Capirotada (Mexican Bread Pudding)
4 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 Piloncillo Cones (Piloncillo is Mexican brown sugar. If unable to find you can substitute 1 cup of dark brown sugar plus two teaspoons molasses for each cone)
4 cinnamon sticks
6 whole cloves
4 Bolillo rolls or French bread rolls or baguette, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces)
4 tbsp. Melted butter
3 cups shredded cheese (Longhorn Cheddar, or Colby)
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped nuts, optional (walnuts, pecans, peanuts, almonds) Mari even suggested shredded coconut
Combine water, piloncillo, cinnamon sticks and cloves in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, creating a syrup. Simmer syrup uncovered for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep, covered for 2 hours. Pour through a strainer and discard cinnamon sticks and cloves. Set syrup aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread melted butter on both sides of sliced bread. Layer on a baking sheet and bake for 3 minutes on each side, until lightly toasted and dry. Remove and cool. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with nonstick spray, and add a bit of syrup to bottom of dish. Layer ingredients in the following order: a third of the toasted bread, a third of the raisins, a third of the cheese, a third of the nuts, followed by 1½ cups syrup. Repeat layers. Cover the dish with aluminum foil that has been sprayed with nonstick spray and bake 15 minutes, uncover and bake about 10 to 15 minutes more.