Spanish · dessert
50m
Total time
6
Servings
—
kcal
medium
Difficulty
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FAQ · Things people ask
Three things must all be right: the custard must be thick enough (pulling away from the pan in a single mass), it must be chilled long enough (overnight is far more reliable than 3 hours), and the oil must be at 170–180°C (340–355°F). If any one of those is off, the squares will leak or collapse. The most common culprit is taking the custard off the heat too early — it should be borderline alarming how thick it is before you pour it into the tray.
Some recipes do — the result is silkier and more translucent, with a texture closer to Chinese douhua or Korean sujeonggwa jelly. However, all-cornstarch custard can be more fragile during frying, and the squares are more likely to crack. The flour-and-cornstarch blend is the most forgiving for a first attempt.
The custard slab can absolutely be made ahead — it will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days before frying. Once fried, leche frita is best eaten immediately. Leftovers can be eaten at room temperature or warmed in a 150°C oven for 8–10 minutes to re-crisp — but do not microwave them, as the coating becomes soggy.
The flavor depends heavily on whole dairy milk — oat milk can substitute for a similar viscosity and the custard will set, but the rich, milky character of the dish changes noticeably. Egg yolks can be replaced with an extra tablespoon of cornstarch, though the richness and golden color are reduced. For a dairy-free try, it is still worth making — just manage expectations.
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