Cuban Bread Torrejas Recipes

CUBAN BREAD TORREJAS

Steps:

• For the cream cheese sauce:
• Combine the half-and-half, cream cheese, sour cream, condensed milk, vanilla extract and salt in a food processor and process until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• For the guava syrup:
• Combine the guava paste, cream soda and salt in a saucepan and heat gently, until the guava paste has melted into a syrup. (For an extra-smooth consistency, use a hand blender to puree any unmelted guava solids.) You will need 2 ounces of the guava syrup for the torrejas. Leftover syrup will keep in the refrigerator for at least 3 weeks.
• For the cookie sugar:
• Pulse the Maria cookies in a food processor until crumbled. Add the brown sugar and salt and pulse to combine.
• For the torrejas:
• Whisk together the half-and-half, eggs, sugar, vanilla extract and salt in a medium mixing bowl (this can be done the night before), and pour the custard mixture into a pie pan.
• Soak the bread in the egg mixture for 30 seconds on each side, then remove to a rack set over a baking sheet to drain for a minute or two.
• Over medium-low heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium nonstick skillet. Fry the torrejas, two slices at a time, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in the skillet before starting the second batch of torrejas.
• To serve, place two torrejas on a plate. Drizzle generously with cream cheese sauce, then with guava syrup. Top with a sprinkling of Maria cookie sugar and some powdered sugar.

CUBAN TORREJAS WITH GUAVA-MAPLE SYRUP AND CREAM CHEESE WHIPPED CREAM

Steps:

• For the cream cheese whipped cream: Beat the cream cheese with the vanilla until smooth in a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Add the whipping cream and whip to soft peaks. Set aside while you make the French toast.
• For the syrup: Combine the syrup and cinnamon stick in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, and remove from the heat. Let the syrup sit for 10 minutes to cool. Remove the cinnamon stick and return to the heat. Bring the syrup to a simmer again, and whisk in the guava. Serve warm.
• For the toast: Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. Whisk together the milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and eggs in a shallow bowl until smooth. Place the bread slices in a shallow dish and pour the egg mixture on top. While the bread soaks, heat 2 tablespoons of the butter and 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large saute pan or nonstick griddle over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers. Fry the bread in batches until golden brown on the bottom. Lower the heat slightly, flip the bread and cook until the bottoms are golden brown and the bread is cooked through as well. Keep warm in the oven while you make the remaining bread with the remaining butter and oil.
• To serve, smear some cream cheese whipped cream on each piece of warm bread. Top with some of the guava maple syrup and a mint sprig.

TOREJAS(CUBAN-VERSION OF FRENCH TOAST)

Steps:

• Make sure the bread is stale, leave it out on a cookie sheet, to dry the day before.
• Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Lightly grease baking sheet; set aside.
• In medium-sized bowl; whisk ingredients to blend and then fold in almonds or other nuts, if using.
• Dip or soak each slice well in egg/milk mixture. Soak throughly, about 5 minutes. Shake off excess liquid and then lay on cookies sheet.
• Arrange the slices in a single layer on the prepared cookie sheet and bake for 10-14 minutes, until medium golden brown and crusty on the top.(But still moist and custard-like in the middle).
• Serve warm with powdered sugar, sugar syrup, fruit syrup or maple syrup(tastes awesome with pineapple preserves with chopped macadamia nuts instead of almonds. Also, banana liqueur with banana slices & nuts).
• Enjoy, as you watch the scale's numbers increase!

CUBAN BREAD

Steps:

• Grease a large bowl, and set aside.
• Take a small bowl and dissolve the yeast and sugar in 1/4 cup of warm (110 degrees F) water. Place the bowl in a warm place and let it stand until it starts to foam and double in volume, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, measure out 1/4 cup of lard Heat in the microwave until melted.
• Place the water/yeast/sugar mixture in the mixing bowl of a stand mixer. Add the rest of the warm water and the salt. Using the dough hook, mix on low speed until blended.
• Take your measuring cup and sift together the two flours.
• Gradually add the flour mixture, a little at a time, to the wet ingredients in your mixer -- mixing constantly. At the same time you are adding flour, gradually pour in the melted lard. Keep adding a little flour and a little lard until all of the lard is added.
• Continue adding more flour until you make a smooth and pliable dough. Try to add just enough flour to make the dough elastic -- just as much as necessary so that the dough hook barely cleans the sides of the bowl. Too much flour and your bread will be too dense! You will use approximately 3 1/4 cups of sifted flour to bring the dough to this point. (More or less, this is where the art of baking comes in!) Save any leftover flour mixture for rolling out the dough.
• Now let the machine and the dough hook go to work kneading the dough. Set the mixer on a low speed and knead for about 3 to 4 minutes, no more! Your dough will be fairly sticky at this point.
• Shape the dough into a ball and place it into the greased bowl.
• Flip the dough ball a few times to grease it up on all sides. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and place in a warm place. Let the dough rise until it doubles in size -- about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board, using the leftover flour you have in the bowl. Sprinkle some flour on the dough and use a rolling pin to roll it out. This recipe called for a large loaf, shaped to fit a long baking sheet diagonally -- about 20 inches long. So we try to roll out a 12 x 20-inch rectangle. BUT:( I prefer 4 smaller ones for individual rolls)Sprinkle more flour on the dough and turn it over a few times as you roll it out, to keep it from sticking to the rolling pin. The added flour at this rolling stage should take care of most of the stickiness of the dough.
• Roll the dough up into a tightly rolled long cylinder, with a slight taper at both ends. Wet your fingers and pinch the loose flap of the rolled dough into the loaf, making a tight seam.
• Grease a baking sheet and sprinkle lightly with cornmeal.
• Place the loaf diagonally onto the baking sheet, seam side down. Dust the top with a little extra flour and cover very loosely with plastic wrap. (You don't want the rising dough to dry out or stick to the plastic wrap.).
• Place in a warm spot and allow the loaf to stand and rise once again until it is about 2 1/2 times it's original size, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Cuban bread is wider than French bread, so expect your loaf to spread out quite a bit as it rises.
• Preheat oven to 450º F. Place a pan of water on the lowest rack of the oven.
• Use a sharp knife to cut a shallow seam down the middle of the top of the bread, leaving about two inches of uncut top on each end of the loaf.
• Brush the top of the loaf with water and place in your preheated oven on the middle shelf. After about 5 minutes of baking, brush some more water on top of the bread.
• Bake the loaf until it is light brown and crusty -- about 12 to 18 minutes total baking time.

TORREJAS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks and whole eggs. Add sugar; whisk to combine. Add evaporated milk, Grand Marnier, if using, vanilla, and cinnamon; whisk to combine. Divide mixture between 2 shallow baking dishes. Place bread in a single layer over mixture in dishes; let bread stand, turning several times, until soaked, about 15 minutes.
• In a large skillet, melt half of butter over medium heat. Place soaked bread slices from one baking dish in skillet; cook until golden brown on both sides, 5 to 6 minutes per side. Wash and dry baking dish; return torrejas to clean baking dish. Wipe out skillet, and repeat with remaining slices and dish.
• Pour 1 cup lime syrup over bread in each dish. Cover, and chill several hours or overnight, turning several times.
• To serve, remove peel and pith from limes. Using a sharp knife, cut out lime sections; discard membranes. Garnish with lime wedges and remaining 1/2 cup lime syrup.