Good evening, I have been many months, I would say more than a year, without posting in my beloved Foodies Bee Hive community, but today I have returned, with a recipe that although it seems simple, for many people it is quite a challenge, and it is a dessert called : SUSPIROS. I don't know if these traditional sweets exist in other countries, I think that in other Spanish-speaking nations they call them MERINGUES, even in English-speaking countries there is something similar known as PAVLOVA, but in my country, Venezuela, we know them as SUSPIROS, and Although it is not a vegan dessert because it is based on eggs and refined sugar, it is a recipe that I prepare on a regular basis, either for sale or to treat someone, and in this case it was for sale and also to give as a gift to my mother-in-law, who really likes these delicate sweet clouds.

When I was little (and not so little too), I really enjoyed eat suspiros, I could eat a lot. Then, over the years, the sweet began to cloy me and I didn't eat as many anymore. I also have the peculiarity that I don't like artificial flavors or colors; for this reason, I believe that any food is better natural, and this includes SUSPIROS, with its white or bone color, and nothing better to flavor them than vanilla, lemon, lime, orange, sarrapia (tonka) or cocoa; and of course without forgetting its respective touch of salt, which helps it acquire a flavor that is slightly reminiscent of vanilla, even when vanilla not has been added to the mix. I also find them really unpleasant when cream of tartar is used in their preparation, and also when they are baked until they acquire the texture of plaster (literally).

Currently, as I said, I make them for sale or as gifts, and I will share with you the recipe that I learned many years ago, because I generally set out to learn to do everything I like, and I usually succeed. I will also give you tips that will help you understand the "mysteries" of this sweet. Let's go with the recipe then!

• Preparation time: The process of beating the mixture and distributing it in the molds requires approximately 10 minutes; however, the baking time may vary according to the oven. In my case, each batch of 16 suspiros served in number 10 casings, (10 centimeters in diameter of the mold), implies 30 minutes of baking. This may vary depending on the size of the mold and the performance of the oven.

• Rations: This time I got 27 suspiros, but they can yield an average of 30 units of this size.

Here I will not say that the amounts of ingredients that I present below may vary according to the taste and availability of each one of you; because this is an exact recipe, both in proportions and conditions (temperature, mixing speed, bowl size, etc.). Obviously, each of you must know the performance of your ovens, in order to play with the baking temperatures.

• 150 grams of egg whites at room temperature (approximately equivalent to the whites of 3 large eggs).

• 250 grams of refined white sugar that is 100% derived from cane. Sugars that include corn molasses in their composition cannot be used, because the result is lousy.

• 1 pinch of salt.

• 1 quarter teaspoon of orange zest, only the verdigris.

• Electric or manual mixer, bowl between 18 and 20 centimeters in diameter, (preferably tempered glass or stainless steel), grater, teaspoon, measuring cups, sleeve or plastic bag, pastry nozzle, etc.

• Tiempo de preparación: El proceso de batir la mezcla y distribuirla en los moldes, requiere aproximadamente 10 minutos; sin embargo el tiempo de horneado puede variar de acuerdo al horno. En mi caso, cada tanda de 16 suspiros servidos en capacillos número 10, (10 centímetros de diámetro del molde), implica 30 minutos de horneado. Esto puede variar en función al tamaño del molde y el rendimiento del horno.

• Raciones: En esta ocasión obtuve 27 suspiros, pero pueden rendir una media de 30 unidades de este tamaño.

Aquí no diré que las cantidades de ingredientes que a continuación presento pueden variar de acuerdo al gusto y disponibilidad de cada uno de ustedes; porque esta es una receta exacta, tanto en proporciones como en condiciones, (temperatura, velocidad de batido, tamaño del bol, etc.). Obviamente, cada uno de ustedes debe conocer el rendimiento de sus hornos, para poder jugar con las temperaturas de horneado.

• 150 gramos de claras de huevo a temperatura ambiente (aproximadamente equivale a las claras de 3 huevos grandes).

• 250 gramos de azúcar blanca refinada que sea 100% derivada de la caña. No pueden usarse azúcares que incluyan en su composición melaza de maíz, porque el resultado es pésimo. La proporción de claras de huevo con respecto al azúcar, es de 1 gramo de clara por cada 1,66 gramos de azúcar.

• 1 pizca de sal.

• 1 cuarto de cucharadita de ralladura de de naranja, sólo el verdín.

• Batidora eléctrica o manual, bol de entre 18 y 20 centímetros de diámetro, (preferiblemente de vidrio templado o acero inoxidable, rallador, cucharilla, tazas medidoras, manga o bolsa plástica, boquilla repostera, etc.

The first thing I do is grate the orange finely in the bowl in which I will beat the whites. This orange had previously been disinfected by soaking it for an hour in water with bicarbonate of soda, and then rinsing it. Then I add the salt.

Next I open the eggs, separating the white from the yolks, for this I use this small bowl with Saint Nicholas in the background, it's not that the season is Christmas, but I like the size of this little bowl. I do this to prevent the white from being contaminated with the shell or the yolk. Something very curious happened to me recently, and that is that many eggs came out with double yolks, as you can see in the photos. It is extremely important that no yolk particles remain in the whites. It is also very important that all utensils are very clean, free of dust or grease.

Transfer the egg whites to the bowl (here I have used a plastic one, but it is highly recommended that it be made of glass or stainless steel). I want to point out that the size of the bowl is important when making the suspiro mix, as a small bowl should be used for small amounts of whites. For whatever reason, if you beat the whites in a very large bowl, they tend to flatten out. It is also important if you do not have a large oven, to make small amounts of mixture each time, because the air bubbles that give this dessert its volume escape from the mixture if you wait a long time to bake it, so if there are many suspiros and you don't have an oven with enough capacity to bake them simultaneously, it is better to mix and bake in batches. Then I beat at maximum speed in a clockwise direction, for approximately about three minutes, until the mix reaches snow point or cloud point.

Then I add the sugar little by little, while beating at medium speed, also in a clockwise direction. I do this gradually and carefully. It is important not to over-beat so as not to destroy any air bubbles that are trapped in the mixture. After fully adding the sugar, beat for another 30 seconds and the mixture is ready.

Next I put the capacillos in the baking mold. Then I use the same plastic bag where the sugar came as a pastry bag, making a small cut in one corner to place the decorating nozzle there. I introduce a portion of the mixture into the bag, and proceed to fill each container halfway. Once this is done, I take it to a preheated oven at 200 ºC for three minutes. Then I lower the temperature to 180ºC for 7 more minutes, and finally I reduce it to 160º for about 15 to 20 minutes. These are the temperature variations that I use, because I know my oven and they give me good results. The reason for baking at a high temperature at the beginning is so that all the growth potential of the suspiro is expressed, the heat expands the air trapped in the mixture and gives the dessert an interesting volume. Then the heat is reduced, because you want to cook the mixture and dry it out a bit. Each of you will make your respective temperature variations.

Once the baking time has elapsed, I remove the mold and wait for it to cool down to remove the suspiros and place them on a plate or tray. They cannot be handled while hot, because they are still very fragile. The aroma they give off is delicious, the orange is delicately felt. Once they are cold, they can be stored in an airtight container, so that they do not get crushed and remain in good condition for a maximum of 3 days. They do not require refrigeration.

If we open one of these suspiros, we can see that some are creamy inside, they are not raw, the sugar melts and gives it this texture. Although they seem tastier to me, when they are a little more cooked and their interior is similar to cotton candy, as you can see in the last photos.

Before finishing my post, I want to offer practical tips that can be useful for those who have never made suspiros, or for those who never go well with this simple dessert. And I do this because many people have told me over the years that it's hard for them to get good suspiros, so I'll share my experience with you below.

• When cooking with egg whites, it is very important that we are in a good mood, calm and without stress. It is also necessary that we be very clean, if possible, freshly bathed. This has a logical explanation: Egg white is a very delicate ingredient, which absorbs all energy from the environment or from the person who handles it, which is why it often does not "lift", that is, it does not grow or take on volume, it is crushed, and this happens because it has been spoiled by the mood of the person who is manipulating it, or by the heaviness and dirt of the environment.

• The only eggs that are used to make the original version of this dessert (which is not vegan) are chicken eggs, they are not used of other birds, because the albumin they contain is what will allow them to grow and acquire the final texture. I have tried to make them with guineo eggs (Numida meleagris), and the result is not good. I haven't made them with aquafaba yet.

• All the utensils that will be used in its preparation must be very clean and dry.

• All the ingredients must be at room temperature, because you will not have a good result if they are cold. If the egg whites are cold, they can be briefly passed over the stove to temper them.

• I am going to repeat what I said previously: The size of the bowl is important when making the mixture for the suspiros, since a small bowl should be used for small amounts of whites. For some reason, if you beat the whites in a very large container, they tend to flatten out. It is also important if you do not have a large oven, to make small amounts of mixture each time, because the air bubbles that give this dessert its volume escape from the mixture if you wait a long time to bake it, so if there are many suspiros and you don't have an oven with enough capacity to bake them simultaneously, it is better to mix and bake in batches.

• My experience tells me that the best way to beat the mixture is using an electric mixer and moving it clockwise. So the whites grow much more.

• Always start mixing at full speed. When the snow point or cloud point is obtained, and the sugar is going to be added to the whites, the speed of the mixer is reduced to medium.

• Sugar is added slowly and progressively, never all at once.

• It is also very important not to over-beat, because the air in the mixture will escape.

• The sugar to be used is refined white sugar, 100% cane. Sugar cannot be used in the manufacture of which corn molasses has been used, since it does not have a good result.

• It is necessary to know the oven to be able to play with the temperatures, because as I indicated previously, this dessert requires intense heat at the beginning, to then gradually decrease it.

• Cuando se cocina con claras de huevos, es muy importante que estemos de buen ánimo, tranquilos y sin estrés. También es necesario que estemos muy limpios, de ser posible, recién bañados. Esto tiene una explicación lógica: La clara de huevo es un ingrediente muy delicado, que absorbe toda energía ambiental o de la persona que la manipule, por eso es que muchas veces no “levanta”, o sea no crece o toma volumen, se aplasta, y esto ocurre porque se ha estropeado por el estado de ánimo de quien la está manipulando, o por la pesadez y suciedad del entorno.

• Los únicos huevos que sirven para hacer la versión original de este postre (que no es vegana), son los huevos de gallina, no sirven de otras aves, porque la albúmina que contienen estos es la que permitirá que crezcan y adquieran la textura final. Yo he intentado hacerlos con huevos de guineo (Numida meleagris), y el resultado no es bueno. Aún no los he hecho con aquafaba.

• Todos los utensilios que se utilizarán en su elaboración deben estar muy limpios y secos.

• Todos los ingredientes deben estar a temperatura ambiente, porque no se tendrá buen resultado si están fríos. En caso de que las claras estén frías, se pueden pasar fugazmente por la estufa para que se atemperen.

• Voy a repetir lo que dije previamente: El tamaño del bol es importante a la hora de hacer la mezcla para los suspiros, ya que debe usarse un bol pequeño para pocas cantidades de claras. Por alguna razón si se baten las claras en un recipiente muy grande, tiende a achatarse a apastarse. También es importante si no se cuenta con un horno grande, hacer cantidades pequeñas de mezcla cada vez, porque las burbujas de aire que le dan el volumen a este postre, escapan de la mezcla si se espera mucho para hornearla, así que si son muchos suspiros y no se tiene un horno con la capacidad suficiente para hornearlos simultáneamente, es mejor mezclar y hornear por tandas.

• Mi experiencia me indica que la mejor forma de batir la mezcla, es empleando una batidora eléctrica y moverla en el sentido de las agujas del reloj. Así la claras crecen mucho más.

• Siempre se inicia la mezcla a máxima velocidad. Cuando ya se obtiene el punto de nieve o punto de nube, y se va a agregar el azúcar a las claras, se disminuye la velocidad de la batidora a media.

• El azúcar se agrega lenta y progresivamente, nunca de una sola vez.

• También es muy importante no batir en exceso, porque se escapará el aire de la mezcla.

• El azúcar que se debe usar es azúcar blanca refinada, 100% de caña. No puede utilizarse un azúcar en cuya fabricación se haya utilizado melaza de maíz, pues no se tiene buen resultado.

• Es preciso conocer el horno para poder jugar con las temperaturas, pues como indiqué anteriormente, este postre requiere al inicio un calor intenso, para luego disminuirlo gradualmente.

• These photos are my own, and were taken with a Xiaomi REDMI 8 A phone / Estas fotos son de mi propiedad, y las tome con un smarthone Xiaomi REDMI 8 A

• This time I'm using a divider that @doriangel gave me last year. Thank you very much for this beautiful gift. / En esta ocasión estoy usando un divisor que me obsequió @doriangel el año pasado. Muchas gracias por este bello regalo.

• In case it is required to use the content or images of this post and of my other publications, I would appreciate if you could refer to my authorship (Fabiola Martínez) and cite the corresponding link. Thanks. / En caso de se requiera utilizar el contenido o imágenes de este post o de alguna de mis otras publicaciones, agradecería que se hiciera referencia a mi autoría (Fabiola Martínez) y se cite el link correspondiente. Gracias.