Torrijas. The ultimate Easter dessert
Torrija is a Spanish and classic dessert. It’s pronounced: ‘TOH-REE-HA!’
It’s like a cross between french toast and bread and butter pudding. It’s simple and so delicious! It’s a dessert that you can try on my desserts tour. Yes, there’s a tour for you sweet lovers! Coffee, pastries and desserts route.
Where it comes from
Believe it or not it used to be a dessert served to recover after childbirth in the XV Century!
In the beginning of the XX Century it was common to eat it in bars and taverns in Madrid, it was served with little glasses of wine.
It’s associated to Easter and lent because of the need of using left over bread during a time where you couldn’t eat meat. Families would make the same amount of bread so, they needed to find ways of using this bread up. And as you know EVERYTHING in the country goes with bread. You cannot have a meal without it!
Here’s the recipe and video so you can make it from home.
The video show three options on how to finish the Torrijas, choose whichever one you prefer.
Recipe
Ingredients
Serves 6-8
- 500ml heavy cream
- 500ml milk
- 115g sugar
- 70g butter
- 300g of brioche bread or baguette bread
- Cinnamon stick or powder, lemon zest
- Ice-cream to accompany (the contrast in temperatures you’ll see!)
- Optional raspberries to serve with and a glass of sparkling wine like Cava or Champagne, a sweet dessert wine or hot drink.
*Substitutes:
* You can use star anise o real vanilla instead or as well as cinnamon
* Oil instead of butter
* Any milk: oat, coconut, almond, soy, etc.
* Non dairy cream like coconut
Method
Watch the video before to see which method you prefer. You can fry the torrijas with sugar or add the sugar at the end and use a blow torch.
Freeze your torrija at least a couple of hours before so that it’s easier to cut.
- Cut into thick even slices and cut the edges off.
- Cut the slices in half to get rectangles or you can cut them into squares.
- Mix cream and milk together, add the sugar, lemon rind and cinnamon (or any aromatics you use. Bring to boil, remove from the heat and cover with a lid or cling film so that you don’t loose the aromas. Let it cool until you can touch it without getting burnt.
- Strain the liquid ingredients through a sieve.
- Put your brioche slices in a deep dish and pour the liquid mixture on top.
- Soak each side for at least 2 hours on each side or over night!
- Remove torrijas from the liquid, ideally it will have absorbed most of it. Place on absorbing paper or sieve whilst you get your pan ready.
- Heat up your frying pan and add a big knob of butter and wait for it to bubble but not burn.
- Add the torrijas in small batches and fry every side.
- Set aside. Cover in sugar and melt the sugar with a blowtorch to make it crunchy.
- Serve with ice-cream, I like it with vanilla and hazelnut! Having the contrast in temperatures makes it amazingly delicious!
- Enjoy with wine or hot drink!
Spread the Torrija love!
Please let me know if you enjoyed the video and if you make it at home!Share it if you like it and share it with someone who might need some cheering up!
