Homemade merengada milk, an irresistible classic

I’m not about to reveal any secrets by talking about the ingredients used to make leche merengada, an irresistible classic, refreshing and full of flavour. It’s one of our most traditional drinks, alongside horchata, Agua de Valencia and lemon granita. For me, it’s one of the true pleasures of summer: beautifully cold and creamy, it tastes wonderful and sweetens the afternoon like few things can.

As you probably know, authentic leche merengada is made with milk infused with cinnamon and lemon peel, sweetened with sugar and finished with egg whites whipped to stiff peaks or meringue; hence its name. A delicious drink served ice cold. Some people even like to pop it in the freezer for a few minutes or churn it in an ice cream maker until it begins to crystallise slightly.

What you may not know is that leche merengada has an almost identical “sister”, called leche rizada, which simply leaves out the meringue. Made with the same ingredients except for the whipped egg whites, leche rizada has a more frozen texture and gets its name because it “curls” as it freezes and is stirred, forming tiny ice crystals. So when we sweeten and infuse milk with lemon peel and cinnamon at home and serve it well chilled, what we’re actually drinking is closer to leche rizada than leche merengada.

Tips for perfect homemade leche merengada

To make a proper homemade leche merengada in the traditional way, there are a few simple tricks worth keeping in mind in addition to the recipe itself:

• Infuse the milk gently. Heat the milk slowly with the cinnamon stick and lemon peel, allowing it to cook gently without boiling too vigorously. This gives a more aromatic flavour and avoids bitterness.
• Avoid the white pith of the lemon. The white part, or pith, will make the drink bitter, so the lemon should be peeled very thinly to avoid including it. A very sharp knife or a precise fruit and vegetable peeler, such as the Kuhn Rikon stainless steel peeler, is ideal for this.
• Allow the infused milk to rest and chill thoroughly. Resting in the fridge intensifies the aromas of lemon and cinnamon and makes the flavour richer. Also, the colder the milk is before adding the meringue, the better the final result. The mixture will be creamier and more stable.
• Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks. At this stage, peaks should form when lifting the whisk, and the whipped whites should hold their shape with a glossy, stable texture.
• Fold in the meringue gently. To preserve its airy texture, the whipped egg whites should be incorporated slowly using gentle folding movements.
• Finally, before serving the leche merengada, sprinkle a little ground cinnamon on top to enhance the aroma and flavour.

As with any recipe, besides using the best ingredients, one of the keys to success is patience. It may not be an ingredient as such, but it’s essential to bear it in mind. And for a good leche merengada, patience is vital, both while heating the milk and while allowing it to rest. You’ll notice how much the infusion gains in flavour and aroma.

Without further ado, here is the recipe for homemade leche merengada, an irresistible classic and wonderfully refreshing.

Ingredients

• 1 litre whole milk (fresh if possible)
• 120–150 g sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• Peel of 1 lemon
• 2 egg whites

Method

1. Pour the milk into a saucepan with the cinnamon stick and lemon peel.
2. Heat gently until it just begins to boil.
3. Remove from the heat and add the sugar. Stir until completely dissolved.
4. Leave the milk to infuse until lukewarm, then refrigerate for a few hours so it fully absorbs the cinnamon and lemon flavours.
5. Once the milk is thoroughly chilled, strain it to remove the cinnamon stick, lemon peel and any impurities. Return it to the fridge.
6. Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks using an electric hand mixer until glossy and stable.
7. Fold the whipped egg whites into the cold milk gradually using gentle folding movements.
8. Serve the leche merengada well chilled in glasses or goblets and dust with a little ground cinnamon. Enjoy every sip!