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Bocado de Reina, often known as Guatemalan bread pudding, is a beloved conventional dessert that proves you don’t want fancy elements to make one thing really scrumptious.
Made with leftover bread, milk, eggs, and cinnamon, this basic pudding-like cake is easy, economical and comforting. All of which makes it a sensible favorite in Guatemalan dwelling kitchens.
I like so as to add fruit for a pop of color, but it surely’s simply as tasty served plain with syrup or whipped cream.


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What’s Bocado de Reina?
Bocado de Reina is a conventional Guatemalan bread pudding constructed from day-old bread soaked in a candy, spiced eggy custard, then baked till golden and tender. It’s simple, economical and extremely comforting.
The identify interprets to a “chunk match for a queen or meals match for a queen” that means it’s a good way to show easy elements right into a particular dessert.
Some conventional Bocado de Reina recipes mix the bread into high quality crumbs for a extra cake-like texture. However my Guatemalan mother-in-law merely tears leftover bread into chunks earlier than combining it with the custard.
I like the way it seems golden and agency on prime with a barely springy center in order that’s the best way I make it too.
At our ranch in japanese Guatemala, we prefer to serve this dessert drizzled with native honey. Different instances it’s topped with ice cream or whipped cream.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s extremely simple to make. You’ll be able to prep this make-ahead dessert the evening earlier than, let it chill within the fridge, and bake it the subsequent day.
- Wealthy and ethereal, this stunning dish is ideal for a corporation brunch or special day.
- It’s a good way to make use of up day-old bread as an alternative of letting it go to waste!
- Not like sophisticated Guatemalan desserts akin to buñuelos or molletes, it doesn’t require deep frying or particular syrups.
Components You’ll Want
Scroll right down to the recipe card for the total listing of elements and technique.


Day-old pan dulce, challah or brioche bread: The kind of bread you utilize for bocado de reina is tremendous necessary because it varieties the bottom and construction of the dessert. I like to make use of day-old pan dulce (challah or brioche bread) because it’s barely candy and has a gentle texture. However you should utilize French rolls.
🌟 Professional Tip: Be sure the bread is stale so the dish doesn’t end up soggy.
Giant Eggs: Room temperature eggs make the pudding fluffy plus they include a lot of vitamins.
Milk and Cream: Milk and cream are soaked up by the bread so as to add richness and depth.
Vanilla and Cinnamon: Each are crucial for the distinct aroma and flavour. I take advantage of actual vanilla quite than synthetic vanilla.
Maple Syrup (or Rum): Add pure sweetness. Amber maple syrup and even darkish rum.
Orange Zest: Grated orange zest bumps up the aroma, provides freshness and intensifies the flavours of the tropical fruits.
Melted Butter: Butter provides a little bit of fats for carry and to maintain the whole lot moist whereas baking.
Mango, Kiwi and/or Strawberries: Contemporary or frozen each work effectively. Simply thaw earlier than utilizing if frozen.
Step By Step Directions
Scroll right down to the recipe card for actual portions and technique.
1. Brush the within of a 9 x 13 x 2-inch baking dish with one-half the melted butter. For finest outcomes use an oval or rectangular dish manufactured from stoneware, pottery, or Corningware quite than clear glass or metallic.
2. Whisk the eggs in a big bowl till frothy. Add the milk, cream, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, orange zest and whisk once more till fully mixed.


3. Add the cubes of bread to the bowl of egg and milk and blend till mixed. Or, course of the bread into crumbs in the event you favor the extra conventional Guatemalan model. Let sit for quarter-hour within the fridge.
4. Unfold half the soaked bread on the underside of the greased baking dish. Distribute and press down calmly on the bread with a fork so the bread fully covers the floor of the baking dish.


5. Sprinkle half of the mango chunks over the floor of the bread.
6. High with remaining bread and press down calmly so the floor is even. Will probably be bumpy.


In case you’re making it forward, cease at this level. Cowl the casserole with plastic wrap and retailer within the fridge in a single day.
7. Brush prime with remaining butter. Sprinkle with granulated sugar.


8. Bake in a preheated 350 F oven for 30 – 40 minutes or till agency to the contact and calmly browned. Verify after 20 minutes and canopy calmly with foil if browning too rapidly.
9. Cool for five minutes, organize remaining fruit together with the mango, sliced kiwi, and strawberries on prime. Mud with confectioner’s sugar if desired.
10. Serve with syrup or whipped cream.


Variations
- Go conventional by leaving off the fruit and serving it plain with a lightweight cinnamon syrup or a drizzle of sweetened condensed milk.
- For a cake-like texture, mix the bread into high quality items earlier than soaking.
- Add sliced bananas or pineapple on prime for a tropical twist.
- Combine in chopped walnuts or almonds, or sprinkle them on prime for a bit of crunch.
- Stir in raisins or chopped dates for added sweetness and texture.
- For a richer model, add chocolate chips or swirl in some dulce de leche.
- Use almond milk or coconut milk to make it dairy-free. The flavour modifications barely, but it surely nonetheless tastes superb.
Knowledgeable Suggestions
- Soaking the bread in a single day will permit the eggs and milk to soak into the bread totally. But it surely’s simply as scrumptious if it’s made the identical day.
- Urgent the bread down with a fork will ensure the egg combination covers your entire floor of the dish.
- Use stale bread so your dish doesn’t end up soggy.
- If it begins browning quick, cowl it loosely with foil to be able to bake it with out burning.
Serving Ideas


Storing and Freezing
- You’ll be able to retailer bocado de reina within the fridge for 2 or three days and reheat it within the microwave.
- Retailer baked particular person servings for as much as six months in sealed freezer baggage. Simply thaw within the fridge and reheat within the microwave earlier than topping with fruit.
- You may as well make the bottom of this pudding forward and freeze it earlier than baking. Then simply thaw in a single day within the fridge and reheat in a microwave or oven (coated) earlier than topping with fruit.
Love this recipe? Please go away a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟score within the recipe card under & a remark in the event you REALLY prefer it. Thanks!
Recipe
Bocado de Reina (Guatemalan Bread Pudding)
Bocado de Reina is a simple, conventional Guatemalan dessert manufactured from leftover bread, milk, eggs and cinnamon. Customise it with fruit, nuts or dulce de leche or serve it plain with ice cream.
Servings: 8 individuals
Energy: 975kcal
Price: $10
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Directions
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Preheat oven to 350 F.
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Brush the within of a 9 x 13 x 2-inch baking dish with one-half of the melted butter.
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Whisk the eggs in a big bowl till frothy. Add the milk, cream, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, orange zest and whisk once more till fully mixed.
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Add the cubes of bread to the bowl of egg and milk and stir simply till mixed. Let sit for quarter-hour within the fridge. Whereas it is soaking, put together the fruit.
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Unfold half the bread on the underside of the greased baking dish. Distribute and press down calmly on the bread with a fork so the bread fully covers the floor of the baking dish.
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Sprinkle one cup of the mango chunks over the floor of the bread.
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High with remaining bread and press down calmly so the floor is even. Will probably be bumpy. In case you’re making it the evening earlier than, cease at this stage. Cowl the casserole with plastic wrap and retailer within the fridge in a single day.
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Brush prime with remaining butter. Sprinkle with granulated sugar.
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Bake for 30 – 40 minutes or till agency to the contact and calmly browned. Verify after 20 minutes and canopy calmly with foil if it is browning too rapidly.
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Cool for five minutes. Then organize remaining mango, sliced kiwi, and strawberries on prime, and mud with confectioner’s sugar if desired.
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Serve with syrup, ice cream or whipped cream.
Notes
- You’ll be able to retailer it within the fridge for 2 or three days and reheat it within the microwave.
- Retailer baked particular person servings for as much as six months in sealed freezer baggage. Simply thaw within the fridge and reheat within the microwave earlier than topping with fruit.
- Make the bottom of this pudding forward and freeze it earlier than baking. Simply thaw in a single day within the fridge and reheat in a microwave or oven (coated) earlier than topping with fruit.
- A preferred variation in Guatemala is to crumble the bread into very high quality items quite than chunks. That can produce a dessert that’s extra cake-like than pudding.
Dietary info is created by on-line calculators so the figures are solely estimates.
Vitamin
Energy: 975kcal | Carbohydrates: 103g | Protein: 26g | Fats: 53g | Saturated Fats: 29g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 1g | Monounsaturated Fats: 3g | Trans Fats: 0.2g | Ldl cholesterol: 432mg | Sodium: 929mg | Potassium: 270mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 2446IU | Vitamin C: 42mg | Calcium: 211mg | Iron: 2mg
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Recipe FAQs
It’s a conventional Guatemalan dessert that’s much like a Latin American bread pudding because it’s made with leftover bread. But it surely’s extra cake-like in texture and sometimes incorporates rum.
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