Brazo de Mercedes facts for kids
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| Course | Dessert |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Philippines |
| Main ingredients | eggs, sugar, cream of tartar |
Brazo de Mercedes is a yummy Filipino dessert. It's a soft, rolled cake made from meringue. Inside, it has a sweet, creamy custard filling. People often sprinkle powdered sugar on top. It's a special kind of Filipino roll cake called a pianono.
Contents
The Story Behind Brazo de Mercedes
The name Brazo de Mercedes comes from Spanish. It means "Arm of Our Lady of Mercy." This name refers to Mary, mother of Jesus, who is also known as Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes.
This delicious dessert has a long history. It first appeared during the Spanish colonial period in the Philippines. Back then, people used a lot of egg whites to make mortar and plaster for buildings. This meant they had many leftover egg yolks. To avoid wasting them, creative cooks found ways to use the yolks, and that's how desserts like Brazo de Mercedes were born!
How Brazo de Mercedes is Made
Unlike other Filipino pianono cakes, which use chiffon or sponge cake, Brazo de Mercedes is special because it's made with meringue. This means it doesn't use flour at all!
Here's how it's usually made:
- The Meringue: First, the fluffy meringue is created. This is done by whipping egg whites, cream of tartar, and sugar together until they are light and airy.
- The Custard Filling: The creamy filling is traditionally a custard. It's made from egg yolks, sugar, and milk. These ingredients are cooked slowly over low heat in a double boiler. Sometimes, cooks add other tasty things like calamansi zest, butter, or vanilla extract to the custard for extra flavor.
- Rolling it Up: Once the meringue is baked and cooled, the sweet custard is spread evenly over one side. Then, the meringue is carefully rolled into a log shape.
- Serving: Finally, the Brazo de Mercedes is often chilled. Before serving, it gets a dusting of powdered sugar on top.
Different Kinds of Brazo de Mercedes
Today, you can find many exciting versions of Brazo de Mercedes. Modern cooks love to experiment with different fillings and ingredients. These new versions often have unique names based on their flavors.
Some popular variations include:
- Brazo de ube: Made with purple yam.
- Brazo de pandan: Flavored with pandan leaves.
- Brazo de buko pandan: A mix of coconut and pandan.
- Brazo de tsokolate: With a chocolate filling.
- Brazo de mangga: Featuring sweet mango.
These variations show how this traditional dessert continues to evolve while keeping its classic charm.
See also
In Spanish: Brazo de Mercedes para niños
