Santa Teresa’s toasts

By their name alone, these sweet slices of bread allude to their religious origins—the monastery.
Torrades de santa teresa catalanfood

Torrades de Santa Teresa
By their name alone, these sweet slices of bread allude to their religious origins—the monastery. Many of the earliest Catalan-language recipes first appeared in culinary treatises written in convents and, as such, were closely linked to the simple and economic practices of traditional Catalan cooking. This particular recipe, which is of Carmelite origin, is a clear example of the Catalan custom of zero-waste cooking, as day-old bread makes for a delicious final product.

TRADITIONS

Santa Teresa’s Toast moved from convents to Catalan kitchens, transforming into a home- cooked dessert that took on new names and flavors as it traveled. Indeed, its popularity extends to the United States, where a version of it remains a sweet staple of any brunch menu.

4
30 min

Ingredients

  • 6 slices of day-old bread, roughly 3/4-inch thick
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 strip lemon rind
  • 3 eggs
  • Beaten Sugar, preferably caster
  • Mild olive oil for frying

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1.
In a saucepan, combine the milk, lemon rind, and cinnamon and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn off the heat and let sit for 10 minutes.

Step 2.
Strain the milk into a separate bowl and cool. Beat the eggs and sugar together.

Step 3.
Heat the oil in a pan until shimmering, making sure it doesn’t smoke.

Step 4.
Briefly soak the bread in the milk, making sure it doesn’t absorb too much liquid, then dip in the egg mixture. Repeat with each slice.

Step 5.
Fry each slice on both sides, then place on a wire rack. Serve warm, with a little bit of sugar sprinkled on top.

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