✦ Yann Tyng, our Content Writer based in Spain, gets curious about how to make this delicious treat typically eaten in Spain during Easter.
One of the most valuable things about any culture is its traditional food and recipes. At Brilliant-Online, we love our food and it's a great way to bring people together on any occasion.
Easter in Spain is a big deal, with the solemn Holy Week processions being the highlight of the celebrations. On the culinary front, one of the most typical sweets that are served during this time is the humble torrijas. It's a type of bread pudding, which basically consists of dipping slices of bread in a mixture of milk, eggs and sugar. Each family has their unique recipe (the best Spanish food is found in a Spanish grandmother's house, so don't feel you need to spend loads at a Michelin-star restaurant with a year-long waiting list) but what many Spaniards tell me is it's best to use stale bread. Let it sit for a couple of days because stale bread is 'tougher' and can soak up more of the mixture.
The beauty of torrijas is really in its simplicity and tradition. It's not a sophisticated, intricate dessert, but it does conjure up wonderful memories for many Spaniards as they recall their grandmothers frying torrijas in the kitchen when they were children. It is typically fried in olive oil, and given our current climate change crisis, this treat is no longer as humble as it used to be.
Olive oil prices in Spain have increased by 112% since last year. Yes, you read that right. 112%. Drought and extreme heatwaves have affected the olive trees and production has plummeted as a result. Spain is the world's leading producer of olive oil, and this is a harsh fact of climate change hitting us right between the eyes. A quintessential must-have in the kitchen is now so expensive you'll think twice about frying your food.
True blue Spaniards will swear by the olive oil and say you cannot possibly downgrade torrijas by using an alternative oil. Where torrijas used to be a humble dish that was perhaps born out of an idea not to waste stale bread (not unlike our Chinese fried rice using leftover rice and bits and bobs in the fridge to whip up a new dish), it is now a royal treat.
So if you are in Spain this time of the year and want to try some torrijas, savour it slowly!
✦ Torrijas, a Spanish Bread Pudding Recipe
Ingredients:
Milk 500ml
1 cinnamon stick
Bit of lemon zest
Sugar 100gr
4 slices of stale bread
2 eggs
Extra virgin olive oil for frying
Water
Honey 150g
Cinnamon powder (optional)
See the recipe for torrijas step-by-step here:
As I cannot cook to save my life, I decided to buy a piece of torrijas from a neighbourhood bakery. A traditional bakery will always wrap your goodies in paper and string, which I find rather quaint. I love my torrijas with a nice cup of English tea*. It's great for people with a very sweet tooth, and the creaminess of the centre of the bread is an absolute delight. That was my afternoon treat as I write this article!
*Remember to join our #BrilliantTea campaign and stand a chance to win a lovely Blue Tea Pack from My Blue Tea!
Try out the recipe in the video, and share with us your version of Spanish torrijas! ❋
Read more #BrilliantSpain stories here:
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