Sopa (Bread Pudding)

Sopa layers toasted white bread with cheddar cheese, raisins, and peanuts beneath a cinnamon-and-vanilla caramel syrup.

The pudding bakes uncovered until the top is golden and the syrup is absorbed. Serve it warm, with whipped cream if desired.

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Before you start

Use a 3-quart heavy saucepan for the caramel and a 3-quart rectangular baking dish for the pudding.

Have the white bread toasted and cubed and the cheddar cheese shredded.

Add the water to the hot caramel carefully; it will splatter.

Ingredient notes

• white bread: Use toasted, cubed white bread.
• cheddar cheese: Use shredded cheddar cheese.
• whipped cream: Optional for serving.

Sopa (Bread Pudding) recipe

Sopa (Bread Pudding)

Sopa is a baked bread pudding layered with cheddar cheese, raisins, and peanuts. A cinnamon-and-vanilla caramel syrup is poured over the toasted bread before baking.

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Total Time 1 hour hr

Servings: 16 servings

Course: Dessert

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups sugar
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 6 tablespoons margarine or butter
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 10 cups white bread toasted and cubed
• 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
• 3/4 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup peanuts
• whipped cream optional

Method

 

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the sugar in a 3-quart heavy saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat without stirring until the sugar starts to melt.
2. Reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sugar is golden brown. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
3. Carefully add the 2 1/2 cups water; it will splatter. Return the saucepan to the heat and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring to melt any hardened lumps. Remove from the heat.
4. Stir the margarine or butter, cinnamon, and vanilla into the syrup. In a 3-quart rectangular baking dish, arrange half of the bread cubes.
5. Sprinkle half of the cheddar cheese and all of the raisins over the bread. Top with the remaining bread cubes, remaining cheese, and peanuts.
6. Pour the caramelized sugar mixture over the layers.
7. Bake uncovered in a 350°F oven for 30 minutes, or until the top is golden and the syrup is absorbed.
8. Serve the Sopa warm, with whipped cream if desired.

Notes

Preparation time: 30 minutes.
Add the water to the hot caramel carefully; it will splatter.

Tips for success

Leave the sugar unstirred until it starts to melt; after reducing the heat to low, stir frequently until it is golden brown.

When the caramel mixture returns to a boil after adding water, stir to melt any hardened lumps.

Put all of the raisins in the first cheese layer and the peanuts on top with the remaining bread and cheese.

Look for a golden top and absorbed syrup at the baking checkpoint.

What to serve with it

Serve the Sopa warm, with whipped cream if desired.

Related recipes

Bread Pudding Related recipe: Bread Pudding. Apple-Cinnamon Bread Pudding Related recipe: Apple-Cinnamon Bread Pudding.