Postre Chajá

Ingredients

• 5 eggs, for the sponge
• 150 g caster sugar, for the sponge
• 150 g plain flour
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 egg whites, for the meringue
• 180 g caster sugar, for the meringue
• 1 pinch salt
• 800 g peach halves in syrup, drained
• 600 ml double cream
• 60 g icing sugar
• 400 g dulce de leche
• 80 ml peach syrup from the tin
• 2 tbsp sweet sherry or peach liqueur

Before you cook

• Take the eggs out of the fridge an hour ahead
• Line two baking trays with baking paper and draw a 22 cm circle on each
• Line and grease a 22 cm round cake tin
• Drain the peaches, keeping 80 ml of their syrup, and dice half of them
• Mix the reserved peach syrup with the sherry for soaking

Steps

1. Heat the oven to 110°C for the meringue.
2. Whisk the 3 egg whites with the salt to soft peaks.
3. Add the 180 g of sugar a spoonful at a time, whisking until the meringue is stiff and glossy.
4. Spread the meringue over the two marked circles in even discs about 1 cm thick.
5. Bake the meringues for 1 hour and 30 minutes, until they lift cleanly off the paper.
6. Turn the oven off and leave the meringues inside with the door ajar to dry and cool.
7. Raise the oven to 180°C for the sponge.
8. Whisk the 5 whole eggs with the 150 g of sugar for 8 minutes, until pale, tripled in volume and holding a ribbon.
9. Sift the flour over the eggs in three additions and fold it in gently with a spatula.
10. Fold in the vanilla, keeping as much air in the batter as you can.
11. Pour the batter into the lined tin and bake for 25 minutes, until springy in the centre.
12. Cool the sponge completely on a rack, then slice it horizontally into three thin layers.
13. Whip the cream with the icing sugar to soft peaks that just hold their shape.
14. Loosen the dulce de leche with a spoon so it spreads without tearing the sponge.
15. Set the first sponge layer on a plate and brush it with the syrup and sherry mixture.
16. Spread it with a third of the dulce de leche, then a layer of cream and half the diced peaches.
17. Break one meringue disc into shards and press a single layer of them into the cream.
18. Add the second sponge layer, soak it, and repeat the dulce de leche, cream and remaining diced peaches.
19. Top with the third sponge layer and soak it with the last of the syrup.
20. Cover the whole cake, top and sides, with the rest of the whipped cream.
21. Crush the second meringue disc coarsely and press the crumbs all over the sides and top.
22. Decorate with the remaining peach halves and refrigerate for at least 6 hours before slicing.