Capirotada – Mexican bread pudding with cheese and fruit Recipe
Capirotada is a traditional Mexican Lenten dessert: layers of dried bread, cheese, dried fruit and fresh fruit, soaked with a warm cinnamon–clove syrup and then baked. It sounds unusual because it combines cheese and a sweet sauce, but it tastes like a cross between bread pudding and a rich fruit-and-nut cake. In many homes it appears only once a year, so it has a slightly festive character.
Capirotada is a dessert deeply connected with Lent in Mexico – its layers symbolically refer to the Passion story, which is why in many homes it appears only once a year. The combination of sweet, spiced syrup with cinnamon and cloves and the slightly salty cheese gives an effect somewhere between a bread pudding and a moist fruit-and-nut cake. Thanks to the dried fruit, nuts and apple, every bite has a different texture – from the crunchy top to the soft, soaked centre.
Chef's tips
The most important thing is to dry the bread well – if the slices are too soft, the dessert will turn into one unappetising mass, so don’t cut the oven time too much. Cook the syrup only until it thickens slightly; if you reduce it too much, the capirotada will turn out dry and overly sweet. When soaking the bread, make sure it is evenly moistened but not floating in liquid – if in doubt, add the syrup in batches and wait a moment for it to soak in.
How to serve
Capirotada is best served slightly warm, with a mug of black coffee or strong tea – it’s perfect as a dessert after a Friday meatless dinner. For larger gatherings you can pair it with a simple, tart dessert (such as a citrus sorbet) to cut through its sweetness. It’s also a great dessert for the holiday table: you can bake it in advance and just gently reheat it in the oven before serving.
Ingredients
- wheat bread - 250 g
- cheese - 120 g
- raisins - 60 g
- nuts - 60 g
- apple - 1 piece
- brown sugar - 120 g
- water - 300 ml
- cinnamon stick - 1 piece
- cloves - 3 piece
- butter - 40 g
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (top and bottom heat). Slice the bread into slices about 1.5 cm thick, then cut them in halves or quarters.
- Spread the bread slices on a baking tray and place in the oven for 8–10 minutes, until they dry out slightly and are lightly browned on the edges. You can also use stale bread and shorten this step.
- In a small saucepan combine the water, sugar, cinnamon stick and cloves. Heat over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves and the syrup starts to bubble gently. Cook for 5–7 minutes, until it thickens slightly. Remove the cinnamon stick and cloves.
- Peel the apple, remove the core and slice it thinly. Roughly chop the nuts. Cut the cheese into small cubes or crumble it with your fingers.
- Grease a baking dish with butter (reserve a little butter for drizzling on top).
- Arrange a layer of bread slices on the bottom of the dish so they slightly overlap. Sprinkle with some of the raisins, nuts, apple and cheese.
- Pour over some of the warm syrup so that the bread is well soaked but not swimming in liquid.
- Repeat the layers: bread, dried fruit and nuts, apple, cheese and syrup, until you use up all the ingredients. The top layer should be bread with a little cheese and dried fruit.
- Cut the remaining butter into small pieces and scatter over the top of the pudding.
- Cover the dish with aluminium foil and place in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake for another 10–15 minutes, until the top is lightly browned and the syrup is gently bubbling around the edges.
- Remove the capirotada from the oven and leave it to stand for 10–15 minutes to cool slightly and set. Serve warm or at room temperature, cutting into squares.
Storage
Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in the oven or microwave, adding a splash of water or milk if it seems a bit dry.
