Torrijas – an easy Spanish Easter Recipe

It is almost Easter, and so we have a little sweet treat for you today with this Spanish Easter Recipe – Torrijas. Torrijas are available all over Spain at this time, and just like Hot Cross Buns in England… these treats are a staple at Easter (although they are scrummy eaten at any time).

Bakeries all over the country will be selling millions of these sweet treats this week. But because they are so easy to make, and use ingredients that most of us have indoors normally, they’re a breeze to do at home too! They’re a lot like French Toast and a super way of using that day old bread – hey we all hate wasting food right?!

Spanish folklore says that these sweet treats were made by Nuns centuries ago, and they’re certainly a great way to use up day old bread in a tasty way. Of course these aren’t for those of you that are slimming – they’re full of those gorgeous ingredients that keep that midriff curvy. But as a treat, or if dieting doesn’t apply to you, then dig in – you’ll be coming back for more!

Spanish Easter Recipe – Torrijas

Ingredients

• Half a dozen slices of stale bread (if you don’t have any stale… then lightly toast it so that it doesn’t disintegrate during the dipping)
• 100 mls of milk
• 1 egg – lightly whisked. It needs to be blended but not bubbly.
• Vegetable or sunflower oil for frying (don’t be tempted to use olive oil as it is too strong in flavour)
• a couple of drops of vanilla extract (if you have it – not essential though, so don’t panic if you don’t have any)
• Sugar for coating (optional – see “tips” below). Icing sugar is perfect – but any sugar will work. 

Method for torrijas

• Mix the egg and milk together in a large bowl until fully incorporated
• Add the vanilla extract if you have any
• Heat the vegetable oil in a large flat pan to a medium heat. If it starts smoking, it’s way too hot – so remove the pan from the heat for a while and try again.
• Okay… this bit needs to be quick. Pop each slice of bread into the egg/milk mixture, flipping once so that both sides get covered. Don’t let them soak for too long, or they become seriously soggy. 
• Transfer the bread immediately to the frying pan and cook until golden brown on both sides.
• Once cooked, you can keep these warm in a low oven whilst you cook the rest – or just keep your family or guests close by with their plates. When we had Alan’s three boys staying with us all at once as teenagers – I couldn’t make them fast enough and it was like having a conveyor belt in human form. They quickly became an alternative for pancakes… and they’re a million times easier and faster to make too. Win win!
• Once you pop them on a plate, you can sprinkle these with sugar, cinnamon, a drizzle of honey… or whatever else takes your imagination. We especially like it with icing sugar and grated lemon peel (unwaxed of course)

Spain Buddy tips for making those torrijas extra scrummy:

• Try these with inch thick slices of baguette from the day before, or with any fairly thick bread that isn’t soft enough for your sandwiches.
• These are extra nice with a bread or firm cake that has dried fruit in it – like an Italian panatonne.
• Got some golden syrup? Or chocolate sauce? Yeah – you know you want to drizzle that on your freshly made torrijas!

Fancy more sweet treats to cook at home for yourself and your family and friends? Well fancy no longer as we have a few you can try today! Click the following link and enjoy expanding that waistline!

Easy sweet Spanish recipes to cook at home

Elle Draper

Elle, along with Alan, is the owner of Spain Buddy and the busy web design business – Spain Web Design by Gandy-Draper.
Born a “Norverner”, she then spent most of her life “Dann Saff” before moving to Spain in 2006. Elle’s loves are Alan, the internet, dogs, good food, and dry white wine – although not necessarily in that order.