Mexican bread pudding layered with cinnamon, piloncillo syrup, raisins, toasted bread, and melty cheese.
# What You'll Need:
→ Bread
01 - 1 loaf (16 ounces) bolillo, French bread, or baguette, sliced into 1-inch rounds, preferably day-old
→ Syrup
02 - 1 1/2 cups packed piloncillo or dark brown sugar, chopped
03 - 2 cups water
04 - 2 cinnamon sticks
05 - 3 whole cloves
06 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
→ Fillings
07 - 1/2 cup raisins
08 - 1 cup shredded mild cheese, such as queso fresco, Monterey Jack, or mozzarella
09 - 1/2 cup chopped pecans or peanuts (optional)
→ For Greasing
10 - Butter for greasing baking dish
# How-To:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Arrange bread slices on a baking sheet and toast in oven for 10–12 minutes, turning halfway, until dry and lightly golden.
03 - Combine piloncillo or brown sugar, water, cinnamon sticks, and cloves in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally until piloncillo dissolves and syrup thickens, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in butter, discard cinnamon and cloves.
04 - Layer half the toasted bread in the prepared dish. Sprinkle with half the raisins, cheese, and nuts if using. Drizzle with half the syrup.
05 - Repeat with remaining bread, raisins, cheese, nuts, and syrup. Gently press down with a spatula so bread absorbs the syrup.
06 - Cover dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
07 - Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes, until cheese is melted and top is golden.
08 - Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.
