Espumilla is Ecuador’s guava meringue cream: egg whites whipped with sugar and ripe guava pulp until the mixture is thick, pink and stands up like soft-serve. Street vendors pile it into ice cream cones and finish it with blackberry syrup and sprinkles. It looks like ice cream, but it is never frozen, so it never melts.
Espumilla at a Glance
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What is espumilla?
Espumilla means “little foam” in Spanish, from espuma, foam. In Ecuador the word means one specific thing: a soft, uncooked fruit meringue sold by street vendors and served cold in a cone or cup.
It is usually traced to the old town of Quito, and today you will find it all over the country. Vendors set up outside schools, churches, parks and fruit markets, usually with a big tray or bowl of pink espumilla and a stack of cones.
Guava (guayaba) is the classic flavor, with blackberry (mora) close behind. It is one of the best-loved sweets in our guide to Ecuadorian desserts and a fixture of Ecuadorian street food.
What does espumilla taste like?
Espumilla tastes like a cloud of sweet, fragrant guava. The texture sits somewhere between marshmallow fluff and a fruit mousse: light, airy and creamy, with no crunch at all.
Guava gives it a floral, slightly tart flavor, and the sugar keeps it very sweet. The tart blackberry syrup on top cuts that sweetness, which is why Ecuadorians almost never eat it plain.
Ecuadorian espumilla vs. Central American espumillas
The same word means two different sweets. Search for “espumillas” in Honduras, El Salvador or Guatemala and you will get crisp baked meringues, not a soft cream in a cone. Here is how they compare.
| Ecuadorian espumilla | Central American espumillas | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | Ecuador | Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala |
| Baked? | No, served soft | Yes, dried in a low oven |
| Texture | Creamy, like soft-serve | Crisp outside, light and crumbly |
| Flavor | Fruit: guava, blackberry, banana | Sugar and vanilla or lime, often tinted pink |
| Served | In a cone or cup with syrup and sprinkles | By the bagful at markets, bakeries and fairs |
| Keeps | About an hour | Up to 2 weeks in an airtight jar |
Both are below. The main recipe is the Ecuadorian espumilla, and the baked espumillas recipe is at the very end.
Ingredients for espumilla
- Guava: use very ripe pink guavas that smell strongly of guava and give when pressed. Guava is full of pectin, which helps the meringue hold its shape. Frozen guava pulp from the freezer case of a Latin grocery works just as well, thawed.
- Sugar: regular granulated sugar. Part of it sweetens the purée and the rest becomes a hot syrup that stabilizes the meringue.
- Egg whites: 3 large whites at room temperature. If anyone eating it is pregnant, very young, elderly or immunocompromised, use pasteurized in-shell eggs (more on that below).
- Cream of tartar: a small amount keeps the whites stable. A teaspoon of lime juice does the same job. Shop cream of tartar on Amazon.
- To serve: blackberry syrup (arrope de mora), rainbow sprinkles or shredded coconut, and cake or sugar cones. Rainbow sprinkles are the street-cart classic.
No fresh or frozen guava? Guava paste works in a pinch. Melt 6 ounces of guava paste with 1/3 cup of water, cool it completely, and skip the sugar that normally goes into the purée.
How to make espumilla
This version uses a hot sugar syrup, the same technique as an Italian meringue. It gives a thicker, glossier espumilla that holds its shape in a cone for much longer than the quick raw version. Exact amounts are in the recipe card.
1. Make the guava purée
Cut the guavas in half and blend them until smooth, with no water. Push the purée through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the hard seeds. Stir in a quarter cup of the sugar until it dissolves, then chill it. It should be about as thick as applesauce.
2. Cook the syrup
Boil the remaining sugar with the water, without stirring, until it reaches 240°F (115°C) on a candy thermometer. That takes 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Whip the egg whites
While the syrup cooks, whip the whites with the cream of tartar and a pinch of salt until they hold soft peaks.
4. Stream in the hot syrup
With the mixer on high, pour the syrup in a thin stream down the side of the bowl, not onto the beaters. Keep beating for 5 to 7 minutes, until the meringue is thick and glossy and the bowl feels only slightly warm.
5. Beat in the guava
Turn the mixer to medium and add the cold purée one spoonful at a time. Keep beating until it is all in and the espumilla holds firm peaks, 2 to 3 minutes more.
6. Serve
Spoon or pipe it high into cones or cups, drizzle with arrope de mora and finish with sprinkles or coconut. Serve right away.
Is espumilla safe to eat? (the raw-egg question)
Traditional espumilla is made with raw egg whites. At home in Ecuador, people mash the guava with sugar, add the whites and beat everything with a fork until it turns thick and pink. It takes a strong arm and about 20 minutes. An electric mixer does it in about 10.
Raw eggs carry a small risk of salmonella. The hot syrup in the method above heats the whites considerably, but it is not a guaranteed way to pasteurize them. If you are serving children, older relatives, anyone pregnant or anyone with a weakened immune system, use pasteurized in-shell eggs. They whip a little more slowly, but they do whip. Cartons of liquid egg whites often refuse to whip into stiff peaks, so skip those.
Arrope de mora: the blackberry syrup on top
Arrope de mora is a thick Andean blackberry syrup, and it is what makes espumilla taste finished. To make a quick version, simmer 1 cup of blackberries with 1/2 cup of sugar, 1/4 cup of water and a squeeze of lime for 15 to 20 minutes. Mash, strain out the seeds and let it cool. It thickens as it cools and keeps for 2 weeks in the fridge.
The same tart mora shows up in helado de paila, Ecuador’s hand-spun fruit ice cream, and in the colada morada served for Día de los Difuntos.
Espumilla flavors
Any fruit that makes a thick purée will work. Fruits with natural pectin or body, like guava and banana, give the firmest espumilla.
Thin, juicy fruits such as strawberry or passion fruit loosen the meringue. Use a little less purée, or do what many street vendors do: dissolve 1 teaspoon of unflavored gelatin in 2 tablespoons of warm purée and beat it in with the rest. Naranjilla is a very Ecuadorian choice; read more about it in our guide to Ecuadorian fruit.
How espumilla is sold in Ecuador
Most espumilla is sold from a small cart or a tray balanced on a stand, often in two colors: pink guava and a paler white or lilac. The vendor scoops it into a cone with a spoon, adds a drizzle of syrup and a shake of sprinkles, and usually charges a dollar or less.
Carts often sell cups of bright gelatin topped with a cap of espumilla, too. It is a common after-school snack and a regular sight at fiestas and in busy plazas on weekends.
Baked espumillas from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador
In Central America, espumillas are small crisp meringues. Bakers whip egg whites with sugar, often add a few drops of lime juice or vanilla, tint some of the batch pink, and dry them in a low oven until they are crisp outside and melt on the tongue.
They are sold in clear bags at markets, bakeries and school stalls, and they turn up at birthday parties and town fairs. You will find them in our roundups of Honduran desserts, Guatemalan desserts and Salvadoran desserts.
The secret is a low oven, about 200°F (95°C), for a long time. A hot oven browns and cracks them. The full method is in the baked espumillas recipe card below.
Other names for baked meringues
The same little baked meringues go by different names across Latin America. In Ecuador, Costa Rica and much of South America they are called suspiros (“sighs”), and in other places merenguitos. Do not confuse them with Peru’s suspiro a la limeña, a dulce de leche custard topped with port meringue, which you will find in our guide to Peruvian desserts.
Tips for the best espumilla
- Use a spotless bowl. Any trace of fat or egg yolk stops whites from whipping. Wipe the bowl and beaters with a little lime juice first.
- Keep the purée cold and thick. Warm, runny purée deflates the meringue. Chill it, and strain out every seed.
- Add the fruit slowly. One spoonful at a time, with the mixer running, keeps the foam stable.
- Taste the guava first. Guavas vary a lot in sweetness. Add a squeeze of lime if yours are flat.
- Serve fast. Even the syrup version is at its best in the first hour. Whip it close to serving time.
How long does espumilla last?
Ecuadorian espumilla is a make-and-eat dessert. The syrup version holds its shape for 1 to 2 hours in the fridge, then slowly starts to weep. The quick raw version lasts about 30 minutes. Do not freeze it, and do not leave it out in the sun.
Baked espumillas are the opposite: kept in an airtight jar away from humidity, they stay crisp for up to 2 weeks.
Espumilla FAQ
What is espumilla made of?
Ecuadorian espumilla is made of three ingredients: egg whites, sugar and fruit pulp, most often guava. It is topped with blackberry syrup and sprinkles.
What is espumilla called in English?
There is no common English name. “Guava meringue cream” describes the Ecuadorian version best, and the baked Central American kind are simply meringue cookies or meringue kisses.
Is espumilla the same as ice cream?
No. It looks like soft-serve and is served in a cone, but it contains no dairy and is never frozen. That is why it does not melt.
Can I make espumilla without a candy thermometer?
Yes. Make the quick raw version in the box above, or cook the syrup until a drop in cold water forms a soft ball you can squish between your fingers.
Why did my espumilla turn runny?
Usually the purée was too thin or too warm, or it went in too fast. Chill the purée, add it a spoonful at a time, and use guava or banana for the firmest result.
Is espumilla gluten-free and dairy-free?
The espumilla itself is both. The cone is not gluten-free, so serve it in a cup if that matters.
Espumilla Recipe
Espumilla (Ecuadorian Guava Meringue Cream)
Ecuador's favorite street sweet: ripe guava whipped into a glossy, stable meringue and piled into cones like soft-serve, then finished with blackberry syrup and sprinkles. It never melts, because it is never frozen.
Ingredients
For the espumilla
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) guava purée, from about 5 ripe pink guavas or thawed frozen guava pulp
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, divided
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) water
- 3 large egg whites (about 100 g), at room temperature (pasteurized in-shell eggs recommended)
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar or 1 teaspoon lime juice
- Pinch of salt
To serve
- Arrope de mora (blackberry syrup), see notes
- Rainbow sprinkles and/or shredded coconut
- 6 cake or sugar cones
Instructions
- Make the purée: halve the guavas and blend until smooth, with no water. Press through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the seeds. Measure 3/4 cup, stir in 1/4 cup of the sugar until dissolved, and chill until cold.
- Cook the syrup: put the remaining 3/4 cup sugar and the water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil without stirring and cook until it reaches 240°F (115°C) on a candy thermometer, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whip the egg whites with the cream of tartar and salt on medium-high speed until they hold soft peaks.
- With the mixer on high, pour the hot syrup in a thin, steady stream down the side of the bowl, avoiding the beaters. Beat 5 to 7 minutes, until thick, glossy and stiff, and the bowl is only slightly warm.
- Reduce the speed to medium. Add the cold guava purée one spoonful at a time, beating after each, until it is all incorporated and the espumilla holds firm peaks, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Spoon or pipe the espumilla high into cones or cups. Drizzle with arrope de mora, top with sprinkles or coconut, and serve right away.
Notes
Arrope de mora: simmer 1 cup blackberries, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup water and a squeeze of lime for 15 to 20 minutes. Mash, strain and cool. Keeps 2 weeks refrigerated.
Raw egg safety: the hot syrup heats the whites but is not a guaranteed pasteurization. For children, pregnant or older guests, or anyone immunocompromised, use pasteurized in-shell eggs. Liquid egg whites in cartons often will not whip to stiff peaks.
Quick traditional version: beat 2 egg whites with 1 cup guava purée and 1 cup sugar on high for 8 to 12 minutes until it holds a peak. Lighter and foamier; serve within 30 minutes.
Guava paste swap: melt 6 oz guava paste with 1/3 cup water, cool completely, and skip the 1/4 cup sugar in the purée.
Other fruits: banana and mango work well. For thin purées such as strawberry or passion fruit, dissolve 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin in 2 tablespoons warm purée and beat it in with the rest.
Storage: best within 1 hour; holds 1 to 2 hours refrigerated. Do not freeze.
Baked Espumillas Recipe
Baked Espumillas (Central American Meringue Cookies)
The espumillas of Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador: small, crisp meringue kisses, often tinted pink, dried slowly in a low oven until they melt on the tongue.
Ingredients
- 4 large egg whites (about 120 g), at room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) superfine or granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar or 1 teaspoon lime juice
- Pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
- Pink or assorted gel food coloring (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 200°F (95°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a clean, grease-free bowl, whip the egg whites with the cream of tartar and salt on medium-high speed until they hold soft peaks.
- Add the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, beating 15 seconds after each addition. Beat 6 to 8 minutes more, until the meringue is stiff and glossy and feels smooth, not gritty, when rubbed between your fingers. Beat in the vanilla.
- If coloring, divide the meringue into bowls and gently fold a tiny dab of gel color into each.
- Pipe 1 1/4-inch kisses with a star tip, or drop small mounds with two spoons, about 1 inch apart.
- Bake 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the espumillas are dry and lift cleanly off the parchment. Rotate the pans halfway through.
- Turn off the oven and leave the espumillas inside with the door slightly open for 1 hour to finish drying. Store in an airtight container.
Notes
Keep them pale: if they start to brown, lower the oven to 175°F (80°C). Oven thermostats run hot.
Humidity: meringues turn sticky on humid days. Bake on a dry day if you can, and store them airtight as soon as they cool.
Storage: up to 2 weeks in an airtight jar at room temperature. Do not refrigerate.
Lime instead of cream of tartar: a teaspoon of lime juice stabilizes the whites and adds a faint citrus note, as many Central American bakers do.
More Ecuadorian sweets
Pair your espumilla with a scoop of helado de paila, slow-simmer some dulce de higo, or bake guaguas de pan for Día de los Difuntos. For the savory side of the country, start with our guide to Ecuadorian food.
More Ecuadorian Foods
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Jorge Garcia is the founder of AmigoFoods, where he has spent over 20 years helping readers discover authentic Latin American and Spanish cuisine. Raised in a Cuban-American household, Jorge learned to cook at the hands of his mother and grandmother, carrying forward generations of family recipes. That heritage, backed by his family’s four-generation history in the Latin food industry, inspired him to launch AmigoFoods in 2003. With more than 1,000 published articles on recipes, ingredients, and food culture, Jorge’s mission is simple: make authentic Latin cooking approachable for home cooks everywhere while honoring the traditions behind every dish.