Serves 4
In her fabulous cookbook El Perú y sus Manjares, Jossie Sisson de De la Guerra narrates the story of this silky dessert, crediting the poet José Gálvez with its peculiar name. Apparently, this artist was a romantic even when it came to the food he ate, comparing this pudding to the gentle and sweet sigh of a girl from Lima. Yes, suspiro means “sigh.”
1 12-ounce can evaporated milk
1 14-ounce can condensed milk
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
¼ cup port wine
3 tablespoons water
Ground cinnamon, to garnish
1. Cook the evaporated milk and the sweetened condensed milk in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture thickens slightly and turns a pretty caramel color, (about 30 minutes). Turn off the heat.
2. Separate the egg whites from the yolks, and use a wire beater to beat the yolks in a small bowl. Add a couple tablespoons of the hot milk mixture and keep beating for a few seconds.
3. Pour the yolks in the pan with the milks, combine carefully, and reserve.
4. Mix the sugar, port wine, and water in another pan. Bring to a boil over high heat, without stirring. The syrup is ready when it forms a caramel thread when poured from a spoon. (230–235°F in a candy thermometer).
5. While the sugar is melting to form the caramel, beat the egg whites using a standing mixer at high speed until soft peaks form (you will know they’re ready when you lift one of the beaters and it has a soft cloud of meringue foam around it).
6. Add the hot syrup in a thin, steady stream, beating vigorously until the resulting meringue is completely cold.
7. Pour the cold milk mixture in a large container—or nice glasses. Cover with a large dollop of meringue and dust with a little ground cinnamon.
8. Serve cold, and keep refrigerated.
For the whites to grow the way they should, they must have no trace of egg yolk, and the bowl must be spotlessly clean and completely dry. Even the slightest residue will change the result.