Suspiro Limeño or Peruvian Caramel Custard with Meringue

Today I am going to introduce you to suspiro limeño or suspiro de limeña, which is a caramel custard from Peru with delicious meringue on top. This dessert was invented by the wife of the Peruvian poet Jose Galvez who gave it the picturesque name “sigh of a lady from Lima” when she served it to him the first time. The dessert has two components. Number 1 is the custard, which is similar to dulce de leche and number 2 a delicious meringue with a dash of alcohol.  Once you dig into this decadent dessert, I am sure you will understand why he described it as a sigh, it is so creamy, light, and sweet, it simply melts in your mouth. The meringue is almost like marshmallow, there is nothing else you can ask for.

Dulce de leche is extrempely popular in Latin America. In case you don’t know it, it is similar to caramel, but has more the consistency of a spread and is made of sweetened milk. Dulce de leche is the most common name in Latin America, however, in Peru it is called manjar blanco. In this post I explain how to make dulce de leche from scratch. It is much easier than you may think. For this custard the procedure is slightly different and most certainly less time-consuming. What you will do is cook evaporated milk with sweetened condensed milk until you have a custard like consistency, which is then thickened with egg yolk.

The second layer is a meringue which you beat with a hot syrup and alcohol. This is essential to kill off any bacteria, but also to get the meringue to be glossy and firm. You don’t need to use port wine and can replace it with water. However, for a true Peruvian experience I recommend you taste it with alcohol. Add a dash of cinnamon, and you will get the most classic Peruvian dessert there is.

So could I convince you to try this dulce de leche custard with the lightest and fluffiest marshmallow topping on top? I hope you feel like running to your kitchen and giving this Peruvian suspiro limeño or suspiro de limeña a go.

Print Recipe

Suspiro Limeño or Peruvian Caramel Custard with Meringue

Serves: 2 small servings

Prep Time: 10min – Cooking Time: 20min – Total Time: 30min

Suspiro Limeño or Peruvian caramel custard with meringue contains two layers. The custard is cooked on the stovetop with a mere four ingredients and the meringue whipped with port wine and sugar to a marshmallow-like topping.

Ingredients

• Caramel custard
• 190 grams of evaporated milk
• 140 grams of sweetened condensed milk
• 1 vanilla pod
• 1 egg yolk
• 
  
• Meringue
• 2 tablespoons of port wine
• 50 grams of white sugar
• 1 egg white
• cinnamon

Instructions

1

For the caramel custard combine both milk varieties in a large and flat frying pan. Add half of the scraped vanilla pod and cook at medium heat for about 10-15min until caramel in color and thicker in consistency. Take off stove and mix a quarter of it with the egg yolk in a separate bowl. Then add back to the frying pan and put back on the stove. Cook on medium for another three minutes while constantly stirring until thickens and feels and looks like a custard. Scoop into small dessert bowls (100ml) and chill while preparing the rest.

2

For the meringue heat the wine with the sugar for about three minutes while stirring. If you don't want to use alcohol, replace with water. Beat the egg white with the second half of the scraped out vanilla pod until soft peaks form and stir in hot sugar syrup. Beat until cool to the touch and glossy and stiff. Pipe onto the custard. Chill for an hour or overnight. Sprinle with cinnamon shortly before serving.

Notes

Since this dessert is chilled, you can easily prepare it in advance. The raw egg white is also OK since you put in hot syrup and on top kill bacteria with the alcohol.

P.S.: Did you know that I have a full category with all the Latin American recipes on my blog? Check it out here:

Latin American Recipes All Latin American Recipes

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