French Toast with Sweet Wine and Cinnamon

La storia di questo piatto

Torrijas are the edible memory of Holy Week in Spain, born in the silence between prayers and bells, when every Spanish grandmother's kitchen became a cathedral of warm bread and devotion.

Ingredienti

• 400 g Baguette or Tuscan bread
• 300 ml Whole milk
• 150 ml Sweet wine (Moscato or Pedro Ximénez)
• 80 g Caster sugar
• 2 teaspoons Ground cinnamon
• 2 pieces Eggs
• 500 ml Vegetable oil or lard for frying
• 1 piece Cinnamon stick
• 1 piece Lemon zest

Preparazione

1. Pour the milk into a small saucepan together with the sweet wine, add the cinnamon stick and the lemon zest—and I must insist you take it only from the yellow part, without any of the white pith which will make it bitter. Heat gently over low heat until you see the first wisp of steam rising from the surface, then turn off the heat immediately and let it rest for 10 minutes so that all the aromas marry together beautifully.
2. Slice the bread into pieces about two fingers thick—it's better if it's slightly stale because it will hold up to soaking without falling apart. Dip each slice into the warm milk for just a few seconds on each side, just enough for it to drink in the liquid: if you feel it bending too much between your fingers, you've overdone it.
3. Beat the eggs in a wide bowl with a fork, just enough to properly bind the whites and yolks together. Coat each milk-soaked slice in the egg on both sides, making sure it gets dressed evenly all over before you transfer it to the pan.
4. Heat plenty of oil in a high-sided pan over medium-high heat: when you see a light haze beginning to rise and a small piece of bread sizzles immediately when dropped in, that's your signal it's ready. Fry the slices for 2 to 3 minutes on each side without crowding the pan, until they turn a beautiful amber-golden color and become crispy on the outside.
5. Place the torrijas on paper towels to let any excess oil drain away. While they're still hot—because that's when the sugar will dissolve a little and stick to them better—dust them generously with sugar mixed together with ground cinnamon.