Caramelised Torrija with Idiazabal Cheese Ice Cream

Torrija is an old Spanish dessert typically served during Easter. It’s peasant origins are debated, although there is documented evidence of the dish as early as the 15th century in a book by Juan Del Encina, who recommends torrijas as a post-pregnancy recovery food! Its link to Easter is not clear, although many suggest that torrijas began to get served during Easter due to the large amount of bread available as people did not eat meat during holy week. Torrija is traditionally made from thick slices of stale bread dipped in a mixture of milk, eggs and sugar, before frying it on both sides until golden brown and dusted with cinnamon and sugar. I like to make my torrija with brioche instead of standard white bread, it makes the torrija more special. In this recipe, I pair my torrija with some homemade idiazabal cheese ice cream, a popular Basque cheese made from ewes milk.