Recipe · Dessert
Rabanada – Brazilian Christmas dessert
Rabanada is part of Christmas in Brazil and Portugal: day-old bread is dipped in milk, turned in egg, fried and rolled in cinnamon sugar. It is a simple dessert that tastes best warm.
Method
- Mix the sugar and cinnamon on a flat plate. Stir the milk and condensed milk together. Beat the eggs in a second deep plate.
- Dip the bread slices briefly in the milk (about 10 seconds per side). They should be moist but not mushy. Then turn them in the egg and let them drip.
- Heat the oil in a deep pan to about 170 °C. Without a thermometer, the handle of a wooden spoon dipped in the oil shows rising bubbles. Take care: never leave hot oil unattended.
- Fry the slices in batches for 1–2 minutes per side until golden. Do not overcrowd the pan, or the oil cools and the bread soaks up fat.
- Drain on kitchen paper and roll in the cinnamon sugar while still warm.
- Serve warm. Rabanadas taste best fresh.
- Day-old bread works better: Fresh bread falls apart in the milk. Let it dry for a day or toast the slices briefly in the oven.
- Hot oil: Never put out a grease fire with water, put the lid on instead. Keep children away from the hob.
- Less fat: Well drained and fried in oil that is not too cool, the slices turn out less greasy. You can also bake them at 200 °C, but they will be less crisp.
- Variations: with port or red wine instead of milk (adults only) or with orange zest in the cinnamon sugar.
- Note: The dessert contains gluten, milk and egg. The egg is cooked through during frying.
Handy extras
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Ground cinnamon
The signature flavour of rabanada. Store airtight and in the dark.
Sweetened condensed milk (leite condensado)
A can of sweetened condensed milk, not unsweetened evaporated milk. Check that it says sweetened.
Frequently asked questions
What is rabanada?
Rabanada is fried white bread with milk and egg, similar to French toast. In Brazil and Portugal it is a fixture of Christmas.
Can I prepare rabanada ahead?
It is best fresh. You can dip the slices in milk and egg an hour or two beforehand and keep them covered and cool on a rack.
Which bread should I use?
White bread, crustless toast or day-old brioche. Thick slices of about 2 cm stay soft inside.
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