Capirotada Mexican Bread Pudding

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a baking dish with butter.

2. In a saucepan, combine the piloncillo or dark brown sugar, water, and the cinnamon stick. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside.

3. In a large skillet, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. Add the bread cubes and toast them until they are golden brown and slightly crispy, about 5-7 minutes.

4. Remove the cinnamon stick from the sugar syrup and pour a small amount of the syrup into the bottom of the greased baking dish.

5. Layer half of the toasted bread cubes on top of the syrup in the baking dish. Sprinkle half of the dried apricots, raisins, almonds, coconut, and pecans over the bread.

6. Drizzle half of the remaining syrup over the first layer of bread and toppings.

7. Layer the remaining bread cubes on top and sprinkle the rest of the dried fruits, nuts, and coconut over the bread.

8. Pour the rest of the syrup over the layers until everything is thoroughly moistened.

9. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.

10. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and crispy.

11. Let the Capirotada cool slightly before serving. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream, if desired.