Leche Frita - Spanish Fried Milk

Method12 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Whisk the 3½ tbsp cornstarch, ½ cup filling sugar and 3½ tbsp flour for the milk (1 cup) mixture together. Whisk in 1 cup from the milk supply until smooth, then set the slurry aside. Keep the separate 3½ tbsp coating flour for later.

   Uses 3½ tbsp cornstarch · ½ cup granulated sugar, for the milk mixture · 3½ tbsp all-purpose flour, for the milk mixture · 1 cup milk for the slurry

2. 2

   Step 2: Heat the remaining 3 cups milk in a large saucepan over medium-low heat until it begins to bubble. Remove from the heat, add the cinnamon stick (1), lemon peel (1 piece) and vanilla (½ tsp), and leave to infuse for 5 minutes.

   Infuse the milk off heat · 5 minUses Remaining 3 cups milk for infusion · 1 cinnamon stick · 1 piece lemon peel · ½ tsp vanilla extract

3. 3

   Step 3: Gradually strain the infused milk into the slurry, discarding the cinnamon stick and lemon peel, and stir until combined. Return the mixture to the saucepan over medium-low heat and stir constantly until it thickens considerably, about 15 minutes. It must become thick enough to set firmly when chilled.

   Uses All strained milk from the three-cup infusion, excluding discarded cinnamon stick and lemon peel · Milk, starch, flour and sugar slurry

4. 4

   Step 4: Lightly oil a setting dish and pour in the thickened milk mixture to a depth of about ¾ inch (2 cm). Press food-safe plastic wrap or wax paper onto its surface. Cool promptly in this shallow layer and refrigerate at 4°C/40°F or below for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, until solid enough to turn out and cut cleanly.

   Minimum refrigerated setting · 240 minUses Thickened milk mixture · A little olive oil, as needed to grease the setting dish

5. 5

   Step 5: Once the milk slab is firm, put the separate 3½ tbsp coating flour in a shallow bowl and beat the two coating eggs in another bowl. Mix garnish sugar and ground cinnamon to taste in a separate dish for finishing.

   Uses 3½ tbsp all-purpose flour, for coating · 2 eggs, beaten for coating · Sugar, as needed for the cinnamon-sugar garnish · Ground cinnamon, as needed for the cinnamon-sugar garnish

6. 6

   Step 6: Turn out the firm cold milk slab and cut it into twelve small portions. Dip each piece in the beaten coating egg, then in the coating flour, making a light coating. Keep the pieces refrigerated while the oil heats and between batches. Discard any leftover used coating egg and flour.

   Uses The firm chilled milk slab lifted from the greased setting dish · Portion of the two beaten eggs that coats the pieces · Portion of the separate 3½ tbsp coating flour that adheres to the pieces

7. 7

   Step 7: Heat the ½ cup frying olive oil in a suitable frying pan over medium heat, to make about a ¼-inch depth. Watch the oil until hot enough to fry the coating steadily without smoking.

   Uses ½ cup olive oil, for frying

8. 8

   Step 8: Fry an uncrowded batch of cold coated milk pieces for about 1 minute on the first side, watching for a golden coating. Keep the remaining pieces refrigerated.

   Fry the first side · 1 minUses An uncrowded frying batch of the twelve coated pieces · Hot olive-oil frying medium

9. 9

   Step 9: Turn the current batch and fry the second side for about 1 minute, until golden and the egg coating is cooked through. Lift the pieces onto paper towels to drain. Repeat both frying stages for the remaining cold batches, letting the oil recover between batches.

   Fry the second side · 1 minUses The current batch after its first face is golden · Only each later batch of coated pieces

10. 10

    Step 10: Roll the drained leche frita in the prepared cinnamon sugar to coat it to taste. Keep unused garnish mixture aside.

    Uses Cooked pieces lifted from the frying medium · Portion of the separate garnish mixture that coats the fried pieces

11. 11

    Step 11: Serve the twelve pieces freshly fried or after brief cooling to room temperature, with ready ice cream separately if desired.

    Uses All twelve finished leche frita pieces, excluding unused garnish mixture · Ready ice cream, for serving if desired

12. 12

    Step 12: Cool any leftover leche frita promptly, refrigerate in a covered container at 4°C/40°F or below, and use within 3 days. Reheat in an oven preheated to 400°F (about 204°C) for about 8–10 minutes, checking from 8 minutes, until crisp and hot through, at least 74°C.

    Oven reheat leftovers · 8 minUses Only leftover served fried-milk pieces, excluding separate ice cream