Torrijas

Ingredients

• 1 day-old baguette or brioche loaf, cut into 12 slices 3cm thick
• 750ml whole milk
• 100g caster sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• Pared peel of 1 lemon
• Pared peel of 1 orange
• 3 large eggs
• 300ml mild olive oil for frying
• 3 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp caster sugar mixed with 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Before you cook

• Cut the bread into 12 slices about 3cm thick and leave them uncovered for an hour if the loaf is still soft.
• Pare the peel from the lemon and orange in wide strips, avoiding the white pith.
• Line a tray with a wire rack.
• Mix the 2 tablespoons of sugar with the ground cinnamon on a plate.

Steps

1. Pour the milk into a saucepan with the 100g of sugar, the cinnamon stick and both strips of peel.
2. Warm it over low heat for 8 minutes until it steams, without letting it boil.
3. Take the pan off the heat and leave the milk to infuse for 20 minutes.
4. Strain the infused milk into a wide shallow dish and discard the peel and cinnamon.
5. Lay the bread slices in the milk in a single layer.
6. Soak them for 2 minutes per side, until saturated right through but still holding their shape.
7. Lift each slice out with a fish slice and set it on the wire rack to drain for 5 minutes.
8. Beat the eggs in a shallow bowl until smooth.
9. Pour the olive oil into a large frying pan to a depth of 1cm and heat it to 180C.
10. Dip a drained slice into the beaten egg, coating both sides, and let the excess run off.
11. Lower it straight into the hot oil and fry for 90 seconds until deep golden.
12. Turn it with a fish slice and fry the second side for another 90 seconds.
13. Lift the torrija onto fresh kitchen paper.
14. Coat and fry the remaining slices in batches of three, keeping the oil hot.
15. Roll the hot torrijas in the cinnamon sugar or drizzle them with warmed honey.
16. Serve them warm, or chill them for a few hours, which is how most of Spain actually eats them.