Peru · South America

Suspiro a la Limeña

A sigh from Lima: silky manjar under a fortified, glossy meringue.

suspiro limeñoPeruvian dulce de leche dessert

The Chemistry in This Bake

Whipping egg whites with syrup into a stable meringue topping over a reduced milk custard.

Learn the full technique →

Ingredients

  • Whole milk
  • Sugar
  • Egg yolks
  • Vanilla extract
  • Egg whites
  • Port wine (or water)
  • Ground cinnamon

Method

  1. Simmer milk with sugar until reduced and thickened into manjar blanco.

  2. Beat in egg yolks off the heat and cook briefly until silky; portion into glasses.

  3. Boil sugar with port to a firm syrup stage.

  4. Whip egg whites while streaming in the hot syrup to a stable, glossy meringue.

  5. Spoon or pipe the meringue over the custard.

  6. Dust with cinnamon and serve chilled.