Suspiro de limeña — "sigh of a Lima woman" — is the most iconic Lima dessert: a thick dulce de leche base (manjar blanco) topped with port wine meringue. The manjar blanco is made by reducing evaporated and condensed milk with egg yolks until thick; the port meringue is an Italian meringue made by pouring hot port-infused sugar syrup onto whipped egg whites. The combination of the dense, caramelised bottom layer and the airy, wine-fragrant meringue produces the contrast that gives the dessert its name.
- **Manjar blanco:** Evaporated milk + condensed milk + egg yolks, stirred constantly over low heat for 30–40 minutes until thick enough to leave a clean path when a spoon is drawn across the base of the pan. The texture: like very thick caramel. - **The Italian meringue:** Sugar syrup heated to soft-ball stage (115°C) with port wine, then poured in a thin stream into stiffly whipped egg whites while the mixer runs. The hot syrup cooks the egg whites, producing a stable, silky meringue that holds its shape for hours.
Peru