Spanish Torrijas

Instructions

1. Combine the milk, cinnamon stick, lemon peel, and 3 tablespoons sugar in a heavy saucepan. Warm over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until you see steam rising and tiny bubbles forming around the edges — don't let it actually boil or the milk might curdle.

   ⏱ 5 min
2. Pull the pan off the heat and let the milk steep undisturbed — the cinnamon and lemon need this time to infuse their flavors fully. After 10 minutes, strain through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding the solids. The milk should smell distinctly of warm spices.

   ⏱ 10 min
3. Mix the remaining sugar with the ground cinnamon in a shallow dish, breaking up any lumps with your fingers. This coating mixture will cling better to the hot torrijas than if you wait to prepare it later.
4. Working with one slice at a time, submerge each piece of bread in the warm spiced milk for exactly one minute per side. The bread should absorb the liquid without falling apart — if it's too fresh, it might disintegrate, which is why day-old bread works best.

   ⏱ 2 min
5. Lift each milk-soaked slice carefully and dip it in the beaten eggs, making sure both sides get coated. The egg creates a protective shell that keeps the custard-soaked interior from leaking out during frying.
6. Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet until it reaches 350°F on a thermometer. The oil should be deep enough to come about halfway up the bread slices — too shallow and they won't cook evenly.
7. Slide the prepared torrijas into the hot oil, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Fry until deep golden brown on the first side, then flip gently and cook until the second side matches. They're done when they sound hollow when tapped lightly.

   ⏱ 3 min
8. Transfer the hot torrijas to paper towels for just a moment to catch excess oil, then immediately roll each one in the cinnamon sugar mixture while they're still steaming. The residual heat helps the coating stick perfectly.