Recipe

Cuban guava and cream cheese stuffed torrejas

Name: Cuban guava and cream cheese stuffed torrejas
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 70 min
Ingredients: 4 wide slices of day-old Cuban bread, 4 cm (approximately 1½ in) thick, cut diagonally; about 45 g each, 180 g total; 100 g (3½ oz) firm guava paste; 80 g (approximately ⅓ cup) block cream cheese, cold; 240 ml (1 cup) whole milk; 1 cinnamon stick; 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract; 0 to 2 tablespoons (0-25 g) sugar, depending on the sweetness of the guava; 1 pinch of salt; 3 large eggs; 1 pinch of salt; 600-750 ml neutral vegetable oil (approximately 2½-3⅛ cups), depending on the pan; 2 tablespoons (25 g) sugar; ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon; 50 g (¼ cup) sugar; 60 ml (¼ cup) water; ½ cinnamon stick

Cuban bread torrejas with a pocket filled with guava paste and cream cheese, golden on the outside and creamy on the inside.

CiberCubaNovember 6, 2026

Image generated with AI.CiberCuba

Preparation25 min
Cooking25 min
Total time1 h 10 min
Servings4 stuffed torrejas (4 servings)
DifficultyMedium

Guava and cream cheese stuffed torrejas combine milk and egg-soaked bread with a sweet and creamy filling. Here, the guava and cheese do not go on top: they stay inside the bread, in a pocket opened in each thick slice.

Unlike Cuban syrup-soaked torrejas or grandma's torrejas, this version has a filling. You must leave the bread edges connected, use the right amount of guava and cheese, soak without overdoing it, and control the cooking of the center. To prepare them in the United States, look for Cuban bread with a firm crumb, guava paste, and block cream cheese.

Yields 4 thick torrejas, one per person, for an afternoon snack or a Sunday breakfast with coffee.

Method

Flavored milk

In a small saucepan, place the milk with the cinnamon stick, pinch of salt and sugar, if using. Heat over medium-low heat for 4-5 minutes, until it steams and small bubbles appear at the edge. Do not let it boil. Turn off the heat.
Add the vanilla, cover and let infuse for 10 minutes. Remove the cinnamon and pour the milk into a shallow dish about 20 cm (8 in) wide. Let it cool for about 15 minutes, or until it is no longer hot. Meanwhile, prepare the bread.

Pocket and filling

With a serrated knife, cut the loaf diagonally into 4 wide slices 4 cm (approximately 1½ in) thick, about 45 g each.
Place each slice flat on a stable board. Insert a paring knife from one side of the crust, at mid-height and with the blade parallel to the board. Make an opening about 4-5 cm long and widen the cavity inward without piercing the faces. Leave approximately 1 cm of bread uncut at the bottom and other edges. The depth depends on the slice size: it must remain a pocket, not two separate halves. Keep fingers out of the blade's path.
Divide the guava paste into 4 portions of 25 g and cut each into thin strips that fit in the pocket. Also divide the cream cheese into 4 portions of 20 g.
Carefully open the pocket and spread a portion of cream cheese on one inner face with a small spoon. Insert the guava strips without forcing or tearing the bread. Leave approximately 1 cm free next to the opening and gently bring the edges together.
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Place the stuffed slices on a plate and refrigerate for 10 minutes so the filling firms up.

Soaking, coating and frying

Pour oil into a heavy 25-26 cm (10 in) skillet, placed stably on the burner, until forming a layer 1.5 cm (approximately ⅝ in) deep. Heat to about 170 °C (340 °F) and check the temperature with an appropriate frying thermometer. The amount of oil needed varies according to the bottom diameter.
In another shallow dish, beat the eggs with the pinch of salt until homogeneous, without making foam.
Soak each slice in the cooled milk for about 5 seconds per side, trying not to flood the opening. Lift it with a wide spatula and let it drain for approximately 1 minute. It should be moist but firm, not falling apart. Adjust soaking according to the bread's absorption and avoid leaving it submerged.
Pass the slice through the beaten egg and cover both faces and all edges, including the opening. Let excess drip off for a few seconds. Use a rack and separate clean utensils for already cooked torrejas.
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Fry in batches of 2. With the help of a spatula and tongs, first rest the edge of the opening in the oil for about 20-30 seconds, so the egg begins to set. Then lay the torreja flat and fry for about 2½-3 minutes per side, until golden. Briefly brown the other edges if necessary. Keep the oil between 165 and 175 °C (approximately 330-350 °F) and avoid pressing the bread.
Check that the egg is set and the surface golden. Also verify with a kitchen thermometer that the center reaches 71 °C (160 °F): the exterior color does not guarantee the interior is done. If it is already golden but has not yet reached that temperature, transfer it to a tray with a rack and finish cooking in the oven at 180 °C (approximately 350 °F). Start checking after 5 minutes and continue until the indicated temperature is reached, without relying solely on time.
Drain the torrejas on a clean rack, over a tray, for 1-2 minutes. Before frying the next batch, let the oil recover its temperature. Discard any egg and milk that have come into contact with the bread during coating.

Finish

Mix the sugar with the ground cinnamon and sprinkle a light layer on both faces while the torrejas are still hot.
Let them rest for 3-5 minutes before cutting, because the guava filling retains a lot of heat. Cut diagonally with a serrated knife and serve.
Image generated with AI.CiberCuba

Light syrup (optional)

For the syrup, boil the sugar with the water and half cinnamon stick for about 4-5 minutes, until dissolved and slightly thickened, without letting it take color. You can do this while the milk cools. Remove the cinnamon and serve up to 1 tablespoon per torreja, preferably separately.

Tips and variations

Estimated time: about 70 minutes. Includes preparation, heating and cooling the milk, the 10-minute refrigeration of the stuffed bread, frying, and the final 3-5 minute rest. Prepare the bread while the milk infuses and cools: part of those times overlap. If you need to finish cooking in the oven, add that time.

To prevent the bread from breaking. Use Cuban bread from 1 or 2 days ago, firm but not hard as a stone. Choose wide slices that allow opening the pocket without piercing the faces or edges. If the bread is too fresh, leave the slices in the air until the surface is somewhat firmer. Handle them with a wide spatula, without pressing the center.

To contain the filling. Distribute 25 g of guava and 20 g of cream cheese per slice and leave approximately 1 cm free next to the opening. Divide the guava into thin strips if necessary to insert it without forcing the bread. Block cream cheese is easier to handle than a very soft whipped variety. Covering the opening with egg and letting it set at the start of frying helps contain the filling, but does not replace a well-cut pocket nor guarantee an airtight seal.

Soaking and frying. Start with about 5 seconds of milk per side and check that the bread remains firm; its absorption changes depending on the crumb and how dry it is. Do not leave it submerged until it falls apart. Drain excess milk and egg, fry in batches of 2, and control the oil with a thermometer, between 165 and 175 °C (approximately 330-350 °F).

Sweetness. Guava pastes vary. If yours is very sweet, omit the sugar from the milk. The syrup is optional: serve a small amount separately, up to 1 tablespoon per torreja.

Storage and reheating. Refrigerate leftovers promptly, in a shallow container, before 2 hours pass since cooking, or 1 hour if the environment exceeds 32 °C (90 °F). Do not wait for them to cool completely on the table. Store covered at 4 °C (40 °F) or less and consume within a maximum of 2 days. Reheat in the oven at 180 °C (approximately 350 °F), on a rack placed in a tray: start checking after 8-10 minutes and continue until the center reaches 74 °C (165 °F). The time depends on size and initial temperature. Sprinkle sugar with cinnamon after reheating. Internal temperatures and refrigeration guidelines follow FDA food safety recommendations.

Gallery

4 photos

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Cuban guava and cream cheese stuffed torrejas

Bread opened on one side with guava and cream cheese filling.

Slice of bread stuffed with guava and cream cheese coated in beaten egg.

Golden torrejas cut to show the guava and cream cheese filling.

Cuban guava and cream cheese stuffed torrejas

Ingredients

For the bread and filling

For the flavored milk

For the coating and frying

For the finish

Light syrup (optional)