Brazo de Mercedes

4.41 from 15 votes

Brazo de Mercedes or Mercedes Arm is a classic Filipino dessert made of fluffy meringue and creamy yema filling. Give the recipe a try; it's easier to make than you think!

Prep Time30

Cook Time1

Total Time1 30

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Filipino

Servings: servings

Calories: 487kcal

Author: Lalaine Manalo

Ingredients

For the Custard Filling

10 egg yolks, beaten
1 can (14 ounces) condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon lemon or calamansi zest

For the Meringue

10 egg whites
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup superfine sugar
¼ cup powdered sugar

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a bowl, combine egg yolks, milk, vanilla extract, and lemon zest. Stir until well-blended.
Place in a double boiler and 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.
Preheat oven to 350 F.
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 the speed of the 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 parchment paper and lightly grease the surface of the paper. Set aside.
Transfer meringue onto the prepared baking sheet and, using a spatula, spread evenly across into about ¼-inch thick.
Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the meringue is set and the top has turned light brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
Using a fine-mesh sieve, light dust top of the meringue with powdered sugar.
Place another layer of greased wax paper and another baking sheet over the meringue. Gently invert the meringue onto the new baking sheet and peel the wax paper on top.
Spoon custard on top and spread evenly on the 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.

Video

Notes

Combine the ingredients until well-blended BEFORE placing on the flame, as the heat can cook the yolks into scrambled eggs and turn the mixture lumpy.
For a silky and smooth texture, cook the custard mixture low and slow. High heat can curdle the yolks. Tend to custard and stir regularly to prevent lumps.
You can make the yema in a double boiler for a more gentle heat.
Cook the custard until thick but spreadable. Remember that the mixture will continue to thicken as it cools. Lightly press plastic film on the surface of the cooked yema to keep it from drying out.
Older egg whites create more volume, but fresh eggs have a more stable foam.
Let egg whites stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes before beating for maximum volume.
Avoid aluminum bowls, as they can turn egg whites into gray or plastic bowls, which usually have hidden traces of fat or grease that can spoil the meringue and keep it from stiffening up. Chefs prefer to use copper bowls as the chemical reaction between copper and the egg whites produces a more stable foam, but if you don't have one, a stainless or glass bowl is okay.
Use very clean and dry bowls and beaters. Fats or any residue can affect the eggs' volume and cause the meringue to deflate.
Make sure no traces of yolk get into the whites, as they will not expand properly. Crack the eggs on the counter and not on the edge of the bowl to reduce the chance that a shard of the shell will puncture the yolk.
Add the sugar gradually to the egg whites to avoid losing volume.
Do not overbeat! You know they have reached stiff peaks when the whipped whites no longer slide around when the bowl is tilted. Properly-whipped egg whites should look shiny and moist.

Nutrition