Capirotada Con Quesco
Print This Recipe
INGREDIENTS 1/2 (1 pound) loaf French bread
4 tablespoons butter
4 cups water
8-ounces piloncillo OR 1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
2 whole cloves
1 tablespoon butter
8-ounces Longhorn or mild Cheddar cheese, shredded, 2 cups
1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts
1/4 cup slivered blanched almonds
1/2 cup raisins
1 large banana, thinly sliced
Ground cinnamonPreheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut a thin slice off heel of bread; reserve for another use. Cut remaining bread in 1/2-inch slices. Butter slices on 1 side of bread with 4 tablespoons butter. Place buttered side up in a single layer on 1 or 2 baking sheets. Bake 15 minutes, until lightly toasted and dry. Remove and cool.
Combine water, piloncillo or brown sugar, cinnamon sticks and cloves in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer syrup, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Strain out cinnamon sticks and cloves; set syrup aside.
Capirotada may be prepared in advance at this point and the bread left out overnight to dry.
Grease a deep 2-1/2 quart baking dish with about 1/2 tablespoon butter. Reserve remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter, 1/4 cup cheese and 2 tablespoons peanuts for topping.
In prepared baking dish, layer ingredients in the following order: 1/3 of the toasted bread sliced, 1/2 of the remaining peanuts, 1/2 of the almonds, 1/2 of the raisins/ and 1/2 of the banana slices. Cover with half of the remaining cheese. Pour 1 cup syrup evenly over the cheese. Layer another 1/3 of the bread, remaining peanuts, almonds, raisins, and banana slices. Cover with the remaining cheese. Again pour 1 cup syrup evenly over cheese. Top with remaining bread.
Sprinkle with reserved cheese and peanuts. Pour remaining syrup evenly over pudding. Dot with remaining butter and sprinkle lightly with ground cinnamon. Cover and bake 45 minutes. Let stand, covered, 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving.