Pilar Salas |
Madrid (EFE).- Although Spain can boast of many regional sweets at Easter, the French toast has not only become widespread and established itself as a protagonist, but thanks to multiple competitions that reward innovation and the initiative of pastry chefs and chefs, today they can be find all kinds of versions.
The best in the country in its traditional recipe, according to the jury of the VIII National Torrijas Contest held in Astorga (León), is, curiously and for the second time, the one made in the Gabiria de Getxo (Vizcaya) butcher shop, as simple as bread, milk, sugar, egg and cinnamon.
The best savory version went to the Azul Mediterráneo from Valladolid with its bread infused in garlic soup stuffed with tomato, roast lamb and egg yolk, and the one from Xokoreto (Castronuño, Valladolid) with a trompe l’oeil that emulates Pringles potatoes was chosen as innovative. and is based on a French toast porridge cut into thin slices dried in the oven.
Not only contests fire the imagination; The bistro-bakery The Omar of the La Ancha Family (Madrid) proposes a version made with brioche bread soaked in milk meringue with English cream with Madagascar vanilla, salted peanut toffee and caramelized popcorn with a toasted almond bath.
Torrijas in beer infusion
If in some places the French toast is soaked in wine, in La Hermosita (Madrid) the 5-star French toast takes on the bitterness of the infusion of blonde beer, brown sugar and honey syrup in which the bread is soaked, which once fried is decorate with a layer of buttercream reminiscent of the foam of this drink and chocolate stars.
Solo de Croquetas goes one step further, which puts its French toast-flavored croquettes on sale for the entire peninsula during Easter, suitable for celiacs, lactose intolerant and vegetarians.
There are also versions for lovers of Asian cuisine, such as the one proposed by the China Crown restaurant in the capital, with brioche, five Chinese spices and caramel; La Duquesita from Madrid also has an Asian touch, which incorporates ginger and white chocolate, and those from Barracuda MX (Madrid) and Mantarraya MX (Marbella, Málaga) with croissant dough bathed in tres leches, cinnamon and sauce. guava.
Another exotic touch is the one presented by BiBo (Madrid and Marbella) with its French toast with white chocolate, red berries, coconut and molasses, while in Katz (Madrid) they have investigated the Sephardic roots of the recipe to replace bread yeast with egg whites mounted to the point of snow, with which they achieve a creamier texture.
And in this section there are also those from Umikobake (Madrid), the Japanese-fusion pastry shop, an extension of the Umiko restaurant, which starts with a version of French toast with panettone dough soaked in yuzu, cinnamon and coconut custard, and baked with a layer crunchy caramel; Robuchon, who landed in Spain in October, drenches his brioche in vanilla frosted milk.
lighter versions
Since it is a high-calorie sweet – it was given to women in labor – there are lighter versions such as those offered by PerretxiCo in its taverns in Madrid, Logroño, Santander and Vitoria, which are baked and then caramelized with a blowtorch, although They are served with dulce de leche ice cream and almond biscuit.
Others that opt for baking instead of frying are Vanille Bakery Lab, where they are made with brioche and have the originality of resting in honey vermouth, and Pan.Delirio, which makes them with its award-winning roscón de reyes that sleeps overnight in milk to later be coated in egg, baked and sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon.
Torrija is so popular that it even has its own route in Aranda de Duero (Burgos), where 21 establishments offer to taste it with a glass of Easter lemonade, prepared with red and rosé wine from the DO Ribera del Duero, sugar, shell of lemon and cinnamon that is left to macerate for a couple of days.
Continuing on the path of wine is the one offered by Pradorey in the Ribera del Duero, where to the tastings of Pradorey Blanco 2021, Finca La Mina 2018 and Finca Valdelayegua 2018 these dates add a caramelized French toast of artisan bread with milk meringue of yolks and reduction from Valdelayegua.
And if you bet on the winning horse, the ones chosen in Madrid this year in the contest organized by the Association of Cooks and Pastry Chefs of Madrid (Acyre-Madrid) are the French toast made with a butter bun from Villaroy’s (traditional) and the brioche with Catalan cream foam from Arrocería Balear (innovative).