Torrejas are a traditional dessert eaten in Latin American countries such as Spain, El Salvador and Mexico, made from bread which is dipped in eggs before being fried and soaked in a sweet syrup.
Bolillo rolls are the preferred type of bread to use for torrejas as they are thick and crusty, so can withstand the liquids without losing their consistency. Stale bread works better than fresh bread for this reason.
Origin & Cultural Significance
The origin of torrejas can be traced back to ancient Roman times. The dish made its way through Europe over time, with some variations to the recipe as spread across different countries. During the Spanish conquest, torrejas were introduced to Mexico where they became a favorite dessert.
Torrejas are popular during la Cuaresma, or Lent, in Mexico. They are also commonly served on holidays such as Easter and Christmas as breakfast or dessert.
They are usually served with a sweet syrup made of brown sugar, sometimes containing liquor such as rum.
There are many variations of the torreja recipe in Mexico, with some versions adding ingredients such as honey, apples, or cinnamon. There are also savory variations of torrejas available which are commonly served with shrimp or fish.
Torrejas are very popular throughout Latin America and Spain, with even more variations to the recipe across these countries. They are comparable to French toast, which is prepared in a similar fashion.
Mexican Torrejas Recipe
Ingredients
- Bolillo rolls - 5
- Eggs - 3
- Brown sugar - 1 lb
- Ground cinnamon - 1 tbsp
- Milk - 1 cup
- Water - 5 cups
- Salt - 1 pinch
- Oil - 1 tbsp
Instructions
- Slice the bolillo rolls into slices that are about 1 inch thick.
- In a large pan, add the brown sugar, cinnamon and water.
- Heat the pan over a high heat until boiling, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 10-15 minutes, until a syrup has formed. Cover and keep warm, but leave to the side.
- Separate the egg whites, add a pinch of salt and whisk until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg yolks to the fluffy egg whites and continue whisking to combine.
- Heat some oil in a frying pan at a medium-high heat.
- Take a slice of bread and dip it in a bowl of milk for a couple of seconds on each side, to soften the bread slightly.
- Next, dip the bread in the whisked eggs until fully coated on all sides.
- Add this slice of bread to the frying pan and fry until golden brown. Flip the bread so all sides are fried for 30-60 seconds.
- After each side has been fried, remove the slice of bread and place it on a plate with a paper towel to absorb the excess oil.
- Repeat this until all of the bread slices have been fried.
- Add the fried bread to the saucepan with the syrup and allow them to soak for a few minutes.
- Serve on a plate with extra syrup on the side.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 432Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 96mgSodium: 213mgCarbohydrates: 89gFiber: 1gSugar: 76gProtein: 7g