Suspiro de Limeña

Suspiro de Limeña or Suspiro a la Limena is a dessert of Peruvian gastronomy. A literal translation of the dessert's name is "Limean (from Lima) Woman's Sigh".

Origin

The origins of this dessert are in the middle of the nineteenth century in Lima, Peru. However, it has a clear Islamic influence. The first piece of information we have regarding its development is outlined in the "New Dictionary of American Cuisine", published in the year 1818, where it was named "Manjar Real del Peru" (Royal Delight of Peru).

Its history starts with the wife of poet Jose Galvez, Amparo Ayarez, who came up with the recipe. Galvez gave it its name because it is sweet and light "like a woman's sigh".

The dessert is based around manjar blanco, the Peruvian name for what is known as dulce de leche elsewhere in South America, itself coming from blancmange, a dish from the Middle Ages. Blancmange came to Peru from Spain. It consisted of a thick cream made of milk, sugar, almond, flour and some Arabic and Iberian ingredients. An even older recipe had it made of chicken breast boiled in milk, almonds and thickened with flour and was meant as a bland food for the sick and weak.

The other element of the Suspiro de Limena is meringue, also brought to Peru by the Spaniards.

This dessert is consumed mainly in Lima as well as in other Peruvian cities on a smaller scale and somewhat in border countries. It can also be found elsewhere where Peruvian gastronomy has spread and can be found in some restaurants.

Preparation

Suspiro de Limena is relatively easy to make. The manjar blanco layer of the dessert can either be made with whole milk and sugar boiled until thick and caramel colored to which are added egg yolk and vanilla essence as the traditional recipe would have it, be replaced with commercially bought manjar blanco/dulce de leche, or from cans of sweetened condensed milk boiled and with the egg yolks added at the very end.

The meringue top layer is made from egg whites and Oporto and is sprinkled with cinnamon.

External links

* [http://www.yanuq.com/english/buscador.asp?idreceta=403 Recipe]