Leche Frita with Cinnamon Ice Cream

1h 20 mins

4 people

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

1 hour

Total Time

1h 20 mins

Leche frita (fried milk) is a Spanish dessert typical of the North of Spain and traditionally served during Easter. The milk fritter is a sweet custard, set in the fridge overnight, cut into squares, fried like a doughnut and finished with a dusting of sugar. My grandmother used to like serving this dessert every Easter Sunday so I have a fond memory of it. I like to make the custard not too thick so when you fry it and cut into it, it begins to melt. I like to serve my version with homemade cinnamon ice cream.

Ingredients
Method

For the leche frita:
500ml fresh whole milk
1 lemon
1 cinnamon stick
60g corn flour, plus extra to coat the fritters
100g caster sugar, plus extra to coat the fritters
2 egg yolks
200ml of sunflower oil for frying, plus some extra to grease the mould
2 eggs
For the cinnamon ice cream:
300ml fresh whole milk
300ml double cream
2 cinnamon sticks
1 piece of lemon peel, no white rind

1 tsp of cinnamon powder 250g caster sugar 6 egg yolks

For the ice cream, heat the milk and cream with the cinnamon sticks and lemon peel and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and cover with cling film, allow it to infuse for 10 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks and caster sugar until pale and thick. Return the milk mixture to the heat, bring to the boil, remove from the heat and strain without the cinnamon sticks or lemon peel into the egg mixture and mix well. Return the mix to the pan and with a wooden spoon stir constantly on a gentle heat without allowing the mixture to boil until a custard of single cream consistency is achieved, about 5 minutes. Allow to mixture to cool down, once cold add a good pinch of powdered cinnamon, mix well and pour into the ice cream maker churning the mix for around 20 minutes or following the guidelines of your ice cream maker.
For the leche frita, bring 400ml of the milk to the boil with cinnamon stick and the lemon peel. Remove from the heat, cover with cling film and allow the milk to infuse for 10 minutes. Dilute the corn flour and sugar in the 100ml of milk left to make a smooth paste. Bring the milk infusion once again to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes, strain slowly into the milk paste mixing well. Once all incorporated return the mix to the pan on a low heat and cook for 8 minutes, stirring at all times. Finally, add the 2 egg yolks, stir well and cook for a further 2 minutes. The mix should be fairly thick. The best way of testing this is by moving the mix towards one side of the pan, if the mix stays on that side with little movement, the mix is ready. Pour the mix into a shallow rectangular tray previously lined with a brush of sunflower oil and cling film. Allow the mixture to cool down completely and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight.
Once cold, cut the milk paste into rectangular pieces. Coat the pieces in corn flour and then through the beaten eggs. Fry on a medium heat, until golden brown on both sides, strain out, pat dry on some kitchen towel to remove the excess of oil and roll in caster sugar.
Serve the leche frita warm, with a scoop of cinnamon ice cream.

Ingredients

For the leche frita:
500ml fresh whole milk
1 lemon
1 cinnamon stick
60g corn flour, plus extra to coat the fritters
100g caster sugar, plus extra to coat the fritters
2 egg yolks
200ml of sunflower oil for frying, plus some extra to grease the mould
2 eggs
For the cinnamon ice cream:
300ml fresh whole milk
300ml double cream
2 cinnamon sticks
1 piece of lemon peel, no white rind

1 tsp of cinnamon powder 250g caster sugar 6 egg yolks

Method

For the ice cream, heat the milk and cream with the cinnamon sticks and lemon peel and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and cover with cling film, allow it to infuse for 10 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks and caster sugar until pale and thick. Return the milk mixture to the heat, bring to the boil, remove from the heat and strain without the cinnamon sticks or lemon peel into the egg mixture and mix well. Return the mix to the pan and with a wooden spoon stir constantly on a gentle heat without allowing the mixture to boil until a custard of single cream consistency is achieved, about 5 minutes. Allow to mixture to cool down, once cold add a good pinch of powdered cinnamon, mix well and pour into the ice cream maker churning the mix for around 20 minutes or following the guidelines of your ice cream maker.
For the leche frita, bring 400ml of the milk to the boil with cinnamon stick and the lemon peel. Remove from the heat, cover with cling film and allow the milk to infuse for 10 minutes. Dilute the corn flour and sugar in the 100ml of milk left to make a smooth paste. Bring the milk infusion once again to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes, strain slowly into the milk paste mixing well. Once all incorporated return the mix to the pan on a low heat and cook for 8 minutes, stirring at all times. Finally, add the 2 egg yolks, stir well and cook for a further 2 minutes. The mix should be fairly thick. The best way of testing this is by moving the mix towards one side of the pan, if the mix stays on that side with little movement, the mix is ready. Pour the mix into a shallow rectangular tray previously lined with a brush of sunflower oil and cling film. Allow the mixture to cool down completely and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight.
Once cold, cut the milk paste into rectangular pieces. Coat the pieces in corn flour and then through the beaten eggs. Fry on a medium heat, until golden brown on both sides, strain out, pat dry on some kitchen towel to remove the excess of oil and roll in caster sugar.
Serve the leche frita warm, with a scoop of cinnamon ice cream.

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Chef's Profile

Javier De La Hormaza

Javier is a Basque born, trained chef and hospitality professional, owner of Basco Fine Foods, a Spanish food and drink importer based in Yorkshire. He regularly runs client food and drink events around the country and he is a course tutor at Hartingtons of Bakewell cookery school. Javier's passion lies on bringing quality Spanish ingredients and recipes to as many people as possible.

Twitter: @bascofinefoods
Instagram: @mrbasco