Spanish traditional food torrijos recipe. Torrijas - Spain's Easter dish
We haven't had something for a long time delicious posts, so before I start a series of articles from frosty Finland, where we returned from the other day, I will please you with something sweet ๐
In December we went for a drive. And if the main impression of the trip was undoubtedly the Dolomites, then in second place was just the most delicious cuisine!
Generally, with Italian cuisine we have had a friendly (to say the least) relationship for a very long time, so italian dishes deserve a separate article, but it's almost impossible to try and not fall in love with Italian desserts!
In this article I will tell you about 18 delicious desserts that we had a chance to try during the trip.
I hasten to please the sweet tooth gourmets - in Italy there are much more than 18 of them, in Sicily alone you can try so many sweets that the taste buds will obviously get satisfaction for several months in advance.
But today we are not talking about Sicilian sweets, we have not yet reached there, but I am sure that in the future we will find time for this island as well. So in this article I will talk about Italian desserts in general, and mainly about the preferences of the Alpine region.
Going to Italy? Then our selection is for you - read the article and you will know for sure what you should definitely try!
In general, the word dessert comes from the French "dessert", and means the final of the meal with the obligatory receipt of special taste sensations. Moreover, it does not have to be a sweet dish, for example, I adore cheese plate as a dessert, and which ones in Italy delicious cheeses, mmm .. especially with mold .. and real parmesan.. Delicious! But today there will be only sweet desserts in the photo!
I'll start with the most popular Italian dessert - Tiramisu, I don't believe there are sweet tooth who haven't tried it, it's something airy, tender!
At the heart of the dessert - italian biscuits savoyardi soaked in coffee. But I fell in love with Tiramisu rather because it contains my favorite ingredient - cheese (mascarpone). This is not a cake, and not a pudding, in general words cannot be described. The dessert originated in the 17th century, in Florence.
Translated from Italian, "tiramisu" means "lift me up", probably because of the stimulating effect of combining coffee with chocolate, and in the alcoholic version this effect is also enhanced by brandy (we prefer the first option) 
In the photo is the tiramisu that we ate in Italy, and more recently we ate homemade tiramisu at our friends' house, and how Lyosha and I prepared this dessert ourselves, read here:
(Panna cotta)
Panna Cotta is another famous italian dessert! Like tiramisu, this dessert is prepared without baking. What I love him for is his lightness in every sense)) even after a hearty lunch or dinner, there is always a place for a panna cotta!
Classic panna cotta served with strawberries or strawberry jam... In general, there are all kinds of panna cotta variations - caramel, coffee, chocolate, mint, etc.
In fact, this is boiled cream with gelatin, if there is a lot of gelatin, then the dessert keeps its shape and is served in a plate. I prefer a less dense consistency, almost without gelatin, this option is very tender and is served in bowls or glasses 
Mint-chocolate parfait "After eight"
(Mint and Chocolate Parfait "After Eight")
Parfait is originally a dish French cuisine, which is made from cream, whipped with sugar and vanilla, and then frozen, in the American version ice cream is also added to the cream.
Judging by the taste, the Italians used the American experience here, the dessert turned out to be creamy, but not heavy, and due to mint it is very refreshing 
Buckwheat pie with cranberry marmalade
(Buckwheat pie with Cranberry Marmelade)
In Finland and Estonia, we tried mini-pancakes-pancakes made from buckwheat flour, but buckwheat pie was tasted for the first time here in Italy, and if we had not been told what it was made of, I think that we would hardly have guessed.
To the taste - yes, it definitely differs from a pie made from ordinary flour, but how to guess that it is made from buckwheat, if for us buckwheat is always just a side dish? In Italy buckwheat flour used for cakes, cookies, muffins, pancakes, and other baked goods, the dish turns out to be dietary - what is needed for a sweet tooth who follows a figure ๐ 
Caprese cake with vanilla sauce
(Caprese Cake on Vanilla Sause)
Originally from the small island of Capri, near Naples, this cake is made from almonds, chocolate and lemon peel. It may not be very clear from the photo, but it has a hard crust and a slightly soft texture inside.
This cake was with the addition of flour, but in the original, the Caprese cake is prepared without it at all, his recipe, by the way, was born quite by accident, the chef simply forgot to add flour, this did not prevent the almond-chocolate dessert from being delicious. 
Ricotta and grape cake
(Ricotta Cake with Grapes)
A stunning cake is a discovery dessert for me, I first tried it on this trip. If we talk about cheese cakes, then my favorite has always been cheesecake, but in the cafe on the slope it was not, but it was different cheese cake- with ricotta, together with moderately soaked chocolate biscuit, grapes and dark chocolate icing, the combination turns out to be delicious, I recommend! 
Coffee mousse with amaretto
(Coffee Mousse with Amaretti)
The coffee mousse is not bad at all, especially when you consider the fact that it is watered with chocolate syrup and decorated with cream and meringues, and has amaretto as an aromatic additive.
But it's amazing if I like coffee very much, especially cappuccino and latte, then here coffee desserts, be it mousse, coffee cake or chocolate with the addition of grains, does not cause so much emotion in me, out of all the variety of desserts, I will choose it last. Verdict - tasty, but not mine 
Apple strudel with cinnamon
(Apple Strudel with Cinnamon Sauce)
Generally, Apple strudel- This is a traditional Austrian dish, it even has a second name - Vienna strudel. Over time, many people fell in love with this warm dessert, so it can be found almost everywhere, and Italy is, of course, no exception.
The only thing I was surprised is why it is served here, even though it is warm, but without ice cream, although I definitely like the idea of โโdecorating any dessert with whipped cream and fresh berries / fruits. The cinnamon is here not only in the sauce, but also together with the apple and nuts inside the strudel 
A baked apple is also held in high esteem, in the lower right corner is just it, with cinnamon and strawberries. And yet, just by the way - in a transparent glass, thick chocolate muss(I did not single out it separately) 
Carrot cake
(Carrot Cake Campiglio Style)
I love carrot cakes with marzipan frosting, but what we were served here, at least in the Trentino region, looked more like a cupcake. If such a dessert is quite tasty with sauce and cream, then apart from them it is rather dry.
For those who love cupcakes and simple pies, you will like the dessert, but if you are a connoisseur of carrot, enough soaked cakes, then it is better to choose another dessert 
Licorice parfait with berry sauce
(Liquorice Parfait with Red Fruits Sauce)
Then I was really surprised - something, but I didn't expect to see a dessert with licorice in Italy. It seems to me that licorice in Europe is like durian in Asia - they either adore it or hate it. I treat the first category as dope, varnish and licorice ๐
The greatest abundance of liquorice products (mostly sweets) I have come across in Finland and Sweden.
The dessert surpassed all expectations, I liked it more than panna cotta and tiramisu combined, perhaps the reason for this is the licorice I adore, although we suck it a little here, Lesha is not a big lover of licorice, he also appreciated this dessert 
(Chocolate Cake)
Chocolate lovers will definitely love Italy, chocolate cake- This is one of the most common desserts in a cafe. As a rule, it is chocolate biscuit with chocolate icing with a layer of caramel or, again, chocolate)) 
It is often also garnished with fruit, cream, syrup, nuts, or ice cream. 
Yoghurt mousse with chocolate sauce
(Cream Yogurt Mousse with Chocolate Sause)
This yoghurt dessert is a great option for the evening if you don't feel like overeating - tender, chilled and very light. In general, once upon a time I was a fan of yogurt cakes, mousse is, of course, something different, but the taste is the same, just some kind of nostalgia)) 
Chestnut pie with vanilla sauce
(Chestnuts Cake with Vanilla Sauce)
Unusual chestnut pie, why not try it ๐ I prefer โwetโ cakes, with a consistency similar to marzipan. I know that chestnut cakes are exactly like this, but again, it all depends on the pastry chef and the proportions of the ratio of flour and paste / chestnut jam. If you like variety, it's definitely worth a try! 
Frozen mousse with caramelized hazelnuts
(Iced Mousse with Crunchy Hazelnuts)
Awesome dessert, very light and pleasant, somewhere between mousse, yogurt and ice cream, and kind of different from parfait.
I'm not sure, but perhaps, by freezing any mousse, you can get a completely new texture and flavors dessert, and if you also add cream, strawberries, mint leaf and caramelized hazelnuts, you will generally get delicious. 
(Gelato)
Oh yes, this is what it is worth going to Italy for !! Italian ice cream is simply divine! In Italy, there are more than 30 varieties of local "gelato" - from pistachio and "masked" to various sorbets from 
served both in horns and in bowls with fruits, nuts, chocolate chips and grated cookies 
Multiple prize-winner and winner of culinary and pastry contests - I tried Dondoli ice cream in San Gimignano, when, and I remember ice cream in one of the oldest gelateria, with a Venchi chocolate wall fountain, I recommend it!
The photo below shows delicious ice cream in Milan, strawberry-chocolate, with not yet frozen meringue and waffle, the institution is called Cioccolat Italiani 
And finally, an unusual Italian dessert - fire, in every sense))
Fruits in brown sugar on the fire
(Brown Sugar Flamed Creme Brule)
The unusualness of the dessert lies in the fact that the pastry chef prepared it right in the restaurant hall in front of us, so that we could not only see all the cooking tricks, but also, if desired, remember all the ingredients and the step-by-step recipe itself ๐ 
We were so mesmerized by the action 
that we were not up to trying to remember the recipe, and we are unlikely to repeat this in the kitchen)) 
However, if they just brought us this dessert, we would not fully appreciate it, 
so such a presentation, in this case, only increased its value in our eyes =) 
Would you like to try this dessert?
Other desserts
Well, and of course, besides all kinds of cakes, mousses, pies and ice cream, biscuits are held in high esteem in Italy! There are a wide variety of Italian cookies - with nuts, chocolate, raisins, crumbly and very dense, ginger, vanilla, etc., and if the freshest, then certainly very tasty !! 
Sometimes they brought us such mini-desserts. 
The photo below is also popular italian cake with cookies on top, sprinkled with powder. I tried these cakes in different places, and each time it turned out that they look tastier than they actually are .. maybe that's why I didn't remember the name either. If you suddenly know, write in the comments 
Have a nice tea party! What desserts do you like? Share in the comments!
Cooking instructions
30 minutes Print
2. With a mixer, beat the softened butter with sugar until white, add the yolks, vanilla and continue beating. Mixer Tool Beating egg whites, as well as kneading other substances like minced meat or dough, is convenient not by hand (as it takes time and effort), but using a mixer like KitchenAid. For example, the Artisan model has ten speed settings and three different attachments to work with any consistency, and it is also a universal food processor at the same time.
3. Add 180 ml milk and flour, continue whisking.
4. Separately beat the whites into a strong foam. Gently mix the proteins with the dough using a silicone spatula.
Crib How to beat the whites
5. Grease a baking dish butter and dust with flour so that the cake does not stick to the sides and bottom during baking.
6. Gently pour the dough into a mold and bake in an oven preheated to 180 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Tool Oven thermometer How the oven actually heats up, even if you set a specific temperature, can only be understood with experience. It is better to have a small thermometer on hand, which is placed in the oven or simply hung on the grate. And it is better that it shows degrees Celsius and Fahrenheit at the same time and accurately - like a Swiss watch. A thermometer is important when it is necessary to strictly observe the temperature regime: for example, in the case of baking.
1. Sift flour and baking powder, add salt. Separate the whites from the yolks. Flour seeder tool Flour needs to be sieved even if you ground it yourself and vouch for the absence of lumps and pellets. Waking up through a sieve, the flour loosened up, saturated with oxygen, the dough rises better and its texture is then better. You can sift with any fine sieve or, for example, a special OXO seeder, which works on the principle of a meditative rocking chair.
For many of us, the taste of childhood is associated with slices of bread fried in milk, eggs and sugar. The preparation of this delicacy was the crown jewel of most mothers and grandmothers. When planning a trip to Spain, you can return to your true childhood.
The sunny country has its own sweet toast soaked in milk or wine, and they are called torrijas. With the approach of the Catholic Semana Santa, or Holy Week (March 20-26, 2016), this dish is becoming especially relevant, and it is served in all bars and restaurants.
Mark on history
First recipe unusual use bread was found in one of the 14th century cookbooks, it belonged to a French chef. Of course, the world-famous baguette did not yet exist, but how to use stale bread had already been invented. The culinary specialist recommended dipping the pieces in an egg, sprinkling with sugar and frying in oil. Torrijas just means fried.
This sweetness reached Spain somewhere in the 15th century. The "father of the Spanish drama" Juan del Ensina mentioned torrijas in his book as a good remedy for recovering from hard physical work. In his opinion, honey and eggs contributed to this. In the 20th century, torrijas were very popular in Madrid taverns - they were served as an addition to wine.
The tradition of making golden toast during Holy Week has a religious explanation. Bread, both in Christianity and in Catholicism, is associated with the body of Jesus Christ. Eggs and milk are baths to cleanse his body, and frying in oil is suffering before the Resurrection. In ancient times, this dessert was considered divine.
Torrijas are also popular these days, which is why they are cooked all year round and are often served with cinnamon, syrup, liqueur, or honey.
Following traditions
For torrijas, it is best to use a regular sliced โโloaf (or any thick bread) two days old. If the bread is still soft, you can dry it in the oven or toaster. The pieces should not be more than two centimeters thick.
Ingredients:
- 250 g white bread
- 0.5 l milk
- 3 tbsp. l. Sahara
- 2 eggs
- Cinnamon stick
- Peel of 1 lemon
To prepare a traditional Spanish sweet, you need to heat the milk, add sugar, lemon peel, cinnamon stick to it and stir well. Hold on the stove for a few more minutes so that the sugar is completely dissolved (do not bring to a boil). Let the mixture sit for a while and soak the pieces of bread in it. So that they are properly soaked, wait 5-10 minutes.
At this time, beat eggs and heat a pan with sunflower oil. Dipping bread in egg mixture, fry it on both sides until golden crust... If you are cooking for a large company, do not forget to change the oil. Place the toasted bread on a paper towel to remove excess oil.
You can experiment, and part cow's milk replace with coconut or use red dry wine instead of milk. In the latter case, it is better to infuse the mixture for 8 hours.
Delicious syrup is the key to success
An equally important task is to prepare a delicious syrup that is poured over torrijas. The easiest option is to bring 0.5 liters of water with 125 grams of sugar to a boil and wait for the liquid to evaporate by half. You can add one tablespoon of sweet white wine or your favorite liqueur.
As soon as the torrijas has cooled, pour syrup over them, sprinkle with cinnamon, powdered sugar, or add a few drops of honey - and the dish is ready. Also, toast goes well with a scoop of vanilla ice cream garnished with mint leaves.
A more complicated option is orange-chocolate torrijas. To prepare the syrup, you need to squeeze out 150 ml orange juice and mix it with 100 grams of sugar, heat over low heat. When the sugar has dissolved, add a tablespoon of honey and stir until slightly thickened. Then cool and soak the already fried torrijas. Melt the chocolate in a water bath, dip half a toast in it and let it set. Unusual torrijas with orange and chocolate are ready!
Torrijas in Spanish restaurants
Torrijas is a simple and unpretentious Spanish dessert with a truly luxurious taste. The first written mentions of torrijas are found in the sources of the 15th century. At the time, it was believed that honey-supplemented torrijas had medicinal properties. But the dish earned the nationwide love first of all because it was affordable and made it possible to save and use even the most stale bread in food. Over the past centuries, the dish has not lost its popularity and today it is one of the most traditional Easter dishes in Spanish cuisine.
Behind the mysterious name "torrijas" (translated from Spanish - fried) hides the familiar and familiar to many toasts - pieces of bread fried in a pan. However, the Spanish approach to cooking this simple dish radically changes its taste and transforms seemingly unremarkable slices stale bread into a sumptuous treat that you want to enjoy over and over again. Soaked in sweet, flavored milk or wine, wrapped in a spicy sugar syrup Torrijas, ruddy and deliciously fried on the outside, remain incredibly juicy and tender on the inside and literally melt in your mouth. To say that it is delicious is to say nothing! Try it!
Prepare the ingredients according to the list.
Make orange syrup. Juice 2 large oranges. Measure the resulting amount of juice (I got 150 milliliters).
Pour the juice into a small saucepan and add equal amount sugar (in my case - 150 grams).
Bring the mixture to a boil, skimming off the foam and stirring occasionally, simmer the syrup over medium heat for 7-10 minutes, until it thickens slightly. Then turn off the heat and let the syrup cool while you cook the croutons. During the cooling process, the syrup will thicken even more.
Instead of orange syrup, you can also use regular sugar syrup by boiling a mixture of 150 ml of water and 150 grams of sugar until thickened, or even just sprinkle the croutons with powdered sugar, but with orange syrup it will be much tastier.
Slice 2-day-old stale white bread into 2-inch-thick slices. Slightly dried bread with a firm crumb, like a classic loaf or baguette, is ideal for making dessert. If there is no stale bread at hand, but you really want toast, dry the slices of bread in a toaster or oven, so they will become denser and will not fall apart during the preparation of toast.
Place the bread slices in a deep dish or high-rimmed baking dish.
Prepare flavored milk. Measure milk into a saucepan. Add a cinnamon stick, 2-3 tbsp. sugar and zest of 1 orange, cut into large pieces.
Bring the milk to a boil over low heat, stirring occasionally. Then turn off the heat and cover the slices of bread with hot milk.
Soak the slices of bread in the milk for 5-10 minutes, or until the slices are completely soaked in the milk. The time of soaking bread in milk is variable, depending on the density of the bread crumb and the staleness of the bread and can go up to 30 minutes. The result, which is worth focusing on - the pieces of bread should become nourished and moderately elastic, like a sponge, but at the same time retain their shape and not fall apart in your hands. Slices French baguette two days of freshness, I soaked for about 8-10 minutes.
In a separate container, beat 2 eggs lightly with a fork.
Dip the slices of bread into the beaten egg.
And fry over medium heat in a small amount vegetable oil on both sides until golden brown.
Place the fried torrijas on a napkin or paper towel for a few seconds to absorb the excess oil.
Then top the croutons with prepared orange syrup and serve.
Torrijas sweet Spanish croutons are ready. Bon Appetit!
Torrijas- This is a traditional sweet Easter dish, in a nutshell, it is bread that is soaked in milk or wine, dipped in an egg and fried in a large amount of vegetable oil. And as you already understood - it looks like our Russian croutons!
A little about the history of Torrijas. The first mentions of this dish were found in documents from the 15th century, which advised women to eat them with honey in the postpartum period. Then in 1607, Domingo Hernandes de Maceras, a chef at the University of Salamanca's student residence, described the Torrijas recipe in his famous book on how students of that era should eat.
At the beginning of the 20th century, it was very popular in Madrid taverns to serve Torrijas with a glass of wine.
It is believed that Torrijas began to be prepared as an Easter dish because in Great Lent when it was impossible to eat meat, the consumption of bread in families also decreased, and the same amount was baked as before. Therefore, it was necessary to somehow use the remaining bread so that it did not disappear. This is how this Easter table dish appeared in Spain.
Now how to cook Torrijas. This will require the following products: 1 long loaf of white bread, ยฝ liter of milk, 125 gr. sugar, 1 cinnamon stick, a little cinnamon powder, zest of one orange or lemon, several eggs (depending on the size of the loaf), sunflower oil.
We cut the loaf into pieces 1.5 - 2 cm thick. It is better to take the loaf not fresh, one or two days old. Whisk the eggs in one bowl and mix the sugar and cinnamon powder in the other.
Pour milk into a saucepan and put a cinnamon stick, orange stick or lemon zest... Put on fire and heat until hot over low heat. Let the milk steep so that it absorbs the aroma of cinnamon and citrus.
Then soak the pieces of bread in milk, but do not allow the bread to completely soften. Discard the soaked pieces in a colander or wire rack to allow excess milk to glass.
In a deep skillet, heat a large amount of sunflower oil... Dip soaked pieces of bread in an egg and fry in butter on both sides.
Remove the finished Torrijas on a paper towel to remove excess oil. Dip each in a mixture of sugar and cinnamon, put on a dish and can be served!
As mentioned above, instead of milk, bread can be soaked in sweet wine - this is a matter of taste! And instead of sugar, you can pour it with honey or syrup. As with any dish, you can always improvise.
As you can see, making Spanish Torrijas is easy and simple! And delicious!