Have I told you before I am not much of a baker? With my propensity to repeat myself, I probably already did. As I’ve said many times, give me a carcass of pig, bovine or fowl and I’ll find many delicious ways to enjoy it from nose to tail. But flour, baking powder or yeast? I’ll stare at you blankly, dazed and confused. Sure, the cheese cupcakes and macaroons on the site regularly receive rave reviews but they are really more from my luck in finding the right recipe through diligent research than my skill with baking pans. G disagrees with how I like to admit to my baking inadequacies online. He thinks by undermining my skills, I risk losing your confidence. How can you teach what you don’t know, right? I, on the other hand, believe it is a strength to realize one’s own weaknesses. By acknowledging what I don’t know, I am able to learn. Like how to make brazo de mercedes.
Brazo de mercedes is a type of jelly roll dessert made with a pillowy meringue rolled around a rich custard filling. Although initially I was intimidated by what I thought to be a very complicated process, it turned out to be a pretty simple cake to make. I breezed through the custard center easily enough but the meringue outer layer did prove a little tricky. My egg whites fell flat on my first try and I had to read up on how to whip whites properly before my next go. Hep, hep, hooray! After googling tips and tricks, my beaten egg whites stood proud and stiff. Here are a a few guidelines to remember.
- Use fresh eggs as they whip better. Let egg whites stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes before beating.
- Use a copper, stainless or glass bowl. Avoid aluminum bowls as they can turn egg whites to gray.
- Use very clean and dry bowls and beaters. Fats or any residue can affect the eggs’ volume. Make sure no traces of yolk get into the whites as they will not expand properly.
- Add sugar slowly to the egg whites so they don’t lose volume.
- Do not overbeat! You know they have reached stiff peaks when the whipped whites no longer slide around when the bowl is tilted.
- To prevent the egg yolks from curdling, make sure to cook the custard over low heat.
- 10 egg yolks, beaten
- 1 (14 ounces) can condensed milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- zest of 1 lemon
- 10 egg whites
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 cup superfine sugar
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- In a double broiler over low heat, combine egg yolks, milk, vanilla extract and lemon zest. Cook, stirring regularly, for about 30 to 40 minutes or until mixture thickens into a spreadable paste. Transfer custard into a bowl and cover with wax paper until ready to use.
- In a bowl, combine egg whites and cream of tartar. Using an electric mixer, beat at low speed. As the egg whites start to turn opaque and begin to fluff into a thick foam, gradually add the sugar in small amounts and continue to beat while gradually increasing speed of mixer until stiff peaks form. The whipped whites will be smooth and glossy, with no sugar grains.
- Line a 14 x 16 baking sheet with wax paper and lightly grease surface of paper. Transfer meringue onto prepared baking sheet and using a spatula, spread evenly across into about ¼-inch thick. Bake in a 350 F oven for about 20 minutes or until meringue is set and top has turned to light brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
- Using a fine mesh sieve, light dust top with powdered sugar. Place another layer of greased wax paper and another baking sheet over meringue. Gently invert meringue onto the new baking sheet and peel the wax paper on top.
- Spoon custard on top and spread evenly on cooked meringue, leaving about ¼ without filling. Starting on the filled side, carefully roll meringue into a log. Cover both ends of the brazo de mercedes with wax paper and chill in the refrigerator for about 1 hour. To serve, cut into desired thickness.
maan says
June 21, 2018 at 4:18 amHi Miss Lalaine,
Hndi po ba masyadong matamis yung filling nito?😊
Lalaine says
June 25, 2018 at 2:12 amTamang tama lang 🙂
Sthar Hisarza says
February 15, 2017 at 8:47 pmhi po ask ko lang po kung ilan days po ang expiration ng braso de mercedes… ☺ tnx poh!
Lalaine says
February 18, 2017 at 12:21 pmMga 3 to 4 days ok siya sa refrigerator 🙂
Phoebie says
March 16, 2017 at 4:29 amHi pwd po ba yung sodium bicarbonate?…wala po kasi ako mahanap na cream of tartar
Lalaine says
March 19, 2017 at 12:00 amI don’t think baking soda would be a good substitute for the cream of tartar here. You might have more success with baking powder. You can check this article here http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/substitutes-for-cream-of-tartar.html
christl loseo says
December 25, 2016 at 1:43 pmMy Brazo melts whenever it stays for
more than 4 hours in the fridge. Is there a way to avoid this melting of sugar from my brazo?
Lalaine says
December 30, 2016 at 2:09 amHello Christl,
I think probably the meringue is undercooked. Here are a few articles you can check out why meringues weep. http://www.bhg.com/recipes/how-to/bake/how-to-prevent-meringue-pie-topping-from-weeping/ http://bakingbites.com/2013/04/why-do-meringues-weep/
Rio says
December 4, 2016 at 4:51 pmI made this today and it is so delicious! Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Lalaine says
April 17, 2018 at 12:57 pmYou’re welcome!
Maggie says
October 7, 2016 at 3:57 amso far this is the best looking brazo online. Thank you for the thorough instruction. Will try it today, wish me luck.
Lalaine says
October 8, 2016 at 11:47 pmThank you, Maggie. Happy baking 🙂
judy ayson says
September 4, 2016 at 5:46 amIf they don’t want the taste of the eggs in the custard you can add a few drops of lemon or vanilla flavoring to it which would probably taste good but ad for the meringue I don’t know because it might affect it becoming stiff enough.love your blog Mrs.Lalaine and all the wonderful recipes you share.Thank you so much.Salamut!!
Lalaine says
September 4, 2016 at 9:27 pmThanks for the tips, Judy. And thank you for your support of Kawaling Pinoy. I really appreciate it. 🙂
izay says
August 13, 2016 at 8:26 pmI made it today and everything was ok except when making the custard maybe the given time was too long..i did mine for 20mins and when it cooled i cant spread it..it was very stiff..i had to reheat it in the microwave..it will be judge later😄 thank you for this!
Lalaine says
August 15, 2016 at 3:01 pmHello Izay
I am sorry you had a bit of trouble with the custard/yema part of the recipe. It usually takes mine 30 to 40 minutes as I cook the mixture over low heat. The cook time I provide are close approximates and may vary depending on many factors such as the temp you use or even the ambient temperatures in the kitchen. As the recipe states, cook until mixture thickens into a spreadable paste.
I am glad you were able to fix the problem. 🙂
Eidy Monteclaro says
April 28, 2016 at 7:03 pmHello, thank you for adding me to this link. I love Filipino desserts& since I live in Kansas now there are no Filipino bakeries here. So when I visit my family in San Diego I stock up on desserts from Red Ribbon or Goldilocks. I want to learn how to make filipino desserts, especially leche flan, that is my husband’s favorite & fruit salad which I learned how to make from my Mom. I may email you to let you know how my experience is. Thanks again!
Love says
December 1, 2015 at 10:44 pmHello po.. Tanong ko lang po paano po ba para hindi masunog yung top nang meringue. Kasi pag wala pong cover na foil sa top nang baking pan ko po, nasuusunog yung aking meringue or even cakes na niluluto ko.
Shonali says
October 10, 2015 at 9:10 amIs the smell of the eggs too strong? My family is vegetarian, they eat eggs but hate it’s smell. I haven’t made this dessert yet, can you please tell me if there’s a way to get rid of the smell?
Lalaine says
October 10, 2015 at 10:16 pmHello Shonali
I don’t think there will be any strong “egg” smell what with the condensed milk and other ingredients added in. I am not sure, though, how to remove “egg” smell from food 🙁
jaybe says
August 20, 2016 at 12:39 amadd lime zest
Lalaine says
September 2, 2016 at 8:57 pmThanks, Jaybe, for the tip 🙂
Jowena Gauna says
January 25, 2016 at 3:44 amHello Lalaine!
I tried this once, but the meringue smells like eggs. I don’t know what went wrong but I followed all the steps.
Is it normal? Thanks
Carolyn Pe says
March 8, 2015 at 7:38 pmMy meringue was very puffy in the oven and when I took it out, but it collapsed and flatten while cooling. Any tips?
Lalaine says
March 8, 2015 at 9:54 pmHi Carolyn
Meringue usually deflates due to sudden change in temp. When it’s cooked, turn off the oven and take the meringue out when it’s cooled. Hope this helps 🙂
anna lea says
June 13, 2015 at 7:27 amIt has something to do with the egg. The freseher the egg, the better. Dont use eggs that has been in.the fridge for a long time. Once you separated the yolk and the white, dont let the white stand too long.
Bing says
February 20, 2015 at 1:19 amHi po my question is like of mitz ask..nag crack kc yong meringue when it is rolled..bakit po kaya? And pano ko gagawin na mas fuller ung meringue is it about the size of the pan? Or how many egg white im using..i’m just amaze sa size sa “goldilucks”. I’ve already bake BDM twice ad it looks small for me…tnx much!
Rachelle says
February 17, 2015 at 5:41 pmI am just wondering, after kong i-rolled ung brazo de mercedes, ung confectioner sugar na inisprinkled ko ay natunaw.
Lalaine says
February 17, 2015 at 6:13 pmHello Rachelle
Cool down muna yung meringue kasi yung sugar matutunaw kung mainit pa
Mitz says
January 19, 2015 at 6:16 pmHi, I tried this today. Everything was okay until I rolled it. It cracked. So instead, it became a layered brazo. Help!
Lalaine says
February 25, 2015 at 8:47 pmHi Mitz
I am so sorry to hear about your experience with making brazo de mercedes. Was the meringue cool enough when you started rolling? There are so many factors that might have compromised the stability of the meringue. How fresh the eggs are, how fast the whites were beaten. The best way to keep the meringue from cracking is to allow it to cool down slowly. After it cooks, turn the oven off and keep it there until the oven is cool to allow the meringue to cool slowly.
Jasmin says
December 29, 2014 at 1:32 pmHi Lalaine,
How long do you usually beat the egg whites still stiff peak? I use a stand up mixer. Also, can I use granulated rather than superfine sugar?
Thank you.
Jasmin
Lalaine says
December 29, 2014 at 11:57 pmHi Jasmin
I’d say about 5 to 7 minutes with my hand mixer. Yes, you can use granulated although superfine dissolves faster.
Happy baking 🙂
MAS says
December 10, 2014 at 12:20 pmCan I substitute 1 cup of Splenda for the 1 cup of superfine sugar?
Lalaine says
December 10, 2014 at 11:31 pmHello Mas
Unfortunately, I’ve never used Splenda. It might give you the sweetness but it might affect the structure of the meringue. Here is an article from the Splenda website which might help http://www.zenoplex.com/splenda/recipes/tips.htm
MAS says
December 10, 2014 at 11:04 amI have never made “Brazo De Mercedes” but plan to make to take on a road trip as a gift. The trip will take about 8 hours in the car. I was wondering if you know how it would hold up if I make and freeze it and put in an ice chest for the trip. Or do you have a suggestion. Thank you.
daisy teresita mansueto says
September 23, 2014 at 11:56 amI try it, the custard is well done & I think the meringue is still not fully done, & I did another one & I think it’s perfectly done ,my husband like it so much but he wants not to taste the egg in the meringue..any suggestion to take out the taste of the egg whites? Looking forward coz I really like it easy & it doesn’t take much time..
Lalaine says
September 24, 2014 at 9:00 pmHello Daisy
I am glad your husband liked the brazo de mercedes. Regarding the taste of egg in the meringue, maybe cooking it longer might work. Just until it pulls a bit from the sides of the pan. Hope this works 🙂
Claire says
September 14, 2014 at 11:17 pmHi Lalaine,
Thank you fro sharing this recipe. I made this, but nag ooze out ung custard. Did i cook it long enough? I waited for the merengue to cool down, but still it oozed out. Ganun ba talaga runny ung custard? Or should i cook it longer?
Claire
Lalaine says
September 14, 2014 at 11:24 pmHi Claire
Pag runny pa ang custard, kulang pa sa luto at pagka-thick. And consistency niya dapat parang yung naka boteng ube jam. Hope your next one will be more successful. 🙂
Ging says
September 2, 2014 at 6:58 amHi Lalaine,
I’ve made brazo de Mercedes before but the meringue sweats unlike yours which is dry, any tips would be greatly appreciated.
Salamat!
Lalaine says
September 2, 2014 at 8:47 amHi Jing
The meringue becomes wet or it “weeps” when it is undercooked. When it pulls easily from the paper, it is done. Hope this helps.
christl loseo says
December 30, 2016 at 6:53 amthanks so much for the tip. Goodluck and May you have a prosperous 2017
Lalaine says
December 30, 2016 at 9:39 pmYou’re welcome. Happy New Year to you and your family. 🙂
Carrie Pacini says
August 13, 2014 at 5:15 amI’ve always wanted to try a jelly roll cake. I like the custard filling you have. I will have to give it a try.
Lalaine says
August 14, 2014 at 10:09 pmHello Carrie
I hope you give it a try, it is really pretty easy to make. The custard filling is my favorite part, too 🙂