Inside: Keep reading to find out how to make an authentic Capirotada (Mexican Bread Pudding) recipe, which is a delicious Mexican dessert.
This post is sponsored by Nielsen-Massey Vanillas. All opinions are my own.
If you have followed my blog for a long time, you probably can tell that I love to cook. My main focus has always been on authentic Mexican recipes, but as you can see, I also love to include new recipes that I have tried over the years.
One type of cooking that I have never been the best at, however, is baking. In Mexico, I almost never had the chance to bake growing up. It just isn’t as common down there, so I didn’t get to practice it as much. Since coming to the United States, I have tried baking more often, and I am finally getting the hang of it.
Now, I am starting to see why so many cooks love to bake! It is so fun to put together many different ingredients and see how they interact together to make delicious flavors. The smells that permeate through the kitchen when baking are irresistible also! Even though my abuelita didn’t bake very much in Mexico, spending time making these recipes reminds me of all of the great times I spent with her in the kitchen when I was younger.
The recipe that I am going to share today may not be what you think of when you think of baking, but it does require an oven and lots of great ingredients. A capirotada is a traditional Mexican dessert that is similar to a bread pudding that many people are familiar with. It is very popular during the holiday season in Mexico, and once you try it, you will see why.
What Ingredients Do You Need For A Capirotada?
The great thing about this variation of bread pudding is that you can include a variety of different ingredients depending on your tastes. The basic recipe calls for using toasted baguette as the bread base. In addition, all capirotadas should include a delicious and sweet syrup made from piloncillo. Beyond that, you can use other ingredients such as walnuts, pecans, raisins, dates, panela queso, and more. I always like to include vanilla extract as well to give it extra flavor.
For this particular recipe, I used 1 teaspoon of Nielsen-Massey Mexican Pure Vanilla Extract. I always choose Mexican vanilla when I can find one.Mexican Vanilla is sweet and creamy with a deep, spicy character. In addition to using it in recipes like this capirotada, this vanilla is perfect when paired with chocolate, spicy foods, or tomato-based foods such as tomato sauces and chilis.
When I made this for my family the other day, everyone loved it. The flavors work together so perfectly, and the capirotada definitely didn’t last long.
To make this capirotada recipe, you will start by letting the bread sit out overnight until it is no longer soft. Then, you need to add some olive oil and bake the bread until it is golden brown.
Once the bread is prepared, you can do the remaining steps, which include adding layers of the toasted bread, other toppings (such as raisins, walnuts, and panela cheese), and then topping with the delicious liquid syrup on each layer.
The final step is to bake until browned on top before serving warm.
I hope you can enjoy this recipe this holiday season as much as we always have. Let me know in the comments below how it turned out.
Mexican Bread Pudding
Ingredients
- 3 corn tortillas
- 12 slices French Bread Toasted
- 2 cups (475 ml) cream sauce from below
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) raisins
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) walnuts chopped
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) panela cheese crumbled
Instructions
Add a drizzle of olive oil to each slice of French bread, and then bake at 350 F for about 10 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.
Heat the corn tortillas with a small amount of olive oil in a frying pan, until soft.
Cut the corn tortillas in half and cover the bottom of an 8x8 baking dish.
Add a layer of the toasted bread, and top with the raisins, walnuts, and panela cheese.
Pour 1/3 of the cream sauce over the first layer, soaking the bread.
Repeat three times.
Bake at 350 F degrees for approximately 15 minutes, or until browned on top and heated all the way through.
For the Cream Sauce
Heat the water in a pot over medium heat and add the cinnamon stick and piloncillo until both dissolve.
Add the condensed milk, the evaporated milk, and theNielsen-Massey Mexican Pure Vanilla Extract, and let boil for 2 minutes.
Add the egg yolks a little bit at a time, stirring constantly so that the egg doesn't scramble. Remove from heat.
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FAQs
Recently, it has been given a spiritual meaning in relation to the passion of Christ and the Lenten season, thus, for many people, the bread represents the Body of Christ, the syrup is his blood, the cloves are the nails of the cross, and the whole cinnamon sticks are the wood of the cross.
What does capirotada mean in English? ›
Monika Published: February 27, 2020. The basic ingredients of the Mexican dish Capirotada have a rich symbolic connection to the Passion of Christ. Capirotada is a traditional Mexican dish similar to a bread pudding that is usually eaten during the Lenten period and Good Friday.
What is Mexican bread pudding made of? ›
This capirotada, or Mexican bread pudding, features layers of nuts, cheese, dried fruit and bread drizzled with cinnamon-infused sugar syrup.
Where did capirotada originate? ›
Zazueta explained that in Spain the capirotada was not a dessert, but a pudding made with chicken, almonds, and aromatic herbs. But the dish had a cultural adaptation in Mexico during the colonial times, in the 16th and 17th centuries.
What is the religious symbolism in capirotada? ›
Each ingredient in capirotada represents a different aspect of the passion of Christ. For example, the bread symbolizes the body of Christ, the syrup represents his blood, the cheese represents the holy shroud, and the nuts and fruits represent the nails and the crown of thorns.
Where is capirotada most popular? ›
I have distant, fond memories of eating bread pudding with the Mexican side of my family around Easter, and it's only recently that I've realized that we were eating capirotada, a style of bread pudding that's popular in Mexico and parts of the American Southwest.
Is bread pudding supposed to be refrigerated? ›
How to Store Bread Pudding. Allow the bread pudding to cool completely after baking. Cover tightly or transfer to a shallow, airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Why do Mexicans eat capirotada during Lent? ›
Some consider the bread version became popular due to food shortage, while others think it was more related to the religious symbolism of its ingredients. The stale bread refers to the austerity linked to Lent, piloncillo syrup represents the blood of Christ, and the cheese represents the Holy Shroud.
Where does bread pudding originate? ›
Frugal cooks in 11th and 12th century England, where it originated, could only afford to soak the bread in hot water before squeezing it dry and then adding a mix of whatever sugar and spices they had on hand.
What is piloncillo in english? ›
The name piloncillo translates to "little loaf," but in stores, you'll most often find this complex sugar shaped like a cone. The cone shape of piloncillo comes from the molds in which the sugar is cooled and hardened. Cone sizes range from less than one ounce to over nine ounces.
A boudin is similar to a lasagna except it uses tortillas instead of noodles and like chilaquiles is a way to use leftover tortillas. You can assemble and bake the boudin immediately or do what I usually do, assemble the boudin and freeze it for another day.
What is bread pudding sauce made of? ›
A traditional bread pudding sauce is made from just a few simple ingredients: milk, sugar, vanilla extract and cornstarch. Variations of vanilla bread pudding sauce includes rum sauce, bourbon sauce, caramel sauce and lemon sauce.
When to eat capirotada? ›
It's traditionally eaten during Lent as some say because the cheese provides extra protein to Lenten observers abstaining from meat on Fridays. My friend Penny, however, informed that it's a welcome dessert at any festive occasion on the calendar, not just during those periods of abstinence.
What does capirotada taste like? ›
Sweet, warmly spiced, and deliciously cheesy, my family's Capirotada recipe is easily one of my favorite things to eat. (In fact, I love it so much that it was in my very first Muy Bueno cookbook!) This simple, 7-ingredient Mexican bread pudding is especially popular during Lent and Christmas.
Why do Mexicans eat rosca de Reyes? ›
Served on January 6th, in honor of the Epiphany or Día de Reyes in Mexico, this delectable bread commemorates the Three Wise Men, guided by the Bethlehem star, presenting gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the newborn Jesus.
Why do Mexicans eat radishes with tacos? ›
Radishes add a refreshing, crunchy contrast to dense, savory dishes; for that reason, they're used as a garnish in many Mexican dishes. You can find them raw and thinly sliced on top of enchiladas, tacos, and pozole. They also add a beautiful pop of color to these dishes.
Why do we eat capirotada during Lent? ›
Some consider the bread version became popular due to food shortage, while others think it was more related to the religious symbolism of its ingredients. The stale bread refers to the austerity linked to Lent, piloncillo syrup represents the blood of Christ, and the cheese represents the Holy Shroud.
Why do Mexicans eat corn tortillas? ›
Corn tortillas are seen as more authentic to Mexican dishes, corn has been a staple ingredient in Mexican cooking for thousands of years. Wheat, on the other hand, has only been around since the Spanish brought the crop with them when they arrived in the Americas.
