Santa Fe School of Cooking (Santa Fe, New Mexico)
Serves 10–12
Capirotada is a traditional Mexican bread pudding made for Lent. This recipe is the most brilliant balance of savory and sweet ingredients, such as caramel and cheddar, wine-soaked raisins, and vanilla ice cream.
10 ounces day-old French bread, torn into bite-sized pieces
½ cup raisins or other dried fruit
½ cup madeira or other sweet wine
2 cups sugar
3½ cups water
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon canela (cinnamon)
1½ teaspoon Mexican vanilla
2 ounces (½ cup) pecans or toasted pignoli/pine nuts (see Chef’s
Tips on nuts and seeds, this page)
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack or Longhorn cheddar cheese
Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9- by 12-inch baking dish or pan. Place the bread in the prepared dish, and toast in the oven for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Soak the raisins in madeira for 20 minutes and drain, reserving the madeira.
Place the sugar in a heavy saucepan or large skillet over medium-high heat. When the sugar starts to melt and turn golden around the edges, mash it gently with a large spoon (stirring will create more lumps, and the sugar will take longer to caramelize, so the mashing motion is more effective). Cook the sugar until it turns a deep caramel color. Immediately add the water, being very careful, as the hot syrup will bubble and splatter. The caramel will partially solidify but will re-liquefy as it reheats. Reduce the heat, and add the butter, canela, and vanilla to the caramel syrup, stirring until the butter has melted.
Top the toasted bread with nuts and raisins, pouring the reserved madeira over the mixture. Pour the syrup over the bread, and allow it to sit for 5 minutes. Sprinkle the top with grated cheese and additional canela to taste. Bake for about 25 minutes until lightly browned and bubbly. Serve warm with a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.