Description
Crispy Spanish fried milk with a crunchy golden crust and silky custard center. A traditional dessert dusted with cinnamon sugar.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 cups (1 liter) Whole milk
- ¾ cup Granulated sugar
- ½ cup Cornstarch
- ¼ cup All-purpose flour
- 4 Egg yolks
- 1 lemon, peeled in strips Lemon zest
- 1 Cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp (for pan) Butter
Instructions
- Infuse the Milk (5 Minutes) — Pour milk into a saucepan. Add lemon zest strips and the cinnamon stick. Heat over medium until just simmering — do not boil. Let the aromas infuse for 5 minutes, then remove the lemon peel and cinnamon stick with tongs. This infusion step is what gives leche frita its distinctive fragrance.
- Make the Custard (10 Minutes) — In a separate bowl, whisk cornstarch, flour, sugar, and egg yolks until smooth — this is your thickening paste. Temper the mixture by slowly pouring ½ cup of the warm milk into the egg mixture while whisking constantly. This prevents the eggs from scrambling. Then pour everything back into the saucepan with the remaining milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or whisk, until the custard thickens dramatically — about 5-7 minutes. It should be thick enough that you can see the bottom of the pan when you drag the spoon through. Stir in vanilla extract.
- Set the Custard (4+ Hours) — Butter an 8×8-inch baking dish. Pour the hot custard in and smooth the top with a spatula to about 1-inch thickness. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface (this prevents a skin from forming). Refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours, or overnight. The custard must be completely firm — if it jiggles, it needs more time.
- Cut and Bread (15 Minutes) — Remove the set custard from the fridge and unmold onto a cutting board. Cut into rectangles about 2×3 inches. Set up a breading station: flour in one shallow dish, beaten eggs in another, breadcrumbs in a third. Coat each piece in flour (shake off excess), dip in egg (let excess drip), then press into breadcrumbs on all sides. Handle gently — the custard is delicate. Place breaded pieces on a wire rack.
- Fry Until Golden (3 Minutes Per Batch) — Heat oil to 350°F in a deep pan or Dutch oven — use a thermometer to maintain temperature. Fry 3-4 pieces at a time for about 90 seconds per side until deeply golden and crispy. Don’t overcrowd the pan — it drops the oil temperature and makes the coating greasy instead of crispy. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate. Immediately dust with cinnamon-sugar while still hot.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Spanish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 185
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 85mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5g
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Protein: 5g