A dozen eggs play the starring role in this classic Filipino meringue.
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Brazo de Mercedes Recipe (cotton-soft meringue roll)
Serious Eats / Rezel Kealoha
Based on the title alone I personally wouldn’t eat a dish called the “Mercedes Arm” named after Our Lady of Mercy even if it promised to be a gift from the gods. But this pillowy-soft meringue roll filled with a rich citrus-scented custard is irresistible. It’s a veritable egg festival: a dozen egg whites are whipped to make the baked meringue while a dozen egg yolks enrich the custard. In the past this meringue-custard roll was reserved for special events and gatherings but lately bakery chains have made it more widely available. It’s now often served as a merienda (snack) or as an after-dinner panghimagas (dessert).
I have a deep connection to this sweet treat. As a child I had such a sweet tooth that my lola (grandmother) would hide and ration chocolates and candies at home. That didn’t stop me from grabbing a sweet snack at a panaderia on my way home from school. I would drool over these custard-filled meringue logs and beg my aunt to bring me a slice home although it rarely made it home in one piece. The version I remember best from a particular panaderia had a custard flavor with a distinct citrus flavor. I later discovered that they used the peel of dayap better known as key lime. Upon further research I learned that sometimes the peel of native citrus fruits like calamansi or pomelo is also used.
