Capirotada Mexican Bread Pudding

Capirotada Mexican bread pudding, If you are into salty, sweet, soft, crunchy, and 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

Keyword capirotada de leche, Capirotada Mexican Bread Pudding, spanish bread pudding

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Total Time 35

Servings

Calories 465kcal

Author Mely Martínez

Ingredients

12 Ounces About 1 ¼ cup of piloncillo or dark brown sugar
1 ½ cups 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 tablespoon rainbow decorative sprinkles
½ cup Shredded coconut

Instructions

Make the syrup

Preheat oven to 350F. Place the Piloncillo, cinnamon stick, cloves, and water in a medium-sized saucepan. Place in the stove, boil the water, and simmer at medium heat.
The piloncillo should have melted completely, and the liquid would look dark brown.

Toast your Bread

Mix the melted butter with the oil and brush over the thick slices of bread. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes, then turn over to bake for 5 more minutes. The bread should have a deep golden brown color.

Layer the ingredientes

Start assembling the slices of bread for your capirotada in a 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 to have enough syrup to moisten all the bread pieces. Better yet, dip the bread into the syrup to get an even moist crumb.
Then, top the first layer of bread with cheese, raisins, peanuts, or any other fruit or nuts you would like to add according to the suggestions given below or your own.
Place another layer of bread and continue the process as in step 4.
Pour the remaining syrup over the last layer of bread and top with the cheese, raisins, and peanuts. Dot with the 2 tablespoons of butter cut into small cubes.

Bake the Capirotada

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. If you also add sliced bananas and candy sprinkles, add them at serving time.
Serve your capirotada warm or cold.

Video

Notes

Some variations to this recipe:

Traditionally, the bread is first fried instead of toast in the oven. Choose the method that better fits your taste.
Other cheeses used as substitutes are Mexican Manchego, Chihuahua Cheese, Queso Oaxaca, Monterrey Jack, Mild White Cheddar Cheese, and parmesan mixed with Mexican Queso Fresco.

Italian or French bread can be used, even challah bread. In Northern Mexico, even toasted corn tortillas are added.
Most recipes require slice bread, but cubed bread works fine.
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; fried plantain, bananas, and apples are the most common.
Tomatoes and onions are typical in some syrup recipes in Sonora and Sinaloa.
Prunes, cranberries, or other dried fruit are also used instead of raisins, even shredded coconut.
For extra plump raisins, try soaking them in warm water or rum for a flavorful addition.
The same applies to peanuts; nuts like almonds, pecans, walnuts, and pine nuts are used.

Nutrition