Capirotada Recipe With Anise Food

MEXICAN CAPIROTADA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Combine water, 2 cups brown sugar, and cinnamon sticks together in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved and liquid has reduced into a syrup, about 15 minutes. Remove cinnamon sticks from syrup using a slotted spoon.
• Spread butter onto each toasted bread slice. Make 1 layer of buttered bread in a deep casserole dish or oven-proof stockpot. Sprinkle cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves over bread layer. Sprinkle 1/4 the raisins, 1/4 the peanuts, 1/4 the remaining brown sugar, and 1/4 the Cheddar cheese over bread layer. Repeat layering with remaining ingredients. Pour cinnamon syrup over entire dish; cover with aluminum foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cooked through, about 30 minutes. Cool for 20 minutes before serving.

CAPIROTADA

Steps:

• Combine water, piloncillos, cinnamon sticks and green onions in large pot or dutch oven.
• Bring to a boil and cook until the piloncillos are dissolved and the syrup is dark from the spices.
• Taste- you may want to add additional brown sugar or spices depending on your personal tastes.
• Remove from heat and take out onions and cinnamon sticks.
• Toast the french bread (you can do this ahead of time or while the syrup is cooking).
• Spread margarine liberally on both sides of toast.
• Layer toast, cheese, raisins, and nuts in 2 9X13 pans (preferably glass), repeating until both pans are full, ending with a layer of cheese, raisins and nuts.
• Pour the syrup over the top, dividing evenly between both pans, and making sure that all the bread is moistened.
• Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes.
• Serve hot or cold.
• Store in the refrigerator.

CAPIROTADA (MEXICAN BREAD PUDDING)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Combine water, cinnamon, and sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and let simmer for about 15 minutes. Set aside.
• Toast bread and butter each slice on one side. Arrange toast in a single layer in a large casserole dish. Sprinkle bread with raisins, nuts, and pineapple. Slice cheese and place over this mixture. Repeat layers until all bread is used, making sure enough cheese is left over for the top. Pour the cinnamon syrup mixture over everything in baking dish.
• Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for at least 15 minutes.

CAPIROTADA (MY MOM'S VERSION)

Steps:

• Cut bread into cubes and set aside in a large bowl.
• If desired, Soak raisins in water and set aside. This keeps raisins from hardening during baking process.
• Place 4 1/2 cups of water in a medium pot. Add cinnamon sticks in the water. You can use a diffuser for the anise and cloves or place directly into the water. Boil to make a spice tea over medium heat.
• Place milk and vanilla in a small pot and simmer over very low heat.
• When spice tea is nice and dark, strain it, pour into a medium bowl and add brown sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves. Pour sweetened tea over bread cubes and mix gently until bread is completely soaked.
• Pour melted butter into a 9 x 11 baking dish. Glass dish works best. Layer half of soaked bread, half of drained raisins, half ofpecan halves and half of cheese. Gently press down on e Rey thing and you later it with a rubber spatula. Repeat.
• Pour warm milk/vanilla mixture all over top of the bread mixture. Lightly cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 400 degrees for about an hour or until set. Remove foil for the last 10 minutes to brown the top.

CAPIROTADA (SYRUP-COATED BREAD PUDDING)

Steps:

• To make the syrup, mix the sugar, water, cinnamon stick and cloves in a saucepan and boil, stirring, until the mixture forms a light syrup. Remove from the heat and stir in the milk.
• Toast the bread until lightly browned. Spread the butter on the bread.
• Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C). Cover the sides and bottom of a cazuela or casserole with the tortillas. Dip each piece of bread into the syrup and arrange a layer of bread in the bottom of the cazuela. Sprinkle with part of the cheese, raisins and nuts until all the ingredients have been used.
• Strain the syrup that is left over and pour over the pudding. Cover the cazuela with foil and bake the pudding for 20 minutes, uncovering periodically and smoothing the surface of the pudding with a wooden spoon. Lower the oven temperature to 300 F (150 C) and bake for another 30 minutes. Serve lukewarm.
• Variation: Cover the pudding with meringue and bake in a 500 F oven for 5 minutes or until the surface is golden brown.