Grandmother Petra's Love Is Baked Into This Mexican Bread Pudding Recipe

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Grandmother Petra's Love Is Baked Into This Mexican Bread Pudding Recipe

Throughout her 30 years as a drag queen in San Francisco, Juanita MORE! has become a mom to many, and as matriarch of their chosen family, she cooks for them like mothers often do.

Grandmother Petra's Love Is Baked Into This Mexican Bread Pudding Recipe

Capirotada, a Mexican bread pudding, is one of the treats MORE! makes. It comes from her Grandmother Petra, who would make dessert for her family on special occasions, which always included Christmas.

Grandmother Petra's Love Is Baked Into This Mexican Bread Pudding Recipe

"I recall most meals consisting mainly of grains and fresh vegetables and salsas, with meat occasionally making a surprise appearance," she said.

Grandmother Petra's Love Is Baked Into This Mexican Bread Pudding Recipe

"I would watch her open the oven and pull it out and lift the foil. And I could see the raisins popping out and I would get so excited."

Grandmother Petra's Love Is Baked Into This Mexican Bread Pudding Recipe

MORE! said, adding that it brought her so much joy. "It still does to this day, when the raisins pop out of the bread pudding, and I get so happy."

Grandmother Petra's Love Is Baked Into This Mexican Bread Pudding Recipe

"Food for me, just throughout my whole life, has been a way of expressing love," she said. "That's what I saw my grandmother doing when she was preparing those meals and preparing this dish."

Grandmother Petra's Love Is Baked Into This Mexican Bread Pudding Recipe

Ingredients – 12 ounces of piloncillo, chopped (or light brown sugar) – 2 1/4 cups water – 1 cinnamon stick (4-inch) – 1/2 pound stale bolillos or French bread torn into bite-sized pieces – 3 eggs – 3/4 cup raisins

Petra's capirotada

– 3/4 cup salted peanuts – 1/2 pound queso Oaxaca, torn into small pieces (or mozzarella cheese, grated) – 1 teaspoon vanilla extract – 1 stick of unsalted butter, cold and cubed

Petra's capirotada

Directions Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter a 2-quart baking dish.

Petra's capirotada

Bring the piloncillo, cinnamon and water to a boil over medium-high heat until reduced to about 1 cup — approximately 30 minutes. It should be caramel in color and have a syrupy consistency. Discard the cinnamon and cool. Whisk the eggs and vanilla into the sugar mixture.

Petra's capirotada

Bring the piloncillo, cinnamon and water to a boil over medium-high heat until reduced to about 1 cup — approximately 30 minutes. It should be caramel in color and have a syrupy consistency. Discard the cinnamon and cool. Whisk the eggs and vanilla into the sugar mixture.

Petra's capirotada

Add the bread to a mixing bowl along with 3/4 of the cheese, the raisins and the peanuts; toss to combine. Pour the sugar and egg mixture over it and mix evenly. Transfer to a buttered baking dish, sprinkle the rest of the cheese, and dot with the cold butter. Cover with foil.

Petra's capirotada

Bake for about 1 hour or until the pudding is bubbling and the cheese is melted. Then, remove the foil and bake until it is slightly brown — about 10 to 15 more minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream. Serves eight.

Petra's capirotada

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