Spanish Easter French toast (Torrijas)

1. Bring the milk to the boil with half the sugar, the cinnamon stick and a strip of lemon peel, then leave to cool until lukewarm; remove the flavourings.

2. Cut the day-old bread into 2 cm thick slices, lay them in a dish and pour over the flavoured milk; soak for 5-10 minutes until saturated but not falling apart.

3. Beat the eggs in a deep plate. Heat the olive oil 1 cm deep in a frying pan.

4. Carefully lift out the bread slices (with a spatula), dip them in the egg and fry for 1-2 minutes on each side until golden; drain on kitchen paper.

5. Thin the honey with 2-3 tablespoons of hot water and drizzle it over the torrijas, or sprinkle them with the remaining sugar and ground cinnamon.

6. Serve lukewarm or cold, even the next day – the flavours meld even better in the fridge.

Tip: They're made in every Spanish kitchen during Holy Week – the bread should be dense and slightly dry, otherwise it falls apart when soaked.