Lucuma Cake with Meringue

Versión en español

This Lucuma Meringue Cake is very traditional in Chile and is usually bought at the favorite family bakery. I don't remember my mother ever doing it at home. It is so easy to come. But after moving to the USA, I didn't have another option other than learning to do it by myself, and soon, I was making this cake for other Chilean families living here, which is always welcome with cheers and sweet memories.

Lucuma is a fruit native to Peru that is very well balanced, not too sweet, with a subtle floral flavor. It is grainy on the tongue but pleasant. You can make the exact cake with raspberry, another favorite in my country, or if you want a more tropical cake, use passion fruit.

Tips for a spectacular meringue cake:

Why is meringue cake sold frozen?

The meringue absorbs moisture and loses crispness very quickly. One way to preserve and avoid this is to keep the cake frozen. Keeping the cake frozen is especially important if you live in a humid climate: you must make the meringues on a dry day without rain, and as soon as they are cold, fill the cake, decorate it, and keep it frozen. Move it into the refrigerator 2 hours before serving.

What fillings are popular in Chile?

Raspberry is a classic. You can also add mango jam or lemon curd.
Generally, any fresh fruit—mango, kiwi, strawberries, peaches—not overly ripe works well, as does any fruit puree, such as lucuma or chestnut. Jams are also common.

Here, you can see the recipe for the meringue-chestnut.

How do I store the meringue cake?

I recommend keeping it frozen for up to 3 months.

How to achieve a firm whipped cream?

There are three fundamental factors: the cream, the bowl, and the blades must be cold. The cream's fat percentage must be at least 36%, that is, 36 grams of fat per 100 grams of liquid cream. Lower-fat creams are not as stable. Mix at high speed. Other factors, such as adding the sugar initially or later, are not critical.

What are the different types of meringue, and when to use them?

French: the most common and straightforward. Beat the egg whites until foamy, add the sugar gradually, and beat everything until the meringue is white and silky. It is less stable, but the one with more air—is ideal for souffles.
Italian: it is the most stable. It is made by adding hot sugar syrup to the egg whites while beating.
Swiss: It is made by heating the egg whites and sugar and whisking until cool. Here, you can see the method in detail—the best for decorating pies.

What is the standard egg size in pastry?

Recipes in the US are written for large eggs, which weigh about 65 grams in the shell.
Without shell: 50 grams: 35 grams the egg white, 15 grams the yolk.

With what knife do I cut the cake?

It is better to use a serrated knife. It crumbles less.

Maybe you would also like the recipe: Lucuma Ice Cream.

Lucuma Cake with Meringue

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• Author: Pilar Hernandez
• Prep Time: 1 hour
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Total Time: 2 hours
• Yield: 12
• Category: Sweets
• Method: Frozen
• Cuisine: Chilean

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Description

A traditional Chilean cake.

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Ingredients

Units USM

for the meringue,

• 6 large egg whites
• 1 cup plus 5 tablespoons of fine granulated sugar
• a pinch of salt

For the lucuma cream

• 3 cups heavy cream
• ½ cup of lucuma powder (available at Amazon or health stores)
• 9 tablespoon of granulated sugar

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Instructions

1. Draw four circles of 20-22 cm/9" in diameter on parchment paper, leaving one ear on each circle, place the parchment on two baking sheets.
2. Preheat oven to 200F or 100 C.
3. Place egg whites in a large bowl of a stand mixer set with the whipping attachment. Whip at medium speed until the whites form soft peaks and hold when lifting (without gliding down). Add the sugar slowly while continuing beating on medium speed, then whip on high speed for 8-10 minutes until it looks silky, and if you rub the meringue between your fingers, do not feel any grains of sugar.
   
4. Spoon the meringue into a piping bag with a round tip of about half-inch diameter or a Ziploc bag and cut one end.
5. Fill on the pre-drawn circles in a concentric motion starting from the outside in with the meringue. Spread with a knife to level or leave like that.
   
6. Bake for 1 ½ hour. The discs should feel dry to the touch but not brown. Allow cooling in the oven.
   
7. Once cooled, wrapped without removing the parchment paper with plastic wrap and stored for 2-3 days. The meringue is fragile. Treat it gently.
8. Use a chilled bowl. Put the cream in the bowl and whip at high speed until it doubles in volume and forms soft peaks.
9. While beating at a slow speed, add the lucuma powder and sugar slowly. Beat for 1 minute to thoroughly incorporate in high speed.
10. Assemble the cake alternating merengue disc (remember to remove the parchment paper) and lucuma cream, cover with cream all over and decorate with sliced almonds browned in the oven or pan (the classic decoration in Chile), or be creative with the lucuma cream.
    
    
11. Storage the cake frozen, remove to the refrigerator 2 hours before serving, serve cold.
    

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