Easy Spanish Bread Pudding (Torrijas) Recipe

Name: Easy Spanish Bread Pudding (Torrijas)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 4 to 6 slices bread; 3/4 cup milk; 1 large egg; Vegetable oil, for frying; 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional; 1/4 cup cinnamon sugar, optional

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 15 mins

Total: 25 mins

Servings: 4 to 6 servings

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This Spanish sweet dish, known as torrijas, is traditionally eaten during Lent, the 40 days before Easter. It is believed to have originated in Andalucian convents during the XV century as a way to use up stale bread. Today it is a popular breakfast food all over Spain.

The British call it bread pudding, while Americans would probably call it French toast. Although torrijas are popular for breakfast, they can be eaten anytime. The Spanish generally use a French-style baguette, as in the photo, but white bread can be used, too.

Torrijas are also known as rebandas de Carnaval or tortillas de leche and there are many variations of this beloved dish and some are included at the end of the recipe.

4 to 6 slices bread
3/4 cup milk
1 large egg
Vegetable oil, for frying
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
1/4 cup cinnamon sugar, optional

Gather the ingredients.
Pour milk into a medium-sized mixing bowl. Add egg and beat together. Add vanilla extract, if using.
Pour enough oil into a large frying pan to cover the bottom and heat on medium.
Place one slice bread in milk-egg mixture and quickly flip it over with a fork.
If bread is more than a day old, you might need to soak for 2 to 3 minutes or more, so that it softens up. Be careful that bread does not soften so much that it crumbles when lifted out of the bowl.
Carefully lift bread out of mixture and let excess milk drain before placing bread in frying pan. Repeat for each of the other slices.
After 2 to 3 minutes, check bottom of bread. As the slices turn golden, turn each one.
Remove each piece from pan and place on a plate. Sprinkle top with sugar and cinnamon. If you prefer, drizzle honey over top. Garnish with fresh fruit and serve immediately.

How to Reheat

If the torrijas cool down and you wish to heat them up, place them back in the frying pan on low heat or in a toaster oven at a low temperature. Do not place them in a microwave because this will cause the bread to become rubbery.

How to Serve

If you are eating torrijas for breakfast, learn tips on preparing great coffee or cafe con leche in this discourse on Spanish breakfast foods.

Tip

If you do not have stale bread on hand, lightly toast the sliced bread so that it dries out enough to soak up the milk and not turn to mush.

Recipe Variations

Instead of soaking the slices of bread in milk and egg mixture, soak in sweet red wine and then dip in beaten egg.
Substitute 1/2 cup milk and 1/4 cup half-and-half for the 3/4 cup milk to give a richer taste.
Pour flavored honey, such as orange blossom, clover, or eucalyptus, over bread before serving.

Sourdough French Toast

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
188	Calories
11g	Fat
17g	Carbs
5g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories	188
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 11g	14%
Saturated Fat 1g	7%
Cholesterol 33mg	11%
Sodium 177mg	8%
Total Carbohydrate 17g	6%
Dietary Fiber 1g	3%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 0mg	0%
Calcium 88mg	7%
Iron 1mg	7%
Potassium 96mg	2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.