challah torrijas (spanish french toast)
Torrijas are similar to french toast, but shallow-fried in olive oil and dusted with cinnamon sugar so they are custardy on the inside and crispity-crunchy on the outside. Traditionally, torrijas are served on Easter in Spain, but I think you’ll want to eat them year-round. They’re kind of like if a churro and traditional french toast had a delicious baby you can eat for breakfast (or dessert, honestly). This recipe easily scales up if you want to serve a crowd (you may need extra oil); just keep them warm in the oven on a rack set inside a sheet tray to keep everything warm while you cook the batches.
yield 2 servings
olive oil, as needed for frying
4 pieces of challah, brioche or pullman loaf, cut 3/4-inch thick
4 eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
1/2 ts diamond crystal kosher salt (1/4 ts if morton’s)
1 tablespoon cinnamon
maple syrup, honey dulce de leche for serving, warmed if you like
recipe prep
In a shallow bowl, whisk eggs. In a separate, shallow baking dish, whisk milk, cream, 1/4 cup sugar and salt until evenly combined. In a small bowl, combine remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and cinnamon and evenly mix. Set aside.
For custardy, luscious interior texture, place bread slices in milk mixture and gently press them down. Let them soak for 3-5 minutes, flip, and repeat on the other side. If you want a drier texture, soak for 30 sec - 1 minute per side without pressing down at all.
Meanwhile, pour enough olive oil to create a 1/2-inch layer in a dutch oven, cast iron pan or broad, deep skillet. Heat over medium-high heat until it reaches 350F (at this heat, a small piece of bread would sink, immediately start bubbling and pop back up to the surface).
Once oil is ready, dip milk-soaked bread in egg, coating on both sides. Shake off some of the excess liquid and carefully transfer two slices to the oil with a slotted spatula (be careful, they could splatter!). Fry until golden and crispy, about 1-2 minutes per side. Dust with half the cinnamon sugar. Repeat with remaining two pieces, adjusting heat as needed.
Serve immediately with the topping of your choice (or none at all, it will be delicious either way!).
