The easiest way yo explain torrejas is that they are the Salvadoran version of a french toast. They are bread slices folded in milk and egg and then cooked in a pan and topped with an authentic Salvadoran syrup.
A fun fact, this dessert is predominant in the Capital which I didn’t know until I was in my 20s. One day I ask for a French toast in the menu, and they quickly said, those are called torrejas. I quickly realized how much I was exposed to the American culture more than my own! I guess I knew more about french toast because a dear friend taught me how to make them when I was serving for my church in Guatemala. She is American.
I hope you can follow some tricks here to make torrejas in a more simple way. See the notes at the bottom of the recipe.
Simple ingredients
White bread loaf, check my egg- yolk bread https://salvadorankitchen.com/traditional-salvadoran-bread-torta-de-yema/
Cinnamon
Milk
Eggs
Piloncillo or brown sugar
Allspice
How to make Torrejas (step by step)
- Slice bread in one inch thick pieces.
- In a pan place water, brown sugar or piloncillo, cloves, half of cinnamon stick, and allspice. Mix well until all is dissolved and well combined. You can use maple syrup for a healthier version. This will avoid step two.
- In a different pan place milk and half cinnamon stick. Bring it to boil and let it rest until is cooled. You can also use cold pasteurized milk, and add ground cinnamon to avoid step three.
- In a bowl beat eggs until they have soft peaks.
- Take each piece of cut bread and quickly fold it in cooled milk, then the egg.
- In a skillet at medium heat, put oil — spread it really well, then add the torreja. Cook each piece about 60 seconds. See how the edges change in color to flip it and cook it the other side.
- To serve, in a big shallow plate, place the syrup and add the torrejas. Enjoy!
How to serve
Serve hot with the syrup.
How to store
If you have not place the torrejas in the syrup, use an airtight container or a sealed bag to keep them fresh in the fridge for about three days.
Best Salvadoran Torrejas
Ingredients
Instructions
- Slice bread in one inch thick pieces.
- In a pan place water, brown sugar or piloncillo, cloves, half of cinnamon stick, and allspice. Mix well until all is dissolved and well combined.
- In a different pan place milk and half cinnamon stick. Bring it to boil and let it rest until is cooled.
- In a bowl beat eggs until they have soft peaks.
- Take each piece of cut bread and quickly fold it in cooled milk, then the egg.
- In a skillet at medium heat, put oil — spread it really well, then add the torreja. Cook each piece about 60 seconds. See how the edges change in color to flip it and cook it the other side.
- To serve, in a big shallow plate, place the syrup and add the torrejas. Enjoy!
Notes
- 1. You can use maple syrup for a healthier version. This will avoid step two.
- 2. You can also use cold pasteurized milk, and add ground cinnamon to avoid step three.