Okay, so today I’m gonna show you how to make a Peruvian dessert called Suspiro de Limeña. I’ve been seeing this dessert all over the internet, and it looked so good, I just had to try it. It’s apparently really popular in Lima, the capital of Peru. The story goes that a poet named José Gálvez named it Suspiro de Limeña, which means “sigh of the woman from Lima,” because it’s sweet and light like a woman’s sigh. Pretty romantic, right?
Getting Started
First, I gathered all the main ingredients I needed. It’s basically a caramel custard with a meringue topping, so you need stuff for the caramel layer and stuff for the meringue. For the caramel, I grabbed:
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Evaporated milk
- Egg yolks
- Vanilla extract
And for the meringue, I got:
- Egg whites
- Sugar
- Port wine
Making the Caramel Layer
I started with the caramel layer. I poured the sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk into a saucepan. This part was pretty easy. I just let it simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally to make sure it didn’t burn. After about 20-25 minutes, it started to thicken up and get that nice caramel color.
Then, I took it off the heat and slowly whisked in the egg yolks, one at a time. It’s super important to do this slowly so you don’t scramble the eggs. Finally, I stirred in a splash of vanilla extract for some extra flavor. I poured the mixture into some ramekins and let them cool a bit.
Whipping Up the Meringue
While the caramel was cooling, I started on the meringue. I beat the egg whites in a clean bowl until they formed soft peaks. In a separate saucepan, I combined the sugar and port wine and heated it until the sugar dissolved and it became a syrup.
Then, with the mixer still running, I slowly poured the hot syrup into the egg whites. This part was a little tricky because you have to be careful not to let the syrup touch the sides of the bowl. I kept beating the mixture until it was glossy and formed stiff peaks. This took about 5-7 minutes.
Putting It All Together
Once the meringue was ready, I spooned it over the cooled caramel in the ramekins. You can make pretty swirls with it if you’re feeling fancy. I wasn’t, so I just made sure it covered the caramel.
The Final Touch
Some people like to dust the meringue with cinnamon, but I decided to leave it plain. I put the ramekins in the fridge for a couple of hours to let everything chill and set. Let me tell you, the wait was the hardest part!
Finally, after what felt like forever, it was time to try it. And oh boy, was it worth it. The caramel was creamy and rich, and the meringue was light and fluffy. It was like a little piece of heaven in every bite. This Suspiro de Limeña is definitely a winner in my book. I will totally make it again. It’s not the quickest dessert to make, but the result is just fantastic.
