Capirotada - cooking recipe

Ingredients

8 slices French bread
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts
8 slices Cheddar cheese
2 ounces colaciones candies (optional)
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1 1/2 cups water

Preparation

Toast the French bread and break it into 2 inch pieces.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
In a lightly greased 8x8 inch baking dish, spread about half of bread pieces on the bottom of the dish; sprinkle with half of the raisins, nuts and cheese.
Repeat with a second and final layer of bread, raisins, nuts and cheese. Put anise candies on top of mixture, if desired.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook and stir brown sugar, cinnamon and water until it forms a syrup; pour half of the syrup over bread.
Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes and remove from oven; pour remaining syrup over bread and bake for another 15 minutes. Serve warm or cold.