Fried Bread - Torrejas
Servings: 10
Ingredients:
1 loaf of
French bread (about 3 inches diameter), cut in 2 or 3 inch thick
slices
1
tablespoon olive oil (not extra-virgin)
2 eggs,
lightly beaten
1 cup
evaporated milk
2 cups
sugar
½ cup
condensed milk
4½ cups
water
1 cup
half and half cream
1 2-inch
piece cinnamon
2 cups
milk
1
tablespoon Cognac
2
tablespoons vanilla
¼ pound
sweet (unsalted) butter
Directions
• Place the
slices of bread in a rectangular glass dish. Although they may seem crowded,
they will fall into place after being soaked in milk. Mix the milks and pour
over the bread. Allow the bread to soak in the milk for 2 hours.
• Remove
the soaked bread carefully with a wide spatula. The bread will be very soft.
Drain the bread on a wire rack over a pan.
• Beat the
eggs lightly. Heat the butter with the oil in a large skillet to frying
temperature. Dip the bread slices in the egg and quickly transfer to the
skillet. Fry until golden. Regulate the temperature of the butter so that
the bread will fry though without burning. Add more butter as necessary.
Drain on paper towels while preparing the syrup.
• Stir the
sugar into the 4½ cups water, add the stick of cinnamon and cook at low heat
until the sugar has completely dissolved and the liquid becomes clear. Boil
for a minute or two. Let cool before adding the optional Cognac. Remove the
stick of cinnamon.
• Place the
fried bread in a deep glass serving dish. Pour the syrup over the bread. It
may be served at room temperature after resting for 10 minutes or
refrigerated and served later.
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