Home / Desserts / Suspiro Limeño Recipe: Delicious Peruvian Dessert from Lima
A firm favourite in Lima (note the name), the Suspiro Limeño, also known asSuspiro a la Limeña andSuspiro de Limeña is aPeruvian dessert with a very interesting history. In the middle of the nineteenth century, Amparo Ayarza, wife of poet Jose Galvez, created the recipe for this Peruvian dessert. Galvez named it Suspiro de Limeña because of its sweetness and lightness, “like a woman’s sigh”. Also known as Suspiro Limeño, or the “sigh of Lima” in English, Limeña, pronounced Lee-main-nya,means a female resident of Lima, Peru.
This ‘Suspiros’ recipe below is the simplest one you can make but once you’ve got it mastered you could try adding almond flour or extract and port or Pisco. Make with fresh eggs and try using full-fat milk, cooked slowly, instead of the can of condensed milk for an even better flavour.
Older recipes of this Peruvian dessert mention chicken breast boiled in milk, almonds and thickened with flour as their main ingredients. It was actually created as a bland food for people who are sick and weak.This easy to make Peruvian dessert is very sweet. If you don’t have a sweet tooth the taste might be too much for you so adjust the amount of sugar.
You’ll need a bit of time to prepare this dessert but don’t let you put that off. It’s usually a hit with everyone even afterthey’ve stuffed themselveson the main course.
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4.60 from 5 votes
Suspiro de Limeña Recipe
Suspiro Limeño is a delicious Peruvian dessert made with milk, eggs, sugar, and port.
Prep Time15 minutes mins
Cook Time30 minutes mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Peruvian
Keyword: cream, sweet treats
Servings: 6
Calories: 465kcal
Ingredients
- 1 can sweetened Condensed Milk
- 1 can evaporated milk
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 egg whites
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup Port or Pisco
Instructions
Put the two types of milk in a saucepan. If you use full fat milk instead of sweetened condensed milk try adding some more sugar to the final mix to bring up the sweetness.Simmer the milks on a very low heat.
Caramelising the milk can take a long time, up to an hour or more. Try for 40-45 minutes. An alternative method is to boil the condensed milk in the can for the same amount of time. It doesn’t take as much effort to keep an eye on the milk. Simmering the milk in a saucepan will definitely produce a better flavour however.
Whip the egg yolks and then add the caremalizing hot milks to the bowl. Beat thoroughly for about 20 seconds and then pour everything back into the saucepan with the vanilla. This makes the famous Dulce de Leche as it’s known in many Spanish speaking countries. In Peru they call it manjar blanco. You might also see manjar blanco referred to as blancmange.
Next mix the port/pisco with the sugar and cook (bringing to the boil) in a saucepan until the mix becomes quite thick.
Beat egg whites in a separate bowl.
Add this sticky syrup to the egg whites and beat with a spoon until it starts to look like whipped cream.
Add mix of sugar and egg white to the top of the manjar blanco in cups or bowls.
Notes
I prefer to serve this delicious dessert in small cups, but you can also use bowls or glasses. A great way to add the creamy mix of port, sugar, and egg white to the top of the manjar blanco is to use a chef’s piping bag.
Makes 6 servings
Make with the freshest, highest quality eggs you can find and try using full-fat milk instead of the can of condensed milk for an even better flavour.
Put the finished desert in the fridge to chill before serving. The dessert should be served cold. Don’t forget to add a pinch of cinnamon.
Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Suspiro de Limeña Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 465Calories from Fat 81
% Daily Value*
Fat 9g14%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.4g
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
Cholesterol 90mg30%
Sodium 155mg7%
Potassium 207mg6%
Carbohydrates 61g20%
Fiber 0.1g0%
Sugar 61g68%
Protein 11g22%
Vitamin A 393IU8%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 330mg33%
Iron 0.3mg2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Looking for more great Peruvian dessert ideas? Check out our Crema Volteada recipe or our delicious Mazamorra Morada recipe. And if you like meringue-based treats, try our Besos de Moza chocolate bonbon recipe.
Eat Peru
Peruvian foodie. I’ve been writing about the food of Peru for over 10 years. Read more about the Eat Peru team here
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Reader Interactions
Comments
Grace Adams
Me gustó el postre. Fue un poco dulce.
Reply
Amanda
Can I leave out the port, as I would be making this for a Girl Scout event.
Reply
Eat Peru
Yes, the port gives it a rich flavour. But it’s not to everyone’s liking either. Leave it out and it’s still a great recipe.
Reply
abdulmuqeet
Me gustó el postre. Fue un poco dulce.
Reply
Kate
I made this the other day, it was delicious but my meringue became brown when I added the port syrup . Did I do something wrong?
Reply
Mike
What is the amount of sugar that is mixed with the port? none is listed in the recipe
Reply
Monq
Hi, i want to make this recipe for a school project but I don’t want to add the alcohol so do I just skip the step with the alcohol in it?
Reply
Sidney
HI im making this for a school party can I just skip the port and just skip the instruction that involves the achohol I await your responseReply
Eat Peru
You could substitute the port for grape juice, or just leave it out. It adds a kick to the recipe but it’s not a vital part.
Reply
Ann
As mentioned above you left out the sugar quantity. I’m guessing a half cup.
Reply