Suspiro de limeña facts for kids
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| Alternative names | Suspiro a la limeña |
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| Type | Dessert |
| Place of origin | Peru |
| Region or state | Lima |
| Main ingredients | manjar blanco (milk, sugar, almond flour, egg yolks, vanilla), meringue (egg whites, Oporto, cinnamon) |
Suspiro de limeña (say "soo-SPEE-roh day lee-MEH-nyah") is a super yummy dessert from Peru. Its name means "Sigh of the Lady from Lima," which sounds pretty poetic! It's a sweet treat that many people in Peru and around the world love to eat.
Contents
Where Did This Dessert Come From?
This special dessert first appeared in the middle of the 1800s in Lima, Peru. It has two main parts.
The Manjar Blanco Base
One part is called manjar blanco. This is a creamy, sweet base. It's a lot like dulce de leche, which is popular in many countries. Manjar blanco actually comes from an even older dish called blancmange. Blancmange was a thick cream made from milk, sugar, and almond flour. It came to Peru from Spain a long time ago.
Some very old recipes for blancmange even used chicken breast! It was boiled in milk and thickened with flour. This version was often given to people who were sick or weak because it was very mild.
The Meringue Topping
The other main part of Suspiro de limeña is the fluffy meringue topping. Meringue is made from egg whites. It was also brought to Peru by the Spanish.
Today, Suspiro de limeña is eaten mostly in Lima and other cities in Peru. You can also find it in Peruvian restaurants all over the world!
How Is Suspiro de Limeña Made?
Making this dessert involves two main steps for its two delicious layers.
Making the Manjar Blanco
First, the manjar blanco layer is made. This involves boiling whole milk and sugar together. They cook until the mixture becomes thick and turns a lovely caramel color. After that, egg yolks are added. Sometimes, a little bit of vanilla is also mixed in for extra flavor.
Making the Meringue Topping
Next, the meringue topping is prepared. This part uses egg whites. A special syrup is made by boiling port wine and sugar until it gets thick. This port wine syrup is then carefully mixed with the egg whites to create the light and airy meringue. Finally, a sprinkle of cinnamon goes on top for a perfect finish!
See also
In Spanish: Suspiro de limeña para niños
