Chilean Brazo de Reina Recipe

Brazo de Reina is a traditional Chilean cake filled with dulce de leche (a creamy, caramelized milk). The cake batter is made using eggs, sugar, flour and baking powder. The batter is poured into a tray and baked in a thin cake and then the cooled cake is topped with dulce de leche and gently rolled into a log. It is most commonly served at tea time.

Dulce de leche is sauce made by heating up sweetened milk for a long period of time. Alternatively, manjar is also used for the cake filling. Manjar is a thickened dulce de leche made by adding flour or cornstarch. Some cake batters are made with milk for a richer cake.

Brazo de Reina means queens arm. It is akin to a swiss roll. Similar desserts with the brazo name, made with a rolled cake and filling are popular in other countries too. Brazo de mercedes is a meringue cake with a custard filing while brazi de gitano is the Spanish sponge cake roll with a jam and cream filling.

In other Latin American countries brazo de reina is called pionono, the general term for Swiss roll type desserts.

Origin & Cultural Significance

Brazo de reina is inspired by the Swiss roll. The Swiss roll, which isn’t actually from Switzerland gained popularity in Spain before being brought to Latin America. It’s a beloved treat, often reserved for ‘La Once’ which is a traditional snack or light meal time.

Once means eleven and is similar to the British elevenses except Chiliean elevenses is in the late afternoon/early evening instead of 11 am.

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Chiliean Brazo de Reina Recipe

Yield: 8 Servings

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Additional Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Brazo de Reina is a traditional Chilean cake. It consists of a cake filled with dulce de leche.

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Ingredients

• Eggs - 6
• Confectioners' sugar - 1 cup
• Flour - 1 cup
• Baking powder - 2 tsp
• Dulce de leche
• Powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Sift the flour and baking powder together.
4. Separate the yolks from the whites.
5. Whip the egg whites until stiff.
6. While still whipping, gently stir in the sugar.
7. Add the egg yolks one at a time.
8. Fold in the sifted flour.
9. Pour onto the lined baking sheet.
10. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Do not let it brown.
11. On another parchment, sprinkle some powdered sugar then turn the hot cake out into it.
12. Remove the parchment it was baked with.
13. Immediately roll up the cake using the dusted parchment. Let it cool.
14. Unroll and spread a layer of dulce de leche over the cooled cake.
15. Roll the cake again and sprinkle with icing sugar.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 230Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 140mgSodium: 179mgCarbohydrates: 43gFiber: 0gSugar: 29gProtein: 6g

Nutrition is provided and calculated by Nutritionix. It is for general information purposes and is only a rough estimation.

Photo credit: Rebecca T. Caro