So I just made this today, and because I've never had it before, I wasn't sure what to expect on flavor and texture. I followed recipe exactly and my dad was the taste tester. His words, "heavenly, very good and just like in the Philippines, your mom can't stop eating it!" Lol ❤️ it's very good! Thank you so much for sharing!
Hi Erin, great to hear from you again! 🙏🏽 Yaay your dad approves!!😄 I'm so happy to hear that your Ube Brazo De Mercedes turned out well!! And that you and your parents enjoyed it! Take care ❤️
Porferia Samson Aww, thank you Porferia 🙏🏽 I’m so happy to hear that my videos have encouraged you to bake. I love baking and it’s such a relaxing thing to do. Please let me know how it turns out! 😄❤️
I tried your recipe and it was so yummy..every month i always bake for my 9months old baby a homemade cake and i choose your recipe again.thank u somuch kurt, ❤😊😊
Thanks, Kurt. Making this soon too. I did your ube roll and it became a hit (not my vid, but the cake) here in South Holland. Nag-order ang madlang people. Marami nag order, trusting me as non-prp baker, I ran out of the extract and I need to order from LA. I did several shout outs and thanks to your channel in my video, as my most admired Pinoy baking/cooking channel in North America. I think 5 mentions in the entire video.
Hi Romulo - thanks for your comment! Loved your ube roll video. Thank you so much for all the shout-outs 🙏🏽 Please keep me posted on how your Ube Brazo de Mercedes turns out. Take care! ❤️
Hmmmm… two of my favorite desserts combined 😍 I love brazo de mercedes and ube halaya. I’ll try this today and will use my homemade ube halaya. Thanks for the tutorial 👍🏼
Hi kurt i have my brazo de mercedes long time since year 2000 until now is still ok my family love it too! But i gind something new in your recipe in the filling
@@kamillemaghirang686 Hi Kamille - I’d suggest looking at the ingredients list in the description section below the video to avoid confusion. Hope this helps! 😊
I tried this for New Year celeb and wowww my family liked it again. Thank you, Kurt for sharing your knowledge on cooking/baking. You inspired us all. 🙂 and pls.do some cheescake recipes and carrot cake next time. Happy New Year. ☺
Hello - thanks for your comment! I'm so happy to hear that your Ube Brazo De Mercedes turned out well and that your family enjoyed it. Happy New Year!! :D
Hi Sir Kurt! I made this today it is second to none!!! Super love it!!! Thank you so much for this recipe. Wishing you the best and more cake recipes please.
Hello - thanks for your comment! Glad you like my videos! Please let me know how your ube brazo de mercedes turns out for your husband's birthday. Take care :)
Hi Sherill! It's great to hear from you again. I'm so happy to hear that your ube brazo de mercedes turned out well and that everyone enjoyed it. Take care! :)
Hi Kurt! I've been trying to make brazo but it cracks every time! I'll try this recipe of yours and I hope it turns out well this time. I just made your sans rival recipe and I woke up super early to try it. Omgggg I'm in cloud nine. Thank you very much for all your hardwork and recipes!
Hello! Yaay, we're so happy to hear that your Sans Rival Cake turned out well and you're enjoying it!! 😄❤️ Please let us know how your Brazo de Mercedes turns out 😊 Making meringues is sometimes a bit tricky - the brazo cracking could be a sign that egg whites are not stable / were not beaten properly. Here are a couple of things to keep in mind when making the meringue. 1.) The egg whites should be separated very well - with no traces of egg yolk in it. As traces of egg yolks could prevent it from whipping up (it's easier to separate them while the eggs are still cold). 2.) Try to use newer eggs, as they whip up better. And let the separated egg whites sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour, so that they come to room temperature. Egg whites whip better when they are at room temperature. 3.) Make sure the mixing bowl and beaters are completely dry, with no oily residue. Using a glass or metal bowl for whipping helps, as plastic mixing bowls often can have oily residue in them, which prevents egg whites from whipping properly. 4.) Cream of tartar helps to stabilize the egg whites, so that they whip up and gain volume. If cream of tartar is not available, you can substitute 1 tsp of cream of tartar with 2 tsp of lemon juice, or 1 tsp of white vinegar. 5.) Add the granulated sugar into the egg whites very slowly, as quickly pouring in the sugar too quickly could deflate the whipped up egg whites. Hope this helps! :)
Thanks so much Kurt! You are awesome!!! I'll let you know how it works. Always stay safe and healthy Kurt and Donald! Sending you guys love from Vancouver 🥰🥰🥰
Hi chef Kurt I always watch your video ang oh so yummy I can't wait to make it by my self I've learn a lot all about your cake thanks for sharing 😍 godbless you
Hi Kurt, I made this yesterday. After I took it out of the oven, it has a nice thickness to it but after it cooled down, it deflated a lot almost about only 1/4" thick left. I followed all your tips, how can I prevent it from over deflating? It tastes good though!😁
Hi Ana - the brazo shrinking, deflating or cracking could be a sign that egg whites are not stable / were not beaten properly. Here are a couple of things to keep in mind when making the meringue. 1.) The egg whites should be separated very well - with no traces of egg yolk in it. As traces of egg yolks could prevent it from whipping up (it's easier to separate them while the eggs are still cold). 2.) Try to use newer eggs, as they whip up better. And let the separated egg whites sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour, so that they come to room temperature. Egg whites whip better when they are at room temperature. 3.) Make sure the mixing bowl and beaters are completely dry, with no oily residue. Using a glass or metal bowl for whipping helps, as plastic mixing bowls often can have oily residue in them, which prevents egg whites from whipping properly. 4.) Cream of tartar helps to stabilize the egg whites, so that they whip up and gain volume. If cream of tartar is not available, you can substitute 1 tsp of cream of tartar with 2 tsp of lemon juice, or 1 tsp of white vinegar. 5.) Add the granulated sugar into the egg whites very slowly, as quickly pouring in the sugar too quickly could deflate the whipped up egg whites. Hope this helps! :)
Hi Kurt! I tried it yesterday and it was soooo goood!! One question though..since i made it so late I kept it overnight and by this morning, the powdered sugar has melted :( I know you said 2hrs so does it mean keeping it in fridge for max 2hrs only will not melt the conf sugar? Thank!
Hi Kristianne - I'm glad to hear that your Ube Brazo De Mercedes turned out well! Often times if it humid, the sugar in the meringue can absorb extra moisture in the air and it becomes sticky - and forms wet beads on the outside. You can minimize this by letting your brazo cool completely before slicing. Storing it in the fridge will also cause this - as the fridge is very humid. But sometimes this is inevitable (we can't control the weather), so you can just use a paper towel or absorbent cloth towel to gently blot the moisture. Hope this helps! :)
Hi Kurt, was able to make this, tastes great! (but i dont know how to upload picture hehe). Anyway question, my merang cooked quickly, should i bake with only the bottom heat or just cut the baking time? Thanks!
Hi Rowena - glad to hear your ube brazo de mercedes turned out well. I only use the bottom heat on my oven. If you think your meringue was overcooked, yes, you can shorten the baking time. If you want, you can send pictures on Facebook or Instagram - the links are below: Facebook: facebook.com/CookingwithKurt Instagram: instagram.com/cooking_with_kurt
Hi CookingwithKurt 😊 you have a good content in your RU-vid channel I've noticed some of your views with your amazing recipes doesn't give justice. You can change your thumbnail or title in some of your videos so they will see your delicious recipe .Like advertisement 😊Just suggestion.God Bless😊
Thanks for the suggestion! I'll definitely work on making better thumbnail pics and changing the titles to attract more people to watch the videos. Fingers crossed! Lol... Thanks again! :)
Hi Kurt! I love all your videos!!! Very easy to follow and understand. I am trying this recipe but my ube filling is not turning into a pasty consistency. I have been constantly mixing it for 30 mins now and it is still runny. Is there something wrong with what I did? Thank you..
Hi Elizabeth! Glad you like my videos :) I'd suggest continuing to whisk over the gently simmering water in your double boiler for another 10-15 minutes. It should thicken soon. The 30-40 minute of simmering over double boiler in the video is a guide, but it depends on how high your flame is. It might take a little longer for lower heat. Hope this helps!
Cooking with Kurt hello Kurt! Thank you so much for your quick reply! I found out the metal bowl I put on top of the pot does not fit well. I transferred it to another metal bowl that fits into a pot of simmering water and now it’s already in a pasty consistency! Thank you so much! You’re the best baker ever! 💖💖💖
hi Kurt! tried baking this ang loved the ube custard as it is not too sweet. quick question though, i find it hard taking off the parchment paper as it is sticking to the meringue. is it under or over cooked? i did let it cool before peeling too. thanks!
Hello. I'm glad to hear that you liked the ube custard. Regarding the parchment paper sticking to the meringue: If you're referring to the parchment paper the meringue was baked on - it could be a sign that the meringue is undercooked and I'd suggest baking it for an extra 5 - 10 minutes (everyone's oven is a bit different). If you're referring to the parchment paper that you invert the meringue on, dusting the meringue with powdered sugar like in the video should prevent the meringue from sticking to the parchment paper. Hope this helps! :)
Hi Valentina, thank you for your request! I'll put ensaymada on my list of recipes to research and make a video! I love Salt Lake City Utah! My Ninang lives there and we used to visit her :) Take care
Hi Valentina - here's my latest video on a Red Ribbon-style Ube Ensaymada: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-5ebR5h0anT4.html Hope you like the recipe! 😊
Hello. Yes. If you follow the same recipe as in the video except omiting the ube halaya, ube extract, and purple food coloring. It should work out to become just a plain yellow custard. Hope this helps! :)
Dey Ortiz Hi Dey, thanks for your question! Unfortunately, powder cannot be used instead of ube extract. Ube powder is dehydrated ube, and needs to be reconstituted in hot water (per packet instructions) before it can be used in a recipe. So you can use ube powder + hot water will turn into an ube paste, and can be used instead of ube halaya - it will have a similar texture as ube halaya from a jar. Ube extract is concentrated ube flavor, and does not affect the texture. Hope this helps! 😊
@@cookingwithkurt thank you so much for the information sir Kurt. I will keep in mind. Looking forward for more delicious recipies from you. More power and God bless!
Hi Aura - the filling can be used as a stuffing inside breads like ensmaymada or pandesal. Recipe links below: Ensaymada: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-5ebR5h0anT4.html Pandesal: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-gNotF19MfZI.html
Hi Aura - cream of tartar helps to stabilize the egg whites, so that they whip up and gain volume. If cream of tartar is not available, you can substitute 1 tsp of cream of tartar with 2 tsp of lemon juice, or 1 tsp of white vinegar. Hope this helps! :)
Hi Luis, thanks for your comment! Glad to hear you like my recipe videos. Below are links to my chocolate cake videos: A death-by-chocolate style chocolate cake recipe here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-yCAulpNoPOA.html I also have a Red Ribbon-style black forest cake recipe video here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-DX_ywNpdUc4.html Here's a Choco Mocha Crunch Cake recipe video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-wub42xoixZE.html And finally a Chocolate Mousse Cake recipe video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-rb4WKEzaS5Y.html
Hi Wawie - the brazo shrinking, deflating or cracking could be a sign that egg whites are not stable / were not beaten properly. Here are a couple of things to keep in mind when making the meringue. 1.) The egg whites should be separated very well - with no traces of egg yolk in it. As traces of egg yolks could prevent it from whipping up (it's easier to separate them while the eggs are still cold). 2.) Try to use newer eggs, as they whip up better. And let the separated egg whites sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour, so that they come to room temperature. Egg whites whip better when they are at room temperature. 3.) Make sure the mixing bowl and beaters are completely dry, with no oily residue. Using a glass or metal bowl for whipping helps, as plastic mixing bowls often can have oily residue in them, which prevents egg whites from whipping properly. 4.) Cream of tartar helps to stabilize the egg whites, so that they whip up and gain volume. If cream of tartar is not available, you can substitute 1 tsp of cream of tartar with 2 tsp of lemon juice, or 1 tsp of white vinegar. 5.) Add the granulated sugar into the egg whites very slowly, as quickly pouring in the sugar too quickly could deflate the whipped up egg whites. Hope this helps! :)
Hi Pearl - if you're using ube flavored condensed milk, you can probably omit the ube extract if you'd like. But I personally would just leave it in there and just have an extra strong ube flavor. Hope this helps :)
Hello. I'll add plain brazo de mercedes to my list of recipes to research and make a video :) In the meantime, I'd suggest following the same recipe as in the video except omiting the ube, halaya, ube extract, and purple food coloring. It should work out to become just a plain yellow custard. Hope this helps! :)
Hi Kurt I followed your recipe step by step and it turned out perfectly 👌👌👌 I was skeptical about baking brazo as I failed twice already. Thank you so much! This is the best brazo de mercedes recipe❤️
Hi Noemi, thanks for your question. The whole milk can be replaced with any milk like almond milk. As for the egg yolks, although I haven't tried it myself in this recipe, I'd suggest trying to replace the 10 egg yolks by taking 2 cups of cashews, soaking them in water overnight, draining the water, and pureeing in a food processor till it becomes a paste. Hope this helps! :)
Hi Alvin, thanks for your question! Unfortunately, you *cannot* use wax paper here. The difference is wax paper is not heat resistant. And it will melt / burn when put in the oven. Parchment paper is needed for anything that needs to be heated. Wax paper is mainly used for lining countertops when kneading bread / pie crusts, and when storing things in the freezer (cold applications). Hope this helps! :)
@@cookingwithkurt hi Kurt! Is there substitute for parchment paper? Because i cannot find here in saudi. Only wax paper and it is writen there can be use for baking also.
Hi Rose - if your sheet pan is 10" x 12", I'd suggested multiplying all the ingredient amounts by 3/4, and continue with the recipe as is. Hope this helps! :)
Hi Ren. Unfortunately the majority of the ube flavor in this cake comes from the concentrated ube flavor in the ube extract. You can just add in the ube halaya and it will still be delicious, pero hindi lasang lasang ube. Hope this helps! :)
Hi Roxanne. If you follow the same recipe as in the video except omiting the ube halaya, ube extract, and purple food coloring, it will work out to become just a plain yellow custard. Hope this helps! :)
Hi Iris - if you follow the same recipe as in the video except omiting the ube halaya, ube extract, and purple food coloring, it will work out to become just a plain yellow custard. Hope this helps! :)
Hello. If ube extract is not available, you can add a bit more ube jam to the custard filling. But be careful not to add too much, since the ube jam usually comes already sweetened with sugar. So adding too much extra will make the custard filling too sweet. If ube extract is not available, I'd suggest just leaving it out, or maybe even substitute it with vanilla extract, so that the ube custard is not too sweet. Hope this helps! :)
Hello. The meringue deflating is a sign that egg whites are not stable / were not beaten properly. Here are a couple of things to keep in mind when making the meringue. 1.) The egg whites should be separated very well - with no traces of egg yolk in it. As traces of egg yolks could prevent it from whipping up (it's easier to separate them while the eggs are still cold). 2.) Try to use newer eggs, as they whip up better. And let the separated egg whites sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour, so that they come to room temperature. Egg whites whip better when they are at room temperature. 3.) Make sure the mixing bowl and beaters are completely dry, with no oily residue. Using a glass or metal bowl for whipping helps, as plastic mixing bowls often can have oily residue in them, which prevents egg whites from whipping properly. 4.) Cream of tartar helps to stabilize the egg whites, so that they whip up and gain volume. If cream of tartar is not available, you can substitute 1 tsp of cream of tartar with 2 tsp of lemon juice, or 1 tsp of white vinegar. 5.) Add the granulated sugar into the egg whites very slowly, as quickly pouring in the sugar too quickly could deflate the whipped up egg whites. Hope this helps! :)
Hi Alan. If ube is not available, you can just omit the ube halaya, ube extract, and purple food coloring from the filling, and it will just be a plain brazo de mercedes (the filling will be yellow in color). Hope this helps! :)
Can we freeze this cake? I was going to ship it to my brother in the military but not sure how the meringue handle very hot weather nowadays. Thinking maybe I could mail it frozen with ice packs?
Hi Maricar - I've never tried freezing them before. If you do, I'd suggest putting it in an airtight container to prevent moisture from entering and getting absorbed into the meringue, as that will make it soggy. Hope this helps! :)
@@cookingwithkurt sa sobrang panonood, pati mga ads mo na enjoy q na din, di q na skip ads😂😂. Pero sa totoo lang, ang galing mo mag bake ng cake. Guzto ko subukan mga gawa mo, lalo na ube cake mo. Sana ma perfect ko din tulad sau.
Hello. Kung walang cream of tartar, you can substitute 1 tsp of cream of tartar with 2 tsp of lemon juice, or 1 tsp of white vinegar. Hope this helps! :)
@@kamillemaghirang5220 Hi Kamille - I’d suggest looking at the ingredients list in the description section below the video to avoid confusion. Hope this helps! 😊
Hello! Sorry to hear your meringue doesn't turn golden brown. I also use a gas oven, so I'm not sure why that's happening. Different ovens behave differently, so I'd suggest leaving it in the oven for an extra 5 to 10 minutes, maybe even 15 at the max, as your oven could run colder than mine. But be careful that the meringue doesn't dry out, otherwise it will not be soft and pliable - and it won't roll. As you mentioned, you can also use the broiler for a few seconds at the end of the 20 minutes. But also be careful with this, as the broiler function (in my experience) burns things very quickly. And the browning with a broiler tends to be uneven. I sometimes brown my bikos with the broiler function, and even just 20 seconds it can get charred. Hope this helps! :)
Hi Noel, thanks for your question! Are you noticing this happening on humid or wet weather? Often times if it humid, the sugar in the meringue can absorb extra moisture in the air and it becomes sticky - and forms wet beads on the outside. You can minimize this by letting your brazo cool completely before slicing. Storing it in the fridge will also cause this - as the fridge is very humid. But sometimes this is inevitable (we can't control the weather, haha), so you can just use a paper towel or absorbent cloth towel to gently blot the moisture. Hope this helps! :)
ivy rose guevara Hi Ivy Rose, thanks for your question. Yes, pwede din ihalf yung recipe. It will just be a smaller cake, but it will work. Hope this helps! 😊
Hello Kurt! I tried following your recipe twice and it turns out well exept that the meringue cracked when i rolled it. What could be the possible problem?
Hello! I'm glad to hear your ube brazo de mercedes turned out well and tasted good. Sorry to hear about the cracking. Cake rolls often crack if they are overcooked. Everybody's oven is a little different. So I'd suggest decreasing your cooking time by 5 minutes or so. The meringue cracking could also be a sign that egg whites are not stable / were not beaten properly. Here are a couple of things to keep in mind when making the meringue. 1.) The egg whites should be separated very well - with no traces of egg yolk in it. As traces of egg yolks could prevent it from whipping up (it's easier to separate them while the eggs are still cold). 2.) Try to use newer eggs, as they whip up better. And let the separated egg whites sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour, so that they come to room temperature. Egg whites whip better when they are at room temperature. 3.) Make sure the mixing bowl and beaters are completely dry, with no oily residue. Using a glass or metal bowl for whipping helps, as plastic mixing bowls often can have oily residue in them, which prevents egg whites from whipping properly. 4.) Cream of tartar helps to stabilize the egg whites, so that they whip up and gain volume. If cream of tartar is not available, you can substitute 1 tsp of cream of tartar with 2 tsp of lemon juice, or 1 tsp of white vinegar. 5.) Add the granulated sugar into the egg whites very slowly, as quickly pouring in the sugar too quickly could deflate the whipped up egg whites. Hope this helps! :)
Thank you!!! I'm doing well, how are you? I'll be making a new video for Dec 1st and Jan 1st. I'm not yet sure if I'll have time to make bonus videos in addition to that. I have a couple of work trips coming up and we'll be visiting Donald's family for Christmas and New Years. But maybe I can film a bonus video while we're at his parents house haha :) Hope you're doing well! :D
@@cookingwithkurt thanks. Inspiring your viewers to think about the less fortunate in the holidays is a divine purpose. Go for it Kurt! After all Christmas is about giving and not receiving. Take care. You are a blessing indeed 😇
Hi, i like your recipe, and tried it 3 times,but has been so unsuccessful with the meringue,. All 3 didn’t expand... i don’t know what was wrong in what i did. I followed your procedure step by step... but still no success. How long do i need to mix the eggwhites? Please help. Tess
Hi Tess. Sorry to hear that your meringue hasn't been working out. I'd suggest keeping the following in mind when making the meringue: 1.) The egg whites should be separated very well - with no traces of egg yolk in it. As traces of egg yolks could prevent it from whipping up (it's easier to separate them while the eggs are still cold). 2.) Try to use newer eggs. And let the separated egg whites sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour, so that they come to room temperature. Egg whites whip better when they are at room temperature. 3.) Make sure the mixing bowl and beaters are completely dry, with no oily residue. Using a glass or metal bowl for whipping helps, as plastic mixing bowls often can have oily residue in them, which prevents egg whites from whipping properly. 4.) Cream of tartar helps to stabilize the egg whites, so that they whip up and gain volume. 5.) Add the granulated sugar into the egg whites very slowly, as quickly pouring in the sugar too quickly could deflate the whipped up egg whites. There's no set time needed to beat the egg whites into a meringue - it depends on all of the factors I just mentioned. But it usually doesn't take me any longer than 10 - 15 minutes with the beater speed on high to reach the soft peak stage needed for this type of meringue. Hope this helps! :)
Hi Karen - we're currently building a website, where the written recipes will be available. We'll post an announcement on our social media when the website becomes live :)
HELP! I'm making the fillings right now for about 10 mins already and I feel like it's runny compare to what you've done. I followed all the ingredients and measurements. what should I do please?
