Recipe: Brazo De Reina (Queen's Arm) - Chilean dessert for Bethe, Wisconsin

Brazo De Reina (Queen's Arm)
Prepared by Hugo Desenzani

This traditional Chilean dessert is a classical pastry served with the 5:00 p.m. snack, the third of four daily meals for people in Chile. It is a very simple dessert to make, and it will keep for at least one week in your refrigerator.

This dessert uses caramelized milk (A.K.A.: Manjar, or Dulce de Leche) this is achieved by cooking condensed milk.*

4 eggs
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cups regular sugar (crystal)
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
3/4 cups flour
confectionary sugar (for dusting and decoration)
2 (14 oz) cans of condensed milk

*Using the 2 cans of condensed milk, follow directions for making Condensed Milk Caramel below. When the condensed milk is caramelized, set it aside to cool.

Preheat the oven to 400F.

Beat the eggs, salt, and baking powder, preferably with an electric mixer. Gradually, add the crystal sugar and the vanilla essence. Beat until the mixture has a pale lemon color.

Once this color is achieved, stop mixing and slowly fold in the flour. It is important not to disturb the air caught in the beaten eggs, or our base will not rise.

When the flour is fully mixed with the eggs, transfer batter to a 15x10-inch baking tray, lined with a greased wax paper.

Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until it has a light golden color.

In the meantime, sprinkle a tea towel with confectionary's sugar.

When the sponge base is done, turn it upside down on top of the tea towel, peel off the wax paper and cut the hard edges off.

Proceed to roll the sponge base using the tea towel; don't worry if the towel is caught inside the roll. Cool down the roll in the refrigerator.

When the roll and the "Manjar" (the caramel) are cold, unroll the sponge base and spread manjar generously. Roll back again and sprinkle with confectionary's sugar.

To serve, cut 1 inch slices and serve two slices per person, garnish with fruit, whipped cream or your favorite ice cream.

If you have any manjar left over, use it as a sauce for any dessert (great with bananas). It is very common for kids in Chile to spread it over toasts.

*HOW TO CARAMELIZE SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK
Source: Simply Delicious Desserts with Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk

CAUTION; NEVER HEAT UNOPENED CAN

Oven method; Pour 1 can sweetened condensed milk into 9 inch pie plate. Cover with foil; place in larger shallow pan. Fill larger pan with hot water. Bake at 425 degrees for 1 1/2 hours or until thick and caramel colored. Beat until smooth.

Stovetop Method: Pour 1 can condensed milk into top of double boiler; place over boiling water. Over low heat, simmer 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until thick and caramel colored. Beat until smooth.

Microwave Method: Pour 1 can condensed milk into 2 quart glass measure. cook on 50 % power (medium) for 4 minutes, stirring briskly every 2 minutes until smooth. cook on 30% power (medium-low) 12-18 minutes ot until very thick and caramel colored, stirring briskly every 2 minutes until smooth.