Description
Capirotada is a traditional Mexican bread pudding that combines toasted bread, a sweet spiced milk syrup, fruits, nuts, and cheese to create a comforting, flavorful dessert or breakfast dish. This heartwarming recipe layers toasted Bolillo bread with bananas, raisins, almonds, and Oaxaca cheese, soaked in a fragrant piloncillo and cinnamon infused syrup, then baked to perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Bread
- 4 large Bolillo Bread Rolls, cut into 1-inch pieces (French bread or brioche can be used as substitutes)
Syrup
- 5 cups Nonfat Milk (or almond/coconut milk for dairy-free alternative)
- 1 cone Piloncillo (dark brown sugar can be used instead)
- 3 pieces Cinnamon Sticks
- 2 pieces Whole Cloves
Filling
- 3 Bananas, sliced (apples as alternative)
- 1 cup Raisins (dried cranberries can substitute)
- 1/2 cup Sliced Almonds (pecans or walnuts as alternatives)
- 2 cups Oaxaca Cheese, shredded (Monterey Jack, Provolone, or Mozzarella can be used)
Optional Serving
- Syrup or Ice Cream for drizzling or topping
- Coffee for pairing
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish to prevent sticking during baking.
- Toast the Bread: Place the cubed Bolillo bread pieces on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven for about 5 minutes until slightly crisp.
- Make the Spiced Milk Syrup: In a large pot, combine the milk, piloncillo cone, cinnamon sticks, and whole cloves. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered for 10 minutes to infuse the flavors. Remove the cinnamon sticks and cloves from the syrup after simmering.
- Layer the Ingredients: In the prepared baking dish, place half of the toasted bread in an even layer. Top the bread with half of the sliced bananas, raisins, sliced almonds, and shredded Oaxaca cheese.
- Repeat Layers: Add the remaining toasted bread on top of the first layer, followed by the rest of the bananas, raisins, almonds, and cheese to build a second layer.
- Soak the Layers: Pour the warm spiced milk syrup evenly over the layered ingredients in the baking dish. Allow it to soak for 15 minutes so the bread absorbs the syrup and flavors.
- Bake Covered: Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes to meld the flavors and soften the bread.
- Bake Uncovered: Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes to brown the top and melt the cheese.
- Cool and Serve: Let the Capirotada cool for 5 minutes before serving it warm. Optionally, serve drizzled with warm syrup or a scoop of ice cream. It pairs wonderfully with a cup of coffee.
Notes
- Bread substitutions like French bread or brioche work well if Bolillo rolls are unavailable.
- Piloncillo is traditional but dark brown sugar is a suitable substitute for the syrup.
- Almond milk or coconut milk can be used for a dairy-free version, though the texture and taste will vary slightly.
- You can experiment with fruits like apples instead of bananas for different twists.
- Cheese choices such as Monterey Jack, Provolone, or Mozzarella can replace Oaxaca cheese depending on availability.
- For extra indulgence, add syrup or vanilla ice cream as a topping when serving.
- To enhance flavor, use whole spices for the syrup rather than ground.
- Refrigerate leftovers and serve cold or warmed up.
