Mexican bread pudding with cheese is sure to please

Sometimes I wish there were a way to transmit a lovely scent from my kitchen into cyberspace and have it arrive in someone’s e-mail box. As the recipient, you could turn it on or off as you wished, like your volume. If you liked chocolate, you could just inhale the aroma of those gooey brownies and not risk the tasting calories. And if you couldn’t stand scallops, you could just adjust the odor knob to zero.

Today’s bread pudding filled the house with such an incredible aroma of nutmeg and cinnamon that I wished I could have shared it with you all. The recipe comes from Anne Murch Guiterrez, who’s waving from South Texas. She adapted this recipe for Capirotada con Queso, or Mexican Bread Pudding with Cheese, from a source that she has lost track of – one of those recipes you keep in your drawer and remember to try long after you have copied it.

One nice thing about this recipe is that you don’t have to heat up the whole house while the pudding bakes in the oven. It’s done in just minutes in the microwave. And even though this dish contains a whole cup of grated Cheddar, that flavor is masked by the spices, raisins, and brown sugar. It just adds to the richness. Anne suggests using good-quality Cheddar when you make this dish because some of the pre-packaged brands of grated cheese can produce an oily result.

I tested this recipe this morning, assembling the ingredients in order ahead of time so they were ready to nuke and mix when ready. The pudding set nicely and pulled away from the edges of the pan. I didn’t have a glass or ceramic pan with a center post, so I set a small glass filled part way with water in the center, which worked just fine. Also, I checked the pudding for doneness along the final nuking step, taking it out after it was firm. I think this sweet treat would be wonderful topped with a big scoop of good vanilla ice cream.

Thanks Anne for sharing your delectable bread pudding!

CAPIROTADA CON QUESO (Mexican Bread Pudding with Cheese)
(Recipe adapted by Anne Murch Gutierrez)

2 cups milk
1 3-ounce package cream cheese, cubed and softened
5 slices lightly toasted white bread or French bread, cubed
1/4 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, well beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup seedless raisins
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

In 2- or 4-cup glass measuring cup, stir together milk and cream cheese. Microwave on HIGH 4 minutes, stirring once. Place bread cubes in well-buttered 2-quart microwave-safe dish. (Note: use a dish with a center post; or place a small glass or custard dish in the center.) Pour hot milk mixture over bread cubes and let soak 10 minutes.
Micromelt butter in 4 cup measuring cup on HIGH 1 minute or less, until melted. Stir in brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and beaten eggs, mix well. Add vanilla, pecan, and raisins. Pour mixture, along with shredded Cheddar cheese, over bread cubes and stir lightly until blended. Microwave on HIGH 7-8 minutes. If needed, rotate dish 3 or 4 times. Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving. Serves 6.