- ½ liter of milk
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 tablespoons of sugar
- 1 lemon (peel)
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla
- 1/8 cup of rum or liquor
- 1 pound of Cuban bread
- 2 eggs
- frying oil
- 1 cup of water
- 1 cup of sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 lemon or orange zest
For the syrup:
Bring half a liter of milk to a boil with 2 or 3 tablespoons of sugar, a cinnamon stick, and a lemon peel. When it boils, remove it from the heat and add rum or another liquor and 1 teaspoon of vanilla.
Cut the bread into slices about one finger thick. Place it on a tray and soak it with the infused milk, taking care not to let it get too soggy or fall apart in the subsequent steps.
In a deep pan, heat the oil.
Beat the eggs and add a little milk so that they have a softer consistency. Dip each slice of bread in the milk, then in the beaten eggs, and fry them one by one in hot oil.
Adding milk to the beaten eggs prevents a thick crust like that of a tortilla from forming when frying the bread; instead, you get a golden color and a thin, crispy layer.
According to the torrejas, they turn golden, so flip them over and fry them on the other side. Then remove them from the oil and fry the next one. Drain them on absorbent paper and set them aside.
Prepare the syrup:
In a pot, place all the ingredients. Let it simmer until it starts to thicken.
When lifting the spoon forms a thread of syrup, remove it from the heat as it is ready. Another way to know is when it sticks to your fingers upon touching it.
To preserve the Abuela's Torrejas, wait for them to cool, place them in a container, and pour the syrup over them until they are covered. Keep them at a cold temperature, and if you want them to make it to dessert at dinner, hide them in the refrigerator, because they disappear quickly.
Enjoy your meal!