This Leche Frita Recipe Will Blow Your Mind – and Taste Buds!
Leche frita, literally “fried milk”, is a classic Spanish dessert that’s a true delicacy with a crunchy exterior and a deliciously creamy and silky interior.
Made with very simple ingredients (milk, sugar, flour, and cornstarch), it’s a traditional Easter dessert in some parts of Spain, especially in the northern regions. Of course, it can be eaten at other times of the year as well.
Difficult to find in bakeries and restaurants, it’s mainly a homemade dessert, perfect for coffee time after a big meal.
There are a few different versions of this dish: Some recipes use only cornstarch, some use only flour, some add eggs to the mixture, some flavor it only with lemon peel and some use lemon peel, orange peel, and cinnamon like I do.
Either way, leche frita is delicious and super easy to make.
Ingredients
To make this delicious Spanish dessert, here are the leche frita ingredients that you will need for this specific recipe:
- Milk – Traditionally made with whole milk, but I’ve tasted some Leche frita made with soy milk with delicious results. Some recipes even add a bit of heavy cream to the mixture to make it even richer.
- Granulated sugar – To sweeten the milk.
- Cinnamon stick – To add extra flavor.
- Lemon peel – Preferably from an organic lemon.
- Orange peel – Preferably from an organic orange.
- Cornstarch – To thicken the milk.
- All-purpose flour – To thicken the milk. You can also use just cornstarch if you need to make it gluten-free.
- Eggs – For the coating.
- Sunflower oil – To fry the solid pieces of milk. Alternatively, you can use another neutral-tasting oil. Avoid olive oil.
- Powdered Sugar – For the coating; you can also use regular granulated sugar.
- Ground cinnamon – For the coating.
Recipe Tips and Substitutions
Before you make this fried milk dessert, have a read through these recipe tips about the ingredients and the process so that you know what to expect:
- Sugar: This recipe is traditionally made with regular granulated sugar, but if you can’t eat that, you can use a sweetener of your choice. I like to use powdered sugar for the final coating (instead of granulated sugar) for a smoother texture.
- Gluten-free option: Leche frita can be made entirely with cornstarch if you need to make it gluten-free, but for flavor purposes, I like to have half cornstarch and half all-purpose flour.
- Flavors: You can play with the different flavorings. I like to use both lemon and orange peel and cinnamon, but I can see how vanilla, chocolate, or other more adventurous flavors could work.
- Avoid lumps: As the mixture cooks and thickens, some lumps may form. You can break them up by stirring with a wooden spatula or a whisk. Optionally, you can use an immersion blender once the mixture is removed from the heat.
- Surface: Once poured into the dish, don’t worry about the surface not being ultra smooth, it’s more important to distribute the mixture evenly.
- Prevent skin formation: When covering the dish with plastic wrap, it’s important that it actually touches the thickened milk to prevent skin from forming.
- Frying temperature: Fry the coated pieces only when the oil is hot enough (about 350 degrees Fahrenheit). If you don’t have a thermometer, you can dip a wooden toothpick or wooden spoon into the oil and when it forms a few bubbles, the oil is ready.
How to Make Leche Frita – Step by Step Instructions
This section of the post is all about seeing how to make leche frita step by step.
We’ve included photos for all the recipe steps so that you can follow along at home and see how your leche frita is coming along!
Of course, you can also jump ahead to the recipe card with the exact measurements and detailed instructions if you are not a fan of visuals.
Peel the lemon and the orange and add the peels to a pot along with the sugar and the cinnamon stick.
Next, add 4 cups of milk and bring to a boil. Once it boils, remove from heat and let the milk infuse until it reaches room temperature.
Meanwhile, whisk the cornstarch and flour into the remaining milk until well dissolved. Set aside.
Remove the citrus peels and cinnamon stick from the infused milk and transfer the milk to a larger pot.
Add the milk with the dissolved cornstarch and flour mixture and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for 6-7 minutes.
Make sure no big lumps form.
Line a baking dish with parchment paper so that it is easier to remove the mixture when it is solid.
Pour the mixture into the prepared dish and spread it evenly. Cover with plastic wrap, making sure it touches the mixture. This will prevent skin from forming.
Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight, until firm.
Once set, carefully peel off the plastic wrap, lift the mixture out of the dish, and transfer it to a cutting board. Be very careful while doing this since it’s a bit fragile.
Cut into portions, you can make them smaller or larger depending on your taste.
Set up three bowls for the coating. In one bowl, beat the eggs. In another bowl, add the flour. In the last bowl, mix the sugar and cinnamon.
Heat enough oil in a frying pan over high heat. Now dip each piece in the flour and then in the egg mixture.
Fry the pieces until golden on all sides, turning as needed. Don’t overcrowd the frying pan, you’ll likely have to fry the pieces in batches.
Place the leche frita on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil.
Finally, coat the pieces with the sugar and cinnamon mixture.
Enjoy this delicious Spanish treat!
Storage Tips
Leche frita is usually (and very easily) eaten right after being made.
If you have any leftovers, allow them to cool, then store them in a sealed container lined with some paper towels to absorb any moisture.
Place this container in the fridge. Properly stored, the leche frita can last for up to 5 days, but we’d recommend eating it sooner rather than later for the best texture.
FAQ
Leche frita is the Spanish name for a dessert made from milk that has been sweetened, flavored, thickened, and fried. In Spanish, leche means “milk” and frita means “fried”. It is literally “fried milk”.
Leche frita is originally from Spain. In particular, it is popular in parts of northern Spain.
Leche frita is velvety and smooth on the inside and with a slight crunch on the outside. The thickened milk is sweet, with a nose of citrus and cinnamon throughout.
Leche frita is a traditional homemade Spanish dessert that is perfect for coffee time after a big meal. In parts of northern Spain, it is enjoyed as a traditional sweet treat that is eaten around Easter.
Related Recipes
If you liked this Leche frita recipe, here are some other sweet Spanish recipes that you may want to try as well:
- Spanish Flan
- Arroz con Leche (Spanish Rice Pudding)
- Crema Catalana
- Basque Cheesecake
- Magdalenas (Spanish Muffins)
- Polvorones (Spanish Shortbread Cookies)
Leche Frita (Spanish Fried Milk)
Ingredients
- 4 ½ cups whole milk
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 lemon peel
- 1 orange peel
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- sunflower oil, for frying
The Coating
- 2 medium eggs
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons white sugar, powdered or granulated
- 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Peel the lemon and the orange and add the peels to a pot along with the sugar and the cinnamon stick. Add 4 cups of milk and bring to a boil. Once it boils, remove from heat and let the milk infuse until it reaches room temperature.1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 lemon peel, 1 orange peel, 4 ½ cups whole milk
- Meanwhile, whisk the cornstarch and flour into the remaining 1/2 cup of milk until well dissolved. Set aside.1/2 cup cornstarch, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- Remove the citrus peels and cinnamon stick from the infused milk and transfer the milk to a larger pot.
- Add the milk with the dissolved cornstarch and flour mixture and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for 6-7 minutes. Make sure no big lumps form.
- Line a baking dish with parchment paper so that it is easier to remove the mixture when it is solid.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared dish and spread it evenly. Cover with plastic wrap, making sure it touches the mixture. This will prevent skin from forming.
- Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight, until it is firm.
- Once set, carefully peel off the plastic wrap, lift the mixture out of the dish, and transfer it to a cutting board. Be very careful while doing this since it’s a bit fragile.
- Cut into portions, smaller or larger depending on your preference.
- Set up three bowls for the coating. In one bowl, beat the eggs. In another bowl, add the flour. In the last bowl, mix the sugar and cinnamon.2 medium eggs, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 3 tablespoons white sugar, 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- Heat enough oil in a skillet over high heat.sunflower oil
- Dip each piece in the flour, then in the egg mixture. Fry until golden on all sides, turning as needed. Don't overcrowd the frying pan, you'll likely have to fry the pieces in batches.
- Place the leche frita on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil.
- Coat the pieces with the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Enjoy!
Notes
- Sugar: This recipe is traditionally made with regular granulated sugar, but if you cannot eat that, you can use a sweetener of your choice. I like to use powdered sugar for the final coating for a smoother texture.
- Gluten-free option: Leche frita can be made entirely with cornstarch if you need to make it gluten-free, but for flavor purposes, I like to have half cornstarch and half white flour.
- Flavors: You can play with the different flavorings, I like to include lemon peel, orange peel and cinnamon, but you could also experiment with vanilla, chocolate, or more adventurous flavors.
- Avoid lumps: As the mixture cooks and thickens, some lumps may form. You can break them up by stirring with a wooden spatula or whisk. Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender once the mixture is removed from the heat.
- Surface: Once poured into the dish, do not worry about the surface not being ultra smooth, it’s more important to distribute the mixture evenly.
- Prevent skin formation: When covering the dish with plastic wrap, it’s important that it actually touches the thickened milk to prevent skin from forming.
- Frying Temperature: Fry the coated pieces only when the oil is hot enough (about 350 degrees Fahrenheit). If you don’t have a thermometer, you can dip a wooden spoon or toothpick into the oil and when it forms a few bubbles, the oil is ready.
Nutrition
This nutritional information has been estimated by an online nutrition calculator. It should only be seen as a rough calculation and not a replacement for professional dietary advice.
