Torrijas: This is the Easter treat to feast on in Spain during Semana Santa

SPAIN’S version of French toast or “eggy bread” is scrumptiously sweet, dangerously calorific and firmly associated with Easter in Spain in the same way that Hot Cross Buns are a favourite at home.

You’ll find them in bakeries and cafes across the country during Easter week, often dripping with honey or coated in extra sugar and dusted in cinnamon but they’re easy enough to make at home.

Here’s a favourite recipe from the Olive Press that can be whipped up for breakfast, dessert or just to go with a cup of tea in no time at all!

Ingredients:

250 mls milk
Zest of one lemon
¼ bar of French bread, in thick slices
1 egg, lightly beaten, in a shallow bowl
Good quality olive oil
¼ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup water
1 tablespoon honey
Kitchen towels

Preparation:

Mix the milk and half of the sugar (1/8 cup) in a saucepan with the lemon zest and gently warm u p over medium heat. Turn off the heat just as as the milk comes to a boil and put aside to cool for a few minutes.

Soak thick slices of bread in the milk mixture allowing them to be soggy with the liquid, but not falling apart. Leave to rest for a minute so they soak up the moisture.

Then dip the bread slices in the lighten beaten egg, coating both sides of the bread.

Now to fry them. Cover the bottom of a shallow frying pan in olive oil and heat up before adding soaked bread slices and cooking on each side until they are crisp.

Remove from the pan and place bread slices on a kitchen towel to soak up the excess oil.

Mix the remaining sugar (1/8 cup) with the cinnamon and sprinkle liberally over the slices then use the remaining sugar/cinnamon mixture to make a syrup mixing it with ½ cup of water, the honey and heat lightly in a saucepan.

Let simmer until it thickens up into a runny syrup – usually about 20 minutes – then pour over the slices of bread, refrigerate for at least an hour.

And enjoy!!

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