Traditional torrijas to suit all tastes in Malaga and along the Costa

Few desserts enjoy such fame or evoke the arrival of a new season so strongly. Easter brings with it torrijas, one of those traditional dishes that accompany significant days for the province, tourism and the well-deserved rest after the Christmas or Semana Blanca holidays. Bakeries are committed to continuing traditions, where, to the satisfaction of many, these sweet sinful treats maintain their essence, although there is no shortage of innovations for those with a sweet tooth. These days they fill the counters of cake shops, although they are increasingly common throughout the year, especially on the dessert menus of many restaurants. We take a look at their origins and versions available.

The origin of torrijas dates back to ancient times, linked to the need to make use of stale bread and turn it into a humble but comforting dish. Some sources date their appearance to Roman times, and even the gastronome and author of the book 'De re coquinaria', Marcus Gavius Apicius, mentions a similar dessert in his pages, where they were made with bread soaked in milk or wine and then fried, a technique that revitalised a basic food that would otherwise end up being discarded, "waste-not cooking". However, it was during the Middle Ages when torrijas began to be associated with Easter, a time when abstinence from meat encouraged the creation of recipes that would satisfy the appetite with simple and affordable ingredients.

In each region of Spain, torrijas have adopted particular nuances that enrich their character. In Andalucía, they are generously bathed in sweet wine or honey, possibly in a nod to local products and producers. In Malaga province, for example, it is common to add Moscatel or Pedro Ximénez wine, both varieties with deep roots in the area, which contribute very characteristic floral and sweet notes.

In Madrid and Castile, the classic recipe prevails, with the bread soaked in milk flavoured with cinnamon and lemon before being fried and sprinkled with sugar. In the north, especially in Asturias and the Basque Country, they are called 'tostadas vascas', with some versions substituting cream or liqueur for the milk. In Galicia they are called 'torradas gallegas', made with Galician bread, thick crust and dense crumb, and soaked in a mixture with a generous portion of dry aniseed.

"Fifty years ago, the confectioners of the time, as today, made their torrijas with a sweet bread, enriched with aromas and animal or vegetable fats, what is nowadays known as brioche bread. In Malaga, these brioche loaves were sliced and spread with custard to suit local tastes. The milk is heated and infused with cinnamon sticks and orange peel. Malaga wine is added, then they are soaked and after being slightly drained, they are deep fried to give them their toasted and crunchy colour before they are dipped in a honey bath or sprinkled with sugar. We add Moscatel Quitapenas Dorado", explains Manuel Ruiz Fernández, second generation of Confitería Tejeros. Other cakes, typical of this time of year, are "locas de Capirote" - simulating the shape of the conical high hat -, fried rosquillos or pestiños.

Crossing the border, France has its own recipe. Pastry chef Cati Schiff fuses the two countries in what is called 'pain perdú' - lost bread - referring to the bread from the previous day. "We make a mixture of Spanish and French torrija. We start with a brioche bread that is soaked in milk flavoured with sweet wine, sugar, star anise, cinnamon and orange peel. They are then dipped in beaten egg and caramelised, rather than fried, in a pan with sugar. In addition to the natural one, we have others that we finish on top with chocolate mousse, cream with strawberries, cream with hazelnuts, custard and pistachio cream", she says from the Obrador Dulce & Salado bakery located in Fuengirola.

Likewise, Dora Ortiz, owner of Ñanduti in Malaga city, caramelises the torrijas instead of frying them. "The night before, we dip the brioche bread in a mixture of milk, lemon, star anise and cinnamon, among others. The secret is to choose a good bread, and that they are well soaked", he explains. Among his proposals, there are torrijas with sesame praline or ganache -similar to emulsified cream- whipped with cheese.

Damián Ramos, who together with Sebastián Guerrero runs Pastelería Ramos in Caleta de Vélez, reinterprets this traditional sweet with a typical recipe from the Axarquía region. "We make the torrijas with brioche bread, vanilla cream inside and infused in milk with cinnamon. Then we flavour them with sweet wine before frying and finish them with sugar and cinnamon. In addition to the traditional one, we prepare two more types, one of them with a toasted egg yolk on top and the other with a ganache made with carob cake", he says. This dessert is made with extra virgin olive oil, wheat flour, sugar, aniseed and cinnamon. Sometimes they are topped with an almond.

Sweet wine is a faithful ally of torrijas. "We have many bakeries, especially at this time of year, that use our wines as an ingredient to make them, both sweet Pedro Ximénez and sweet Moscatel. For pairing them, from the sweet Quitapenas Málaga, of the Pedro Ximénez variety, to the Quitapenas Dorado Moscatel de Alejandría, as the acidity of this grape complements the torrijas very well, or a sparkling wine, such as the sweet Florestel", explains Marta Suárez, manager of Bodegas Quitapenas. For the more daring, there are also proposals outside the most common harmonies. "A fruity red wine can also be more disruptive and surprising for this sweet", she adds.

In recent years, torrijas have undergone a true gastronomic revolution. There are many restaurants that offer this bread as a main dessert throughout the year. Torrijas are not just a dish, they are a journey through time, a reminder of how popular cuisine has managed to transform austerity into a snack that we no longer miss outside these months. Whether in a small neighbourhood bar or on the menu of a haute cuisine restaurant, their place in Spanish gastronomy is assured, reminding us of the value of preserving traditions and enjoying, without haste, the taste of authenticity.

Ana La Fantástica, C/Castillo de Sohail, 5, (951 890 392). Aparicio,Plaza de Capuchinos, 15 (952 253 593); C/ Calderería, 11 (952 219 003); and Paseo Reding, 16 (952 603 735). Panadería y Pastelería Christian,C/ Gaucín, 4 (952 359 579). El Colmenero, C/ Atarazanas, 1; C/ Franz Kafka, 15; C/ Mármoles, 49 (951 632 265.) El Mimbre, C/ Cuarteles, 60 (952 323 993). Fermento Casa de Panaderos,Avda. de la Aurora, 19 (644 351 813); Avda. Cánovas del Castillo, 14 (951 907 883); C/ Victoria, 76 (952 759 624).Heladería y Pastelería Ignacio Mira,Avda. Mayorazgo, 22 (952 213 659). Horno de Leña Martín, C/ Lara Castañeda, 6, Malaga (656 32 20 23). Salvador, C/ Cristo de la Epidemia, 94; Avda. Andalucía 4 , 6 (El Corte Inglés); C/ Tomás Echeverría, 1 (Huelin); Avda. Juan Sebastián Elcano, 164 (El Palo); C/ Hamlet, 5, Hipercor Bahía Málaga (952 513 078). Obrador Tejeros, Obispo Salvador de los Reyes, 7 (952 255 599). Panadería y Pastelería Cervantes.C/ Cervantes, 9 (665 379 799). Ñanduti by Dora Ortiz, C/ Canales, 3 (951 49 80 02). Pastelería Daza, C/ Correo de Andalucía, 4, Local 11 (671 511 632).

Casa Kiki C/ Antonio Márquez Muñoz, 24 (Torremolinos). Avda. Santa Amalia and Avda. de la Encarnación, s/n (Fuengirola). C/ Ramón Areces, s/n, El Corte Inglés, Puerto Banús, Marbella (952 909 990). C/ Sta. Laura, Hipercor, Las Lagunas de Mijas (952 669 100). Panadería Rayo, Avda. de Mijas, 20, Mijas (952 198 918). Plaza Chinorros (952 479 751) and Camino de Coín, 56, Fuengirola (952 463 837).

Fermento Casa de Panaderos C/ Marconi, 31, Fuengirola (952 083 420). Pastelería Ramos Avda. de Andalucía, 63, Caleta de Vélez (952 511 317). Salvador, Carretera de Almería 150, Benajarafe (952 513 078); Avda. del Mediterráneo 5, Edf. Las Conchas, Local 5, Rincón de la Victoria (952 401 979); avda. de Andalucía, 87, Torre del Mar (952 002 227); C/ Granada, 92, Nerja (952 522 744).

Confitería Daver, C/ Virgen de los Remigios, Ronda (952 877 163). Dulcinea, C/ Sebastián Rodríguez 2, Coín (952 450 461). El Colmenero C/ Cruz 9, Camino de Coín, s/n y avda. Gerald Brenan 49, Alhaurín el Grande (952 490 832). Panadería y Pastelería El Rubio, Av. Blas Infante, 6, Alhaurín el Grande (952 452 220). Pastelería Guzmán, C/ Nueva, 119, Alhaurín el Grande (952 490 370). Pastelería Agüe Pan, C/ de la Jimena, Coín (952 452 409).