Capirotada – Mexican Bread Pudding

Most Mexican desserts are not extremely sweet. Capirotada is a traditional and popular Latin dessert, but it can be served any time, especially when you have some nice crusty bread that needs to be used.

The following recipe is my wife’s way of making Capirotada, and yes she was born and raised in Mexico. So this is an authentic recipe. I don’t have any step by step images to show, as I was not at home when she made this. So all I have is the finished product or food creation.

Capirotada

1 quart whole milk
3 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks
1 whole clove
3 or 4 large piloncillos *
1 loaf french bread, hard/stale, torn or cut into 1-inch cubes**
3 bananas, sliced***
1 cup cranberries^
1/2 cup chopped dates

1 cup whole dried prunes, preferable small prunes
1 cup mixed or your choice: peanuts, pine nuts, cashews, pecans, chopped almonds
1/2 pound cubed or shredded cheese, Monterrey Jack

* Piloncillos are cone shaped pieces of raw cane sugar. You can find them at your local market in the produce section or Latin foods section

** In Mexico the traditional bread to use is called bolillo rolls, which can be found at your local Latin market or in your local bakeries

*** optional to use 3 apples (peeled, cored, and sliced) in place of bananas. The preferred apples to use are ones you bake with. Reference our post In the Kitchen 101 to see which apples are used for baking.

^ option to use raisins

Instructions for preparing the Capirotada

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter a medium-size baking dish.

Boil the milk, cinnamon sticks, clove, and piloncillo together until a syrup forms; set aside.

In the prepared baking dish, place a layer of cubed bread pieces. Cover with a layer of the banana and prunes. Sprinkle some of the cranberries, chopped dates, nuts, and some shredded cheese over the top. Repeat layers until all the ingredients (except the syrup) are used.

Remove the cinnamon sticks and clove from syrup and pour the syrup over the top of the dry ingredients. Bake for about 30 minutes; remove from oven.

Cool slightly, then spoon onto plates and serve warm. Some people also like it cold. Store left overs, if any in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Enjoy!!