Suspiro Limeño (Suspiro de Limeña)

Suspiro limeño — 'the sigh of a woman from Lima' — is one of Peru's most beloved desserts, said to have been created in the nineteenth century by a home cook from the Barranco district whose husband declared it as soft and sweet as a woman's sigh. A dense dulce de leche custard (manjar blanco) is crowned with a cloud of port-scented Italian meringue. It is Lima's signature dessert for any dinner party.

Serves: 6

Ingredients

Manjar base:

• 1 can (395g / 14 oz) condensed milk
• 250ml (1 cup) evaporated milk
• 3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp (5ml) vanilla extract
• Pinch of fine sea salt
• 1 tsp (3g) ground cinnamon

Port meringue:

• 3 egg whites, at room temperature
• 150g (5½ oz / ¾ cup) caster sugar
• 80ml (⅓ cup) port wine
• Ground cinnamon, to dust

Instructions

1. Combine condensed milk and evaporated milk in a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, for 20–25 minutes until the mixture thickens to a smooth, pale caramel that coats the back of a spoon and pulls away slightly from the sides. Do not let it boil rapidly.
2. Remove from heat. Quickly whisk in the egg yolks, vanilla, salt and cinnamon. Return to very low heat and stir for 2 more minutes. The custard should be thick, glossy and pale golden.
3. Divide the manjar evenly among 6 individual serving glasses or ramekins. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour until set and cold.
4. Make the port meringue: combine sugar and port in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil and cook to 118°C (245°F) — soft ball stage — about 6–8 minutes.
5. Simultaneously, beat the egg whites to stiff peaks in a clean bowl. With the mixer running, pour the hot port syrup in a thin steady stream down the side of the bowl. Continue beating for 5–7 minutes until the meringue is thick, glossy and cooled to room temperature.
6. Spoon or pipe the meringue over the chilled custard. Dust with ground cinnamon and serve immediately.

Cook's Notes: The manjar base can be made up to 2 days ahead and kept refrigerated. Make the port meringue no more than 2 hours before serving as it will begin to weep. The port wine's tannic depth cuts beautifully through the sweetness of the caramel base.