Brazo de Mercedes

Brazo de Mercedes is a soft meringue roll with custard filling which is popular in the Philippines either as dessert or snack. As for me, I enjoy it as a dessert. I love it because it's not only heavenly, it is also easy to prepare and doesn't require that much ingredients.

The only tricky part in making brazo de mercedes is how to attain the perfect consistency of the meringue and how to keep it moisture free so it won't fall flat. Well, just see to it that you won't over beat the meringue, and be sure that everything you will use in making it is dry, from the bowl, the whisk to the spatula...and I assure you that you'll come up with the perfect brazo de mercedes! :) 

So what are you waiting for??? Try it now!

Prep Time: 10 mins          Cook Time: ~25 mins           Servings: 8                             

Ingredients:
For Meringue:

• 10 egg whites
• ½ tsp cream of tartar
• ¾ cup granulated sugar

Filling:

• 10 egg yolks
• 1 *12oz. can condensed milk
• 2 tsp fresh lemon extract 

Topping:

• 5 Tbsp confectioners sugar

Procedure:

1. To make the meringue, combine egg whites and cream of tartar then beat using an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar and continue beating until the texture is semi-firm. 
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a slightly greased cookie sheet with wax paper. Slightly grease the surface of the wax paper. Doing this will prevent the meringue from sticking after baking. Place the meringue on top and spread evenly using a spatula. Bake the meringue for 20 minutes or until it is light brown.

3. Meanwhile, make the filling by combining the egg yolks and condensed milk in a small saucepan over medium low heat. Stir the mixture continuously until it becomes thick. Add the lemon extract to the mixture and mix thoroughly. Remove from heat and set aside.

4. When the meringue is done, take out from the oven and allow to cool down. It will deflate to its original volume. Do not worry, that’s the way it is. Work a spatula under the wax paper to loosen it. Sprinkle 3 Tbsp confectioners sugar on top of the meringue. Have another baking sheet & wax paper ready. Lay the wax paper on top of the meringue, then put the other baking sheet on top. Holding both sheets firmly, flip them over with one swift motion. Lift off the pan holding the meringue, and peel off the wax paper carefully. Don’t worry if there are small portions that stick as they will not be visible when the meringue is rolled. 

5. With the long side facing you, spread the filling over the meringue. Using the bottom wax paper, carefully lift the meringue up to roll forward. Carefully peel off the wax paper when you have rolled half the meringue. Keep rolling until the long sides overlap. The meringue should be seam side down. 

6. Remove from wax paper and transfer to a serving plate. Sprinkle the remaining confectioners sugar. Slice and serve.

Note: If you won’t serve it yet, keep the wax paper on and store it in a cake box and put in a cool dry place. DO NOT REFRIGERATE! Refrigerating will cause the sugar in the meringue to liquefy and weep out. When ready to serve, remove wax paper and sprinkle with confectioners sugar.

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