Postre Chajá Recipe

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Prepare either one or two 20cm/8 inch cake pan(s), lining the bottom with parchment paper.

Separate the eggs, putting egg whites into a clean glass or metal bowl (ensure it's free of fat or grease) and yolks into a larger bowl. First, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt on medium speed until soft peaks form, then set them aside.

Without cleaning the mixer, beat the egg yolks with the sugar until the mixture becomes much paler and has a creamy consistency, which usually takes several minutes.

Gently pour one third of the beaten egg whites over the egg yolk mixture, then sift the flour and cornstarch on top. It's important not to skip sifting here. Carefully fold all ingredients together with a spatula, trying to incorporate the flour mix and egg whites without losing volume.

Add the remaining two thirds of the beaten egg whites and gently fold them in, being careful not to overmix. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans immediately; don't let it sit, as it will quickly lose volume.

Bake for 35 minutes if using one springform pan, or 25 minutes if using two. Let the cakes cool slightly before gently removing them from the pans. If you're making the cake the day before, wrap the cooled layers in cling wrap; they're much easier to cut in half when cold.

Beat the egg white until soft peaks form, then add a pinch of salt and continue beating on high speed while gradually adding the sugar.

Keep beating for at least 3 minutes until the meringue is glossy and shiny. Pipe small stars or other shapes onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Dry them in the oven for about 45 minutes at 100 degrees Celsius. Store the dried meringue in an airtight container until you're ready to use it.

For the filling, beat the heavy cream, vanilla extract, and sugar until stiff peaks form. Slice the peaches into thin pieces. If your cake layers are cold, it will be much easier to cut them into four layers.

Brush the first cake layer with some peach juice. Pipe a thin layer of whipped cream around the edges, then arrange peach slices in the middle. For the second layer, spread only the dulce de leche. Repeat the peach juice, whipped cream, and peach layer for the third and final cake layers, making sure to reserve enough peach slices for the top.

Spread a thin layer of whipped cream around the sides of the cake. If you like, pipe some whipped cream roses around the edges. Heat the remaining peach juice. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with a bit of water until there are no lumps, then add it to the hot peach juice. Stir until the glaze thickens, then pour it over the peaches on the top layer of the cake. Crush the dried meringue and gently pat it around the sides of the cake. Serve immediately.