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Merengón
Merengón: crisp meringue layered with whipped cream and fresh strawberries
Weekend drives out of Bogotá often end at a roadside sweet shop with a slice of merengón: two discs of crisp, chalky meringue sandwiched and piled with whipped cream and fruit. Strawberry is the classic in the highlands, while on the Caribbean coast soursop (guanábana) is just as popular. Think of it as Colombia's answer to pavlova, crunchier and sweeter, assembled shortly before eating so the meringue cracks under the spoon. The meringue needs a long, slow bake and a slow cool in the oven, so plan ahead. Humidity and undissolved sugar are the main enemies: if the sugar is not fully beaten in, the meringue weeps sticky syrup, so rub a little between your fingers and keep whisking until it feels smooth. For a soursop version, swap the strawberries for 300 g thawed soursop pulp, folded into half the cream. Chef's tip: assemble no more than an hour before serving, or the cream softens the meringue.
- Total time
- 150 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
For the meringue
- 4 egg whitesat room temperature
- 8 oz caster sugar
- 1 tsp lime juice
- 1 tsp cornflour
For the filling
- 1 ¾ cups whipping creamwell chilled
- 2 tbsp icing sugar
- 14 oz strawberrieshulled and sliced
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 200°F (fan 194°F). Draw two 20 cm circles on baking paper, turn it over and lay it on a large tray.
Step 2: Whisk 4 egg whites in a spotless bowl until it holds soft peaks.
Step 3: Add 8 oz caster sugar a spoonful at a time, whisking well after each, then whisk for 5 more minutes, until thick, glossy and smooth when rubbed between your fingers.
8 minStep 4: Fold in 1 tsp lime juice and 1 tsp cornflour.
Step 5: Spread the meringue inside the two circles, making one disc flat and the other with swirled peaks.
Step 6: Bake for 2 hours, until crisp and the discs lift cleanly off the paper. Turn off the oven and leave them inside with the door ajar until cold.
120 minStep 7: Whip 1 ¾ cups whipping cream with 2 tbsp icing sugar and 1 tsp vanilla extract until it holds soft peaks.
Step 8: Set the flat disc on a plate, spread with half the cream and half the 7 oz strawberries. Top with the peaked disc, the rest of the cream and the remaining 7 oz strawberries. Serve within an hour.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 320 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 33 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does merengón take?
- About 150 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 120 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of caster sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of lime juice?
- Lemon juice, same amount.
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