Brazo de Mercedes

A meringue sheet rolled around a yolk custard, using both halves of the same eggs.

Egg. Vegetarian, but not vegan — contains egg, dairy (condensed milk), dairy (cream).

Ingredients

• 10 egg whites
• 10 egg yolks
• 200 g caster sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 400 ml condensed milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• icing sugar, to dust

Method

1. TEN EGGS, BOTH HALVES, AND NOTHING WASTED: the whites become the meringue sheet and the yolks the filling. That is the design of the dessert rather than a coincidence.
2. Make the filling first. Whisk the yolks with the condensed milk, vanilla and salt in a bowl over simmering water, stirring constantly, for 20 to 25 minutes until it is as thick as curd and holds a line.
3. It must not boil. Yolks and condensed milk over direct heat scramble, and over water they merely take time.
4. Cool the custard completely.
5. Whisk the whites with the cream of tartar to soft peaks, then add the sugar gradually to a stiff, glossy meringue.
6. SPREAD IT ON LINED PAPER IN AN EVEN RECTANGLE, about 2 cm, and bake at 150C for 20 minutes until just set and barely coloured.
7. Turn it out, spread the cold custard over, and ROLL IT FROM THE LONG SIDE using the paper to lift. Roll it warm: a cooled meringue sheet cracks right across instead of bending.

Our own recipe. This one was written for this site rather than taken from anywhere, so there is no source to point you at. The quantities and the order of the steps are choices, not the only way to do it.

Filed under Philippines · All recipes