Jeff Misenti
Difficulty Level: easy
Don’t throw out your stale bread. This torrejas recipe, or Spanish-style French toast, puts it to great use. In just 45 minutes, you can turn yesterday’s dry, hard loaf into something warm, sweet, and delicious.
Some recipes are made for today’s fast world. Whether you’re trying to avoid food waste or just want to try something new, the combination of eggs, milk, cinnamon, and sugar is a winner each and every time.
Once the bread becomes tender on the inside, golden on the outside, and the smell of cinnamon fills the room, you’ll be salivating at how good stale bread can be. Add a little honey or powdered sugar to up the sweetness, and you’re ready.
If you’re intrigued by how good stale bread can taste, check out the ingredients and cooking steps below.
Torrejas Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup of whole milk
- 1/4 cup of granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- 8 slices of stale bread or brioche
- 1/4 cup of unsalted butter
- Vegetable oil for frying
- 1/4 cup of honey or syrup, for serving
- Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)
Torrejas Instructions
- Crack the eggs into a large bowl and whisk until the yolks and whites are fully combined.
- Pour in the milk, then add sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. Whisk again until the sugar looks mostly dissolved and the mixture is smooth.
- Arrange the bread in a shallow dish. Pour the mixture over the slices and let them soak at least 5 minutes per side.
- Heat your oven to 200°F and slide a baking sheet inside so you can keep finished torrejas warm as you cook the others.
- Set a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and a small splash of vegetable oil, the oil helps keep the butter from browning too fast.
- Once the pan is hot and the butter is melted, lay in a few soaked slices. Work in batches so the bread has room to brown.
- Cook for 4 minutes per side, until deeply golden.
- Move cooked torrejas to the warm oven while you finish all slices.
- Serve warm with honey, syrup, or powdered sugar.