Torrijas (Spanish-style french toast)

Method

1. Begin with the custard – I like to make this the day before so it chills properly. Heat the 450ml milk, 220g cream, vanilla and half the sugar together in a pan over a low heat until just steaming. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar for about 2 minutes until pale and fluffy.
2. Once the milk is steaming, gradually pour it into the egg yolks, whisking all the time to stop the eggs scrambling. Once all the milk mixture is in and well combined, return the mix to the pan and put over a very low heat. Use a spatula to gently move the mix as it slowly cooks. I won’t lie – this can take a while (about 20 minutes). You can’t let the mixture boil and you need to heat it slowly to avoid scrambling the eggs. Keep going until it reads 84°C on a thermometer or has thickened enough to properly coat the back of a spoon. Strain the custard through a fine sieve into a bowl, cover with baking paper touching the surface, leave to cool, then chill in the fridge.
3. For the torrijas, add the milk, cream, cinnamon, orange zest and 50g sugar to a saucepan and cook over a low heat until steaming. Remove from the heat and leave to infuse for at least 30 minutes.
4. Pour the infused milk through a fine sieve into a wide, shallow dish (discard the solids), then lay the slices of brioche in it and leave to soak up the milk for a minute or so on each side. Transfer the brioche slices to a rack to dry slightly (don’t leave them for too long in the milk or they may disintegrate).
5. When you’re ready for dessert, pour the oil into a large frying pan over a medium heat. Put the beaten eggs into a shallow bowl. Once the oil is shimmering hot, carefully dip 2-3 slices of the soaked brioche into the beaten egg to coat, then fry for 3 minutes on each side until a deep golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to drain while you cook the remaining brioche.
6. Meanwhile, mix the 100g sugar, ground cinnamon and orange zest in a bowl, then scatter the mixture into a tray or dish. When all the torrijas are cooked, dunk them in the sugar mix, making sure the pieces are well covered on both sides. Serve on a plate surrounded by hot or cold custard.