Flavours of Spain, Part 11: Leche Merengada

My best memories from childhood are those from the days spent at my grandma's house in Umbemendi (Basque Country). I remember how I used to wake up in the morning and run to the window to see the valley covered with a thick fog that slowly revealed the lovely "Caseríos" from Laukiz.

I also remember the smell of Compota that filled the house just before our Christmas dinners (dinners that I never ate because I was too busy with my presents!! haha)

But if there's a special memory from my childhood in the Basque Country, that's the Leche Merengada that my Aunt Lourdes used to prepare for us and that my brother and I drank in less than 5 seconds, either in summer or in winter.

(My brother and I...)

So today I'm dedicating this Leche Merengada Cupcakes to my aunt Lourdes and our happy times in Umbe.

First of all, let's prepare the Leche Merengada:

Ingredients

• 1 l. milk
  
• Lemon zest
  
• Cinnamon Stick
  
• 300 gr. sugar
  
• 4 egg whites
  

Put the milk, sugar, lemon zest and 1 cinnamon stick in a pan and bring it slowly to the boil. Simmer 5 minutes and then let it cool down.

Tip the egg whites into a large clean mixing bowl and beat them the mixture up in stiff peaks, adding slowly the 50gr sugar left.

Strain the milk mixture and add it slowly to the egg whites.

Put this mixture in the freezer until it's solid. (If you aren't cooking it for cupcakes, then freeze it directly in cups and sprinkle cinnamon powder on top before serving).



While the Leche Merengada waited in the freezer, I baked some cinnamon cupcakes, using the same recipe I used for my Arroz con Leche Cupcakes.




Once the cupcakes had cooled down, I took the Leche Merengada out of the freezer (by then it had already the texture of ice cream) and put spoonfuls on top of the cupcakes. Finally, I decorated the powder some cinnamon powder and cinnamon sticks.





This is the result, which was... YUM!!!!!!

Make sure you prepare this cupcakes right before serving them, as the Leche Merengada will melt otherwise.






This is Hormiga, the last present from Andrew... how cute!!!! I love it!





More coming soon!!!!!!!

PS: My parents are the best! they just posted a parcel full of Spanish Christmas sweets for me... so that I can make Spanish Christmas Cupcakes! I can't wait to receive the parcel!!