29 September 2026
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Leche Nevada - Pilar Hernández's Chilean Kitchen
The Kitchen
By Jean-Luc Moreau, the Technique desk · United States · 2 min ·

Leche Nevada - Pilar Hernández's Chilean Kitchen

This is a dessert my grandmother used to make a lot: Leche Nevada. If you're not familiar with it, it's a French dessert with a vanilla cream base and golden meringues on top.

Ingredients · Servings 10
  • 4 cups of milk
  • 4 eggs, separated into whites and yolks
  • 1/2 cup apricot jam
  • 1/3 cup of sugar
  • 2 tablespoons of cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Method · PT-497396H57M25S
  1. Place the milk in a large pot and heat over medium heat until it comes to a boil.
  2. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form, add the jam and continue beating until stiff peaks form or the mixture is stiff.
  3. Place spoonfuls of beaten egg whites into the milk and cook for a couple of minutes; if you pierce them with a toothpick, it should come out clean. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate.
  4. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks with a balloon whisk for 30 seconds. Add the sugar and cornstarch, whisking until well combined. Slowly add a ladleful of hot milk to the mixture in a thin stream.
  5. Add the beaten egg yolks to the pot of milk and continue stirring until it comes to a boil and thickens. Turn off the heat.
  6. Add the vanilla and mix well. Place the vanilla cream in an ovenproof dish.
  7. Place the meringue flakes on top and sprinkle with the walnuts.
  8. Brown gently under the oven grill. Optional.
  9. You can also place the cream in glasses and add the egg white flakes on top, sprinkle with the nuts and serve.

In Latin countries, milk-based desserts are very popular:

I recommend trying different milk-based desserts until you find the perfect one for you or the perfect one to finish off a special meal. What I love most about milk-based desserts is that they can be prepared in advance. My favorite is semolina pudding with caramel. This version of meringue pudding is special; it's the one my grandmother used to make. She added apricot jam to the meringue to give it even more flavor and a prettier color. It's a great idea that I recommend.

Description

A classic dessert in Chile.

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