Description
A deeply traditional Mexican dessert, Capirotada de Cuaresma blends fried bread with spiced piloncillo syrup, nuts, dried fruits, and cotija cheese. Rich in flavor and symbolism, it’s a staple during Lent.
Ingredients
Scale
- Stale bolillo bread (or French bread), cut into 1 cm slices
- 2 piloncillos (or 1½ cups dark brown sugar)
- 8 cups water
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4 cloves
- ½ cup raisins
- ½ cup peanuts
- ½ cup pecans
- ¼ cup almonds
- ¼ cup shredded coconut (optional)
- 1 cup grated cotija cheese (or substitute feta)
- Butter or lard for frying
Instructions
- Prepare the syrup: In a saucepan, combine water, piloncillos, cinnamon sticks, and cloves. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer until the piloncillo is fully dissolved and the syrup thickens. Strain if desired.
- Fry the bread: Slice bread into rounds. In a skillet, heat butter or lard and fry the bread until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels.
- Assemble the layers: In a clay or ceramic baking dish, layer fried bread slices. Add a handful of raisins, mixed nuts (peanuts, pecans, almonds), shredded coconut (if using), and a sprinkle of grated cheese. Drizzle syrup generously over the layer. Repeat until all ingredients are used.
- Bake: Cover with foil and bake at 350°F (180°C) for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 5–10 minutes until golden on top.
- Serve: Let cool slightly. Serve warm in clay bowls, garnished with a cinnamon stick and extra syrup.
Notes
For a vegan version, use plant-based butter and omit or replace cheese. You can substitute cotija with feta or queso fresco. Use pan duro (stale bread) for best results — it holds up better to syrup.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 30g
- Sodium: 240mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 9g
- Cholesterol: 25mg