Textual Chef Textual Chef

Leche Frita

A classic Spanish dessert of sweetened milk thickened into soft custard, sliced into squares, pan-fried until crispy, and coated in cinnamon sugar.

35 minMediumServes 6280 cal/serving

SpanishDessertStovetopVegetarianHalal-friendlyKosher-styleNut-FreeSoy-FreePork-FreeAlcohol-FreeShellfish-FreeSesame-FreeNightshade-FreeLow-SodiumCorn-Free

Cook this free in the appFree. No download, no account. The screen stays awake and each step can run its own timer.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups whole milk
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 strips lemon peel, stripped
  • 1 stick cinnamon stick
  • 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

  1. 1

    In a saucepan, combine two-thirds of the 3 cups whole milk with 1 stick cinnamon stick and 2 strips stripped lemon peel, bringing to a gentle simmer over medium heat.

  2. 2

    Remove saucepan from heat, let infuse for 15 minutes, then remove cinnamon stick and lemon peel.

  3. 3

    In a bowl, whisk remaining 3 cups whole milk, half of the 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and half of the 2/3 cup all-purpose flour until smooth.

  4. 4

    Whisk the flour mixture into the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until thick.

  5. 5

    Pour custard into a greased dish and chill in the refrigerator until set.

  6. 6

    Slice custard into squares, dredge in remaining 2/3 cup all-purpose flour, and coat in 2 beaten eggs.

  7. 7

    Heat 1/2 cup olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and fry squares until golden brown.

  8. 8

    Toss hot fried squares in remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar mixed with 1 tsp ground cinnamon.

Cook this free in the appCooking it now? The app keeps the screen awake and times each step. Free, nothing to install.

Questions

How much time should I plan for Leche Frita?

As written, 35 minutes: 20 of prep and 15 of cooking. The longest single stretch is step 2 (15 minutes): "Remove saucepan from heat, let infuse for 15 minutes, then remove cinnamon stick and lemon peel."

What should Leche Frita look like when it is ready?

Go by the cues in the method rather than the clock. Step 7: cook until golden brown.

Can I make Leche Frita dairy-free?

Yes. The dairy in Leche Frita is 3 cups whole milk. Swap the milk for unsweetened oat or soy milk. The richness shifts slightly, but the method does not change.

Is Leche Frita vegan?

No, though it is vegetarian. What keeps it from vegan is 3 cups whole milk and 2 eggs, beaten. For fully plant-based entries, see the vegan dessert collection.

Does Leche Frita contain eggs?

Yes: 2 eggs, beaten. The full allergen list for this entry is gluten, dairy and eggs. Packaged ingredients vary by brand, so check labels if the allergy is serious.

How many calories are in Leche Frita?

One serving (the recipe makes 6) is about 280 calories, with 6 g protein, 38 g carbohydrate and 12 g fat, plus 1 g fiber and 85 mg sodium. The figures are estimates computed from the ingredient list.

Can I freeze Leche Frita?

It is not a good candidate. Keep Leche Frita covered in the refrigerator and eat it within three days. Chilled and set desserts lose their texture in the freezer.

Serve it with

Cook this free in the app

Textual Chef is 4,530 plain-text recipes, free to read and free to cook from. No account, no paywall, no ads, no life stories. Open this one in the app and each quantity sits inside the step that uses it, so you read once and cook.

Every recipe is curated or public-domain sourced, written to one template and checked before it publishes. Nothing here is a scraped blog post.

Cook this free in the appNo download needed. It opens in your browser. The kitchen tools (planner, shopping list, pantry, import) are $5.33 a month billed annually; the first 30 days are free.