Spanish Style French Toast Torrijas

Spanish Style French Toast Torrijas

Spanish-style French toast, or torrijas, is basically French toast, bread pudding, and creme brulee all rolled into one, and it is nothing short of magical.

Ingredients :

• 4 cups milk
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 orange, zested
• 1 lemon, zested
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 whole cloves
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• the rest
• 3 large egg yolks
• 2 large whole eggs
• 4 slices stale french bread or brioche
• 1 cup olive oil, or as needed, for frying
• 4 tablespoons turbinado sugar (raw sugar)

Directions

1. Combine milk, white sugar, salt, orange zest, lemon zest, cinnamon, cloves, and vanilla in a saucepan, whisk, and bring to a simmer over medium-heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently for 5 minutes.
2. Strain milk through a mesh strainer and transfer 2 cups into a shallow dish in which to soak stale bread; set aside.
3. Transfer remaining 2 cups infused milk into a saucepan to make the custard sauce; add yolks and whisk thoroughly. Return saucepan to medium-low heat, and cook, stirring with a spatula and scraping the bottom constantly, until the mixture gets hot and thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat; immediately pour through a fine mesh strainer. Let cool and refrigerate until needed.
4. Soak stale bread in milk, turning a few times, until most of milk is absorbed and bread is saturated. Remove to a pan or plate and refrigerate until needed.
5. Beat whole eggs in a wide shallow bowl. Coat bread on both sides in the egg.
6. Pour olive oil, 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep into a nonstick skillet, and heat over medium heat. Fry soaked bread in the hot oil until browned and puffed, about 4 minutes per side. When fully cooked, the bread will spring back when touched in the center.
7. Remove to a plate. Top each slice with 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar. Use a blowtorch with a low flame to brûlée the surface. Serve immediately with custard sauce.