Torta Frita (Uruguayan Fried Sweet Bread)

Torta frita criolla. A crispy fried dough, tossed in sugar, and served with mate for an afternoon snack.

What is torta frita?

Torta frita, which translates to “fried cake” is one of the most popular appetizers in Uruguay.

This fried bread or cake is made with wheat flour then sprinkled with sugar.

The result is a delicious cake or fry bread with a crispy texture that tasted wonderful, particularly when combined with sugar.

It is customary to serve torta frita with a good infusion of mate (a caffeine-rich infused drink). Although for those who prefer a less bitter drink, it is ok to serve them with coffee or milk.

History of this fry bread

This simple recipe is one of the deep-rooted traditions in Uruguay. Although, their history is not known with certainty.

One of the stories told is that these cakes are inherited from the German colonies, which settled in Uruguay from 1870 to 1960. During this period, European immigrants came to American lands in search of places to settle. Two of the countries they preferred were Argentina and Uruguay.

The immigrants were mainly Swiss, Italians and Germans.

It is from the latter that these fried cakes are thought to be inherited. Uruguay welcomed an important community of Germans and fried cakes, which in Germany are called Kreppel, became one of the identifying elements of Uruguayan cuisine.

Tortas fritas and rainy days

In Uruguay there is a tradition of eating these tortas fritas dusted with sugar on rainy days. You can find them in street food stalls in many different cities.

Some people attribute the custom of eating these fried cakes on rainy days to the gauchos. Gauchos were typical cowboys of the Pampas Plains. They were characterized as being excellent horsemen and the promoted livestock in what was previously called Banda Oriental (a territory that constituted what is currently the Eastern Republic of Uruguay and the state of Rio Grande Do Sul, which belongs to the territory of Brazil today).

According to legend, these gauchos made the famous fried cakes with rainwater. And so, the tradition of eating them on rainy days persists.

Uruguayan fried sweet dough

The ingredients for torta frita vary from house to house.

It can be made with baking powder or yeast.

Some people like to make them with milk, and others continue with the most traditional way of making them with water.

Some like them thin and crispy, others thicker and spongy.

What they all have in common is that these tortas are round and have a little hole in the middle.

Traditionally, the dough is made with beef tallow and then fried in the same fat. But vegetable oil is a good replacement.

Our torta frita recipe

Our recipe is very simple; flour, salt, beef tallow, baking powder, and water.

This recipe can be made in a stand mixer, using the dough hook, or by hand, using a pastry cutter at the beginning to cut the fat into the flour.

The amount of water for this recipe might vary from place to place, due to how different brands of flour absorb liquid.

The dough should be on the softer side.

After forming the individual portions, you should be able to stretch the dough by hand. If this is not possible, just flour a flat surface, and use a rolling pin to make a circle.

I used vegetable oil to fried them and kept the temperature to 375F. Fry them for a few seconds, and turn them. Let them brown on one side, turn them again, and brown the other side.

This recipe makes 8 big tortas, but you can make them smaller to serve them as appetizers.

How to serve tortas fritas

These fried cakes are better served within the first couple of hours. Their texture changes the next day.

Although traditionally these are served with mate (a caffeine-rich infused drink), choose your favorite drink and drizzled the fried cakes with dulce de leche, honey, or jam.

You can also add savory accompaniments such as cold cuts, cheese, or cream.