If you find yourself in Seville around Easter, you’ll spot one word popping up on menus all over town: torrijas.
Locals love them, especially during Semana Santa (Holy Week).
Torrijas: Far more than Spanish French toast
If you are thinking, “It’s just Spanish French toast,” stop! They are much better than that. There are similarities, but torrijas bring a whole new level of flavour to the table.
They are soaked in more than just milk and egg. We’re talking sweet wine or honey, plus a generous dip in spiced milk before they’re fried up in olive oil. The end result is a syrupy, soft-on-the-inside, golden-on-the-outside deliciousness.
You’ll find them across most of Spain, but down south, in places like Seville, they are a seasonal obsession.
They’ve been around forever. Some say torrijas go back to Roman times, but the torrijas we know today took off in the 1500s. Convents across Andalusia made them with old bread during Lent. And legend has it, new mums were given torrijas after giving birth to help them bounce back.
Recipe to try at home
Fancy trying them at home? Here’s how to whip up a proper batch, Seville-style:
Grab a day-old baguette and slice it into chunky pieces. In a pan, heat up a litre of whole milk with some lemon zest, a few cardamom pods, and 100 grammes of sugar. Let that simmer until it thickens a bit.
Dip the bread into the milk mixture, one piece at a time. Soak it enough to absorb the flavour, but not so much it turns to mush. Set the slices aside to cool slightly.
Next, heat a shallow pool of olive oil in a frying pan. While that warms up, beat four eggs in a bowl. Dip the soaked bread in the egg, then into the pan. Fry each piece for a couple of minutes per side until it’s golden and crispy. Drain them on paper towels, nobody wants a soggy bottom!
Mix another 100 grammes of sugar with 2.5 teaspoons of ground cinnamon, then dust it all over the hot torrijas. Finally, make a quick syrup with honey and water. Let it boil until thick and glossy, then drizzle it over the top.
Serve warm, and try not to eat the whole tray in one go!
