Suspiros
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Suspiros, also called Meringue sighs, are a light and delicious sweet treat. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)
Suspiros (Brazilian sighs)
We grew up on an island on the Equator off the coast of Brazil so many of my younger brother’s favorite recipes are from those days.
This is one of them, “suspiros,” which means “sighs” in Portuguese. The hardest part is practicing to get the meringue to form little “kiss” shapes as you place it on the buttered cookie sheet. You can pipe them and shape them to taste, we learned to make these in the form of the “kiss” shape.
Suspiros were special deserts for Easter, Christmas, weddings and other special occasions including birthdays. To some, they still are a favorite birthday treat.
Suspiro Ingredients
4 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
pinch of salt
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Since we had our own chickens, I thought all egg whites would work. After trying several store purchased options, I prefer fresh home raised eggs.
Eggs from a beekeeping friend were perfect for these suspiros. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)
I also allow the eggs to get to room temperature so they fluff up when beaten.
Now when we made these in Brazil, it was egg whites, sugar and lemon zest. This recipe provides the sighs a little more substance so they last longer when stored.
Basic Suspiro ingredients with lemon zest and flavor as personal favorite. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)
To Make:
1) Place the egg whites and the cream of tartar in the bowl of a standing mixer.
2) Beat the egg whites on medium speed until the egg whites form soft peaks.
3) Gradually add the granulated sugar, while still beating the egg whites. Continue to beat the egg whites until they have increased in volume and are forming stiff peaks. Sift the powdered sugar together with the salt, then add gradually to the egg whites, continuing to beat, until well mixed.
4) Gently drip the vanilla extract into the meringue.
5) Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
6) Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or cover cookie sheet with butter.
7) Pipe the meringue into small swirls onto the parchment-lined cookie sheets, spacing them about 1/2 inch apart. You can also use teaspoons to drop them on cookie sheet in the form of a kiss.
8) Place the cookies in the oven and bake for about 1 hour, checking them every 15 minutes. Once they look crisp and well formed, turn off the heat and let them cool off in the oven for about 2 hours.
9) Serve the suspiros immediately or store them in an airtight container to ensure freshness.
Not exactly cooking wild in Missouri but certainly a memorable sweet treat!
