Torrijas, often referred to as Spanish French toast, is a traditional Spanish dessert commonly prepared during Easter. It’s a comforting dish made of bread soaked in milk, eggs, and sugar, then fried and topped with cinnamon and sugar. Here’s how you can make this delicious Spanish treat:
Ingredients:
- 1 loaf of day-old bread (preferably a thick baguette or rustic bread)
- 2 cups of whole milk
- 1/4 cup of sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- Zest of 1 lemon (optional)
- 4 large eggs
- 1/4 cup of rum (optional, but adds depth of flavor)
- 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract (optional)
- Sunflower or olive oil (for frying)
- Ground cinnamon (for topping)
- Extra sugar (for topping)
Instructions:
1. Prepare the Soaking Liquid:
In a saucepan, combine the milk, sugar, cinnamon stick, and lemon zest (if using). Heat over medium heat until it begins to simmer, then remove from heat and let it infuse for 10 minutes. Once infused, remove the cinnamon stick and set the milk mixture aside to cool.
2. Slice the Bread:
Cut the bread into thick slices, approximately 1 inch in thickness. Day-old bread works best, as it absorbs the liquid without becoming too soggy. If you don’t have day-old bread, you can use fresh bread, but make sure to slice it thickly.
3. Whisk the Eggs:
In a separate shallow bowl, crack the eggs and whisk them until well-beaten. If you’re adding vanilla extract or rum, incorporate these into the eggs for additional flavor.
4. Soak the Bread:
Dip each slice of bread into the milk mixture. Let the bread soak for about 15-20 seconds, ensuring it’s well-coated but not overly soggy. The bread should absorb the liquid but still hold its shape. Once soaked, dip the bread slice into the beaten eggs, coating it evenly on both sides.
5. Fry the Torrijas:
Heat a generous amount of oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Once hot, fry the soaked and egg-dipped bread slices until golden brown and crispy on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. Be sure not to overcrowd the pan—fry in batches if necessary.
6. Drain Excess Oil:
Once the torrijas are fried to a golden brown, transfer them