Mariana Velásquez's Merengón de Fresa y Crema de Diente de León
Makes 10 to 12 servings
A large white banner with red, bold capital letters reading Merengón De Fresa stretches between makeshift flimsy poles on the sides of the roads along the Bogotá savanna. About two hundred feet past the sign, a boxy Renault 12—a French-made car brought to our country and popular in the 1970s—sits with its parking lights on and its trunk propped open, displaying trays of crunchy meringue topped with whipped cream and strawberries. The merengónis sold by families who empirically prepare this dessert at home during the week and venture to country roads on the weekend to sell to passersby. It’s a less refined pavlova, with all its decadence. In this version, I take all the richness of a Renault 12 merengón, and add a dash of dandelion bitters into the cream to bring to mind the yellow flowers that blanket the fields of the area and give zest to the taste.
Image Credits
Photo by Gentl & Hyers
ingredients
For the meringue
- 6 egg whites, at room temperature
- 2 cups superfine sugar
- 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
For the cream
- 2 cups chilled heavy cream
- 1½ teaspoons dandelion bitters or angostura bitters
- 2 pounds small ripe strawberries, hulled and halved
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons superfine sugar
- Dandelion petals, for garnish (optional)
method
- Preheat the oven to 200°F. Line an 11 x 17-inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Pour the egg whites into the clean bowl of an electric mixer with the whisk attachment. Mix on low speed for 10 to 15 seconds to loosen up the egg whites. Gradually increase the speed until light and foamy. Slowly add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, and continue mixing on high speed until the meringue is glossy and stiff peaks form, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the vanilla, cornstarch, and vinegar and mix a few more times to incorporate. Using a rubber spatula, gently transfer the meringue onto the prepared baking sheet and spread to form a rectangle. Transfer to the oven and bake until slightly golden and set, 55 to 60 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool.
- In the meantime, prepare the cream: Place the metal bowl of a stand mixer and whisk attachment in the freezer for at least 10 minutes.
- Remove the chilled bowl and whisk from the freezer, pour in the cream and bitters, and whisk on medium speed to form soft peaks, about 2 minutes. Transfer the whipped cream to a separate bowl and refrigerate until ready to assemble.
- Place the strawberries, lemon juice, and sugar into a medium bowl and stir to combine. Allow the berries to marinate for at least 15 minutes.
- Assemble the merengón: Transfer the baked meringue onto a large platter. Spread the cream all over the surface, leaving about a ½-inch border, pizza style. Scatter the strawberries and drizzle their juices over the cream and garnish with the dandelion petals, if using. Cut into messy squares and serve.
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| Description | Recipe excerpted from Colombiana: A Rediscovery of Recipes and Rituals by Mariana Velásquez |
