Uruguayan Chajá Dessert
A layered cake of sponge, whipped cream, peaches, dulce de leche, and crisp meringue.
This version of postre chajá combines light sponge cake with peaches and cream, with dulce de leche between the layers. Preparation time and eight servings are estimates for a 24 cm cake; the baking time combines the sponge and meringue.
Ingredient allergens
Allergen listDocumented presence
-
Milk and milk products
Dulce de leche
-
Eggs
Meringue
Ingredients without verified allergen data 10
Ingredients without verified allergen data: Eggs, Egg white, Sugar, Flour, Cornstarch, Salt, Heavy cream, Vanilla extract, Peaches in syrup, Peach syrup.
Method
- 01
Prepare the sponge
Heat the oven to 180 °C and prepare a 24 cm round cake pan. Separate the Eggs. Beat the yolks with 100 g of Sugar until pale and creamy. In another clean bowl, beat the whites from those eggs with a pinch of Salt until soft peaks form. Sift the Flour and Cornstarch.
Temperature: 180 °C / 356 °FReady to continue when: The yolks are pale and creamy, the whites form soft peaks, and the dry ingredients are sifted.
- 02
Bake the sponge
Gently fold one third of the egg whites into the yolks. Add the sifted Flour and Cornstarch, then fold in the remaining whites. Transfer the batter to the pan and bake at 180 °C for about 35 minutes.
Temperature: 180 °C / 356 °FReady to continue when: The surface looks dry and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
35 min - 03
Make the meringue
While the sponge cools, beat the Egg white with the other pinch of Salt until soft peaks form. Gradually add 50 g of Sugar and continue beating until the meringue is stiff and glossy. Pipe small pieces onto a lined baking sheet and bake at 100 °C for about 45 minutes.
Temperature: 100 °C / 212 °FReady to continue when: The meringue is dry and firm to the touch, without taking on color.
45 min - 04
Cool the meringue
Turn off the oven and leave the meringue inside with the door slightly ajar for about one hour. Then let it cool completely before crumbling it.
Ready to continue when: The meringue pieces are cool and crisp.
60 min - 05
Whip the cream
Beat the well-chilled Heavy cream with 40 g of Sugar and the Vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. Stop as soon as it reaches that consistency.
Ready to continue when: The cream holds stiff peaks and looks smooth, not grainy.
- 06
Prepare the layers
Drain the Peaches in syrup and reserve 50 ml of their Peach syrup. Once the sponge is completely cool, cut it horizontally into four layers. Mix the Cornstarch with a little of the reserved syrup, then heat it with the rest, stirring until thickened; let it cool.
Ready to continue when: The sponge is cut into four layers and the syrup topping has thickened and cooled.
- 07
Assemble the cake
Place one sponge layer on the serving plate. Alternate layers of whipped Heavy cream and Peaches in syrup; spread the Dulce de leche on one of the layers. Repeat until all four sponge layers are used. Cover the top with the thickened Peach syrup.
Ready to continue when: The cake is assembled in stable layers, with peaches and cream in the filling and syrup on top.
- 08
Finish with meringue
Crumble the Meringue and scatter it over the sides and top of the cake. Serve once assembly is complete.
Ready to continue when: The crumbled meringue is scattered over the cake, which is ready to serve.
Ingredients
Sources and review
Content researched, cross-checked and automatically validated. Sources consulted:
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State: Published after documentary validation; no “Tested” label is shown.