Leche Frita – Fried Milk

This is my first Spanish postres (dessert) and it worked well. I had never seen nor heard of fried milk prior to exploring the cuisine of Spain. I went to the Assistant Harbor Master, Julia, and asked her about leche frita. Once we got past my horrible accent and I was understood, Julia said, “Leche frita! Oh that's my favorite!”

Ready to serve

Leche frita is sweetened milk that has been cooked and thickened with flour and corn starch and flavored with a stick of cinnamon. The resulting custard is poured into a shallow dish and refrigerated. Once cool and firm the custard is removed from the dish and cut into squares. The squares are then dipped in flour, egg and then fried.

We went out for my birthday, and the restaurant served their leche frita with a shot of flaming anise liquor poured on top at the table. I sprinkled my own with cinnamon. I'm thinking that Grand Marnier would be good as well.

Recipe from Menu del Dia
Ingredients:

• 3 ½ tbsp/30 g Cornstarch
• 7 tbsp/60 g All-Purpose Flour
• ½ cup/120 g Sugar
• 32 oz/1000 ml Whole Milk
• 1 Cinnamon Stick
• 2 Eggs
• ½ cup/120 ml Olive Oil
• Ground Cinnamon

Put It Together:

• Brush an 8” x 10” (20 cm x 25 cm) dish or container with oil.
• In a bowl combine 1 cup ( 250 ml) milk with the flour and cornstarch.
• Combine the remaining milk and cinnamon stick in a saucepan put over medium-high heat.
• When the milk comes to a boil, decrease the heat to low and add sugar.
• Stir until sugar is dissolved.
• Remove cinnamon stick.
• Add the milk, flour and cornstarch slurry to the milk in the saucepan.
• Increase heat to medium.
• Stir continually for 20 minutes or until thick, creamy, and smooth.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and let cool for two hours to room temperature.
• Refrigerate until cold.
• Invert the pan on a cutting board releasing the custard from the pan.
• Cut into 2 inch ( 5 cm) squares.
• Heat ½ cup (ml 120) olive oil in a frying pan over medium high heat.
• Crack the eggs into a shallow bowl and beat until scrambled.
• Working in batches. Dust each piece of custard with flour and shake off excess.
• Dip each piece into the egg and coat.
• Place the squares in the hot oil and fry for 1 minute per side.
• Remove from oil and drain on paper towels.
• Serve the leche frita warm or at room temperature sprinkled with cinnamon.

Chilled and ready to remove

Slab of milk custard ready for cutting

Cut into squares and ready for frying

Review

• Shirlee - Liked It
• John - Liked It
• Do Again - Yes
• Leftovers - None

What I'll Do Next Time
I know the traditional method is to use only cinnamon, but to me it needed vanilla. Perhaps I'd serve it with a vanilla liqueur. One variation I've seen with this recipe is to add grated lemon zest prior to cooking the custard. Might do that as well.