How to serve leche merengada

How do you serve leche merengada?

Very cold or frozen, in a tall or short glass, with ground cinnamon on top. Recipe writers add a little freshly grated lemon zest and, optionally, a few mint leaves. Serve it soon after it is ready, because the texture changes as the ice crystals melt.

Step by step

1. Make the cinnamon and lemon milk, cool it and chill it until cold.
2. Fold in the meringue gradually, with gentle circular movements, so it stays airy.
3. For a frozen style, one recipe freezes the mixture and beats it once an hour for two hours to prevent large ice crystals. Another stirs the flavored milk every 30 minutes for 2 hours while it freezes, then folds in the meringue.
4. Spoon into chilled glasses.
5. Dust with ground cinnamon and lemon zest.

Texture options

• Drinkable: chill only, skip freezing, and serve in a tall glass.
• Spoonable: serve frozen and beaten, like a soft ice.

Glassware and extras

Recipes serve it in tall or short glasses or in cups. A spoon works well.

Food safety

Classic recipes use raw egg whites. Use very fresh eggs or pasteurized egg whites, and keep the drink cold. Do not leave it out for long on a hot day, One recipe says to drink it within a couple of hours of mixing, because the ice crystals melt and the texture changes. It can be refrigerated overnight but will be runnier.