Capirotada Mexican Bread Pudding

Capirotada Mexican bread pudding, If you are into salty, sweet, soft, crunchy, spongy mixed all together with a dash of spice, this is for you. Yes, this concoction sounds really weird, but it is an explosion of flavors in your mouth.

Course Desserts

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings

Calories 465kcal

Author Mely Martínez - Mexico in my Kitchen

Ingredients

12 Ounces About 1 ¼ cup of piloncillo or dark brown sugar
1 ½ cup of water
1 stick of cinnamon
2 whole clove spice
3 Tablespoons melted butter
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
16 slices ⅓” thick of Bolillo or French bread at least 2 days old
¾ cup of Cotija Cheese
¼ cup of roasted peanut
¼ cup raisins
2 tablespoons of butter cut in small cubes

OPTIONAL EXTRA TOPPINGS

2 Bananas sliced
4 tbsp rainvow decorative sprinkles

Instructions

Preheat oven at 350F. In a medium size pot place the Piloncillo, cinnamon stick, cloves and water. Place in the stove and melt in a medium heat.( If you have a hard time cutting the piloncillo for the amount needed, place it in your microwave for intervals of 30 seconds until it is soften enough to cut. Be careful while removing it out of the microwave since it gets extremely hot.)
Mix the melted butter with the oil and brush over the slices of bread. Place in a baking tray and bake 8 minutes and then turn over to bake 5 more minutes. The bread should have a deep golden color.
Start assembling the slices of bread in an round oven proof dish. With the help of a ladle slowly pour syrup over the bread making sure the bread absorbs the syrup, do not let it go to the bottom of the dish in order to have enough syrup to moist all the bread pieces. Better yet dip the bread into the syrup to get and even moist crumb.
Top the first layer of bread with cheese, raisins and peanut or any other fruit or nuts you would like to add according to the suggestions given above or your own.
Place another layer or bread and continue the process as in step 4.
Pour the remaining syrup over the last layer of bread and top with the cheese, raisings and peanut. Dot with the 2 tablespoons of butter cut in small cubes. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in your preheated oven for 45 minutes until the top crust is golden and the lower layers are moist. Serve warm or cold.

Video

Notes

Some variations to this recipe:

• Traditionally the bread is first fried instead of toasted in the oven. Choose the method that better fit your taste.

• Italian or French bread can be used even challah bread. In Northern Mexico, even toasted corn tortillas are added.

• Some cooks also add anise seed to the syrup, if you would like to do so ¼ teaspoon will be fine for this amount of bread.

• Fruits are also found in some recipes, the most common are fried plantain, bananas, and apples.

• Tomatoes and onion are also common in some of the syrup recipes in Sonora and Sinaloa.

• Prunes, cranberries, or other dried fruit are also used instead of the raisins, even shredded coconut.

• The same applies to the peanuts, any other nuts like almonds, pecans, walnuts, pine nuts are used.

• Other cheeses used as substitutes are Mexican Manchego, Chihuahua Cheese, Monterrey Jack, and Mild White Cheddar, and even parmesan mixed with Mexican Queso Fresco.

Nutrition