A sweet treat for the Lenten season: Tres Leches Capirotada
I know quite a few people who are not fans of traditional capirotada. Many find the addition of cheese an acquired taste and completely refuse to try it. I personally love it with a mild cheese like munster cheese or Oaxaca. Maybe it’s nostalgia, maybe it’s the amazing taste. I’m a fan.
I already have a traditional capirotada recipe on my blog and I really wanted to try my hand at a tres leches capirotada trending all over Mexico these days. Why not? you can’t go wrong with the flavor of tres leches and those family and friends who don’t want cheese in their capritoada can fully enjoy this dessert. Plus, who has time to bake a tres leches cake right now? This is just as tasty.
Related recipe: Traditional Capirotada
The process is as simple as a traditional capirotada. I chose traditional toppings to not take away from the creamy taste. But if you prefer other toppings, by all means, go right ahead. I can see this capirotada with banana slices, sprinkles, peanuts and chocolate chips. The tres leches soaked bolillo slices are just a canvass for your own personal creation. Go crazy and enjoy!
Tres Leches Capirotada
Give the traditional capirotada the beloved tres leches twist.
Ingredients
6 bolillos (or large French rolls), sliced
2 tablespoons butter, melted
4 cups milk, divided
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 cup ground piloncillo (or a 4 ounce cone)
1(14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
1 (7.9 ounce) can table cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons corn starch
non-stick cooking spray
1 cup pecans, divided
1 cup sliced almonds, divided
1 cup raisins, divided
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut, divided
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350° F. Arrange bread slices on a baking sheet. Brush with butter on both sides. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown, flipping halfway through. Remove form oven and set aside. Combine 3 3/4 cups milk, cinnamon stick and piloncillo in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir to dissolve piloncillo. Bring to a simmer. Add condensed milk, evaporated milk, table cream and vanilla. Stirring until smooth. Bring to a low simmer. Combine remaining 1/4 cup milk and cornstarch in a small bowl. Stir until well combined. Add cornstarch/milk mixture to sweetened milk mixture a tablespoon at a time. Bring to simmer and until mixture thickens. Set aside. Spray a large baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Spoon milk mixture in baking dish, covering the bottom. Using tongs, dip a toasted slice of bread at a time in saucepan with milk mixture in it. Covering completely and letting the toasted bread soak up liquid for about 5 seconds. Arrange on baking sheet as a single layer. Repeat until the first layer is completed. Top evenly with 1/2 cup pecans, 1/2 cup almonds, 1/2 cup raisins and 1/2 cup coconut. Repeat with a second bread layer and toppings. Cover with aluminum foil paper and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, top with 1 – 1 1/2 cup milk mixture and return to oven uncovered. Bake for 15 minutes more. Remove from oven and top with any remaining milk mixture if needed. Serve warm.
