Cuban Bread Torrejas

Submitted by Food.com

"Recipe courtesy of Eating House"

 

• Ready In: 40mins
• Ingredients: 20
• Serves: 2

ingredients

• Cream Cheese Sauce

• 1⁄2 cup half-and-half
• 1 cup cream cheese
• 2 ounces sour cream
• 2 ounces condensed milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 pinch salt

• Guava Syrup

• 17 1⁄2 ounces guava paste
• 12 ounces cream soda, such as Ironbeer
• 1 pinch salt

• Maria Cookie Sugar

• 2 ounces maria cookies
• 1 ounce brown sugar
• 1 pinch salt

• Torrejas

• 1 cup half-and-half
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• four 1-inch-thick slices stale Cuban bread
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

directions

1. For the cream cheese sauce:

2. 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.

3. For the guava syrup:

4. 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.

5. For the cookie sugar:

6. Pulse the Maria cookies in a food processor until crumbled. Add the brown sugar and salt and pulse to combine.

7. For the torrejas:

8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. 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.