Torrijas

A Spanish Christmas delicacy — crispy slices of bread soaked in spiced milk, dipped in egg and fried until golden brown. Served with honey and cinnamon.

Ingredients

• 1 pcs Orange
• 1 pcs Lemon
• 1 l Whole milk
• 120 g Sugar
• 1 pcs Cinnamon stick
• 80 ml Dry sherry
• 1 pcs French bread
• 240 ml Olive oil
• 4 pcs Eggs
• 3 tbsp Honey

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan, zest the orange (about 2 teaspoons) and lemon (about 1 teaspoon) using a fine grater. Add the milk, sugar, and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil over medium heat, remove from heat, and pour in the sherry. Let the mixture cool to room temperature.
2. Cut the bread crosswise into slices about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick — you should get approximately 16 pieces. Arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet.
3. Pour the milk mixture over the bread and let it soak for 5 minutes. Flip each slice. Leave the bread for another 5 minutes or so until it has absorbed most of the liquid but is still intact.
4. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers slightly. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs.
5. Take one bread slice at a time, dip it in the egg on all sides, allow excess to drip off, and place on the skillet. Fry the slices in a single layer until golden brown on one side (about 4 minutes), then flip and fry the second side for another 3–4 minutes. Transfer the cooked torrijas to paper towels. Repeat with all remaining slices.
6. Serve the torrijas warm, generously drizzled with honey and sprinkled with cinnamon to taste.