Canarian Recipes: Torrijas De Carnaval
This humble, yet delicious dessert, known for its bread (in most cases using stale bread from several days ago) soaked in milk or wine and subsequently fried with a prior coating of egg , is a clear example of how a dish can transcend borders and times.
Already documented in ancient Rome, where they were known as ” aliter dulcia ” (sweet dish), torrijas appear described in a Roman recipe book by Marcus Gavius Apicius , born in 25 BC, from the 1st century.
This dish, which was based on a slice of bread soaked in milk and then fried (egg was not yet used in its preparation), was sweetened with honey . Over the centuries, the recipe adapted and evolved , finding a special place in Spanish cuisine, where ingredients such as cinnamon and sugar were incorporated , elements that are now characteristic of Spanish torrijas.
Ingredients:
- Day-old bread
- 500 ml of milk
- 2 eggs
- 3–4 tablespoons of sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick (optional)
- Peel of lemon or orange (optional)
- Powdered sugar and cinnamon for coating
- Oil for frying
- Honey (optional)
Method
- In a saucepan, heat the milk with the cinnamon stick, lemon/orange peel, and sugar. It doesn’t need to boil; just infuse for 5 minutes.
- Slice the bread into thick pieces (about 2–3 cm).
- Remove the cinnamon and peel from the milk. Soak the slices in the milk until well saturated but not falling apart.
- Beat the eggs and dip each slice of bread into the egg.
- Fry in hot oil until golden brown on both sides.
- Place them on kitchen paper to remove excess oil. Then, coat them in sugar and cinnamon.
Optional
Drizzle with a little honey on top for a more traditional flavour.
Quick Tips
Day-old bread absorbs the milk better.
If you want softer torrijas, allow them to rest for a few minutes after soaking.