the south of the country.
The Bread of the Dead is baked in round loaves with strips of dough on top (resembling a bone) and usually sprinkled with sugar. Often a bread ball, symbolizing a skull, is baked on top.
There are many varieties of bread for the dead. The most common recipe is from the center of Mexico, where the dough is made from wheat flour , yeast, butter, sugar , eggs and milk . Essences such as vanilla or orange are often added.