Capirotada de Guayaba con Plátano
Capirotada is Mexico’s version of bread pudding and is traditionally served during Semana Santa (Lent). It is made with day-old crusty bread that is lightly fried and layered or topped with various ingredients, such as raisins, peanuts, coconut, tomato, or cheese, and baked with sweetened milk or piloncillo syrup. I had the good fortune to stumble upon this incredible bread pudding in Tlaxcala. Cecilia and I met through my dad and immediately sparked a friendship. She told me her mom’s recipe was the best capirotada ever and that it had to be in the book. She was so right! I visited her mother’s home, where I stayed and cooked for a few days. I had never met her before but was warmly welcomed by her with kindness and sweetness. The day after we prepared this unusual bread pudding (originally from Jalisco), the sweet aroma of fragrant guavas and piloncillo lingered in the air as we enjoyed a slice for breakfast with a delicious glass of cold raw milk.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 8 to 10
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Combine the water, piloncillo, canela, and cloves in a large pot and cook over medium heat until the piloncillo has dissolved, 7 to 10 minutes. Wash the guavas and cut off the ends. Cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices and add, seeds and all, to the hot liquid. Cook at a soft simmer until the guavas are fork-tender, about 20 minutes. Remove the guavas from the syrup with a slotted spoon and let sit until cool enough to handle. Continue cooking the liquid over medium heat until thickened to the consistency of maple syrup, 20 to 30 minutes.
Step 2
Slice the ends off the baguette and cut the remaining bread into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Warm a large skillet over medium heat, swirl in a little bit of the oil to coat, and, working in batches, brown the bread slices on both sides. Wipe the pan between each use and use only enough oil so the bread doesn’t stick (it shouldn’t be oily at all).
Step 3
Remove the seeds from the guavas using your hands or a spoon. Press the seeds and any liquid through a colander into the syrup, and then strain the syrup.
Step 4
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a deep 2 1/2-quart baking dish with a bit of the lard, spreading it with one of the tortillas, and then layer the bottom and sides of the dish with the tortillas. Whisk the remaining lard into the syrup.
Step 5
Layer half of the bread slices in the dish and top with half of the guava slices, raisins, pecans, banana slices, and cheese. Pour about 1 cup of the syrup over all. Layer the remaining bread on top and scatter the remaining guava slices, raisins, pecans, banana slices, and cheese all over the top. Pour the remaining syrup over all, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and bake until the syrup has been absorbed, 50 to 60 minutes. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.
