Recipe

The French Toast Doughnut Hybrid That’s Better Than A Spanish Lover

It’s now been two weeks since Easter Sunday and I’ve finally managed to eat my way through the mountains of Cadbury eggs, peanut butter cups, chocolate bunnies and gummy candy that my parents so graciously sent me. But Easter actually doesn’t stop after one day of festivities: it’s a liturgical season of the Catholic calendar year that lasts fifty days.

Obviously, this means that for fifty more days, you can keep eating copious amounts of delicious desserts (I can just detox after Pentecost, right?). I like to celebrate with this easy recipe for torrijas, a popular Easter food from Spain.

Torrijas are what you’d get if French toast and a doughnut had a sweet, cinnamon-sugary baby. They’re perfect as a complement to your savory bacon and eggs at brunch, or as a late-afternoon snack with tea.

Advanced Course

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Servings: about 20

Photo by Sharon Cho

Ingredients:
For base:
4 cups milk
4 eggs
1 baguette
3 ½ cups vegetable oil
4 cinnamon sticks
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ cup sugar

For topping:
¾ cup sugar
3 ½ teaspoons cinnamon

Directions:
1. Cut the baguette into 1-inch slices.

Photo by Sharon Cho

2. Beat the eggs.

Photo by Sharon Cho

3. Heat the milk, sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon sticks in a saucepan together until the sugar dissolves.

Photo by Sharon Cho

4. Mix the cinnamon and sugar to create the topping.

Photo by Sharon Cho

5. Heat the oil on low heat so that it doesn’t splatter. (Keep an eye on it—you don’t want the oil to splash.)

Photo by Sharon Cho

6. Dip the baguette slices into the milk mixture.

Photo by Sharon Cho

7. Dip the baguette slices into the egg.

Photo by Sharon Cho

8. Fry the slices in the heated oil until golden brown. (This should take about 2 ½ minutes per side, but go by color over exact timing.)

Photo by Sharon Cho

9. Cover the slices in cinnamon sugar.

Photo by Sharon Cho

10. Enjoy!

Photo by Sharon Cho

Can’t get enough of cinnamon sugar? Try these recipes: