Suspiro limeña

Step 1: Put 14 oz sweetened condensed milk and 1 ¾ cups evaporated milk in a heavy-based pan over a medium-low heat. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring with a heatproof spatula and scraping the bottom and corners constantly.

Step 2: Keep cooking and stirring for 30–40 minutes, until the mixture turns a pale caramel colour and thickens. It is ready when a spatula dragged across the bottom leaves a clear trail for a second or two. Don't turn up the heat: it catches easily and burnt bits ruin the flavour.

Step 3: Beat 4 egg yolks in a bowl. Whisk in a ladle of the hot manjar to warm them, then pour it all back into the pan. Cook over a low heat for 2 minutes more, stirring, until it thickens a little again.

Step 4: Take off the heat and stir in 1 tsp vanilla extract. Pour into 6 small glasses or a serving dish and let it cool completely, about 1 hour. It thickens as it cools.

Step 5: For the meringue, put ¼ cup ruby port and 4 oz sugar in a small pan over a medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Boil without stirring until it reaches 250°F on a thermometer, about 6–8 minutes; without a thermometer, a drop in cold water forms a soft ball.

Step 6: While the syrup boils, whisk 2 egg whites in a clean bowl with an electric whisk until they hold soft peaks.

Step 7: With the whisk running, pour the hot syrup in a thin stream down the side of the bowl (not onto the beaters, which fling it out). Keep whisking for 5–8 minutes, until the meringue is thick, glossy, pale pink and the bowl is only just warm.

Step 8: Spoon or pipe the meringue over the cold manjar in swirls and dust with ½ tsp ground cinnamon. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving; it keeps for 2 days in the fridge.