A Peruvian thrift dessert that turns Chancay bread into something far more indulgent. Moist, soft, and caramel-coated, it keeps tender pieces of bread among raisins, vanilla, and cinnamon. Affordable, homey, and generous—the kind of sweet that gets even better once it reaches the table.
Turn what you find into an experience you can actually bring to your kitchen.
Preheat the oven to 175°C. Place about 42% of the sugar in a saucepan and melt it over medium-low heat, without adding water, until it becomes a fluid golden-amber caramel. Remove it before it begins to smoke and immediately pour it into the mold, carefully tilting to coat the bottom.
Tear the Chancay bread into pieces by hand and place it in a bowl. Pour over the evaporated milk and let it stand for 10 minutes. Press it gently once halfway through, only until all the bread is thoroughly moist and soft, while keeping some recognizable pieces.
Melt the butter over low heat and let it cool slightly. In another bowl, mix the eggs with the remaining sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon for 1 minute, just until combined. Fold in the butter, soaked bread, and raisins with a spatula. Mix gently: the batter should be moist and even, but not blended smooth.
Pour the mixture into the caramel-coated mold and place it in a tray prepared as a water bath. Bake for 45–50 minutes, until the edges are set, the center barely jiggles, and a knife inserted into it comes out moist but without liquid batter. Do not dry the pudding out waiting for a completely clean knife.
Remove the mold from the water bath and let the pudding cool for 15 minutes. Loosen the edge gently with a knife and unmold it while still warm so the caramel runs over the surface. It should be firm enough to slice, yet moist and soft inside. And that’s it—if the caramel runs down the sides, the wait was worth it.
