Food - Drink
Leche Frita: The Spanish Fried Milk Dessert With Few Ingredients
By RYAN CASHMAN
Fried milk is a dessert enjoyed in countries from China to Italy and more, but it was invented in Spain. Despite the name, Spain’s leche frita isn’t literally fried milk.
Leche frita is a custard-like treat that is deep-fried and dusted in cinnamon sugar. Many Spanish regions claim to have created this dessert, but recipes are mostly similar.
Leche frita starts with a base of cornstarch, milk, and sugar, which is mixed and left to thicken while more milk is heated up on the stove with a cinnamon stick.
The two mixtures are combined and further heated until it thickens into a pudding, which is then chilled for at least four hours to become cold and solid enough to deep-fry.
The pudding is sliced into cubes and dipped in flour and egg before deep-frying until springy inside and golden-brown outside. Then, it gets a final coating of cinnamon and sugar.
Whether served hot or cold, leche frita is delicious on its own, but for an even more decadent experience, try pairing it with ice cream, coffee, or a sweet wine like Málaga.
