Sweet Whispers

To prepare sweet whispers, first preheat the oven to 320°F; separate the 3 eggs needed for the batter, dividing the yolks (you should obtain 60 g) from the whites (you should obtain 100 g); the eggs must be cold from the refrigerator. Pour the egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment 1 and start working them at medium-low speed. When the egg whites begin to turn white, add the sugar in 2-3 parts 2 and continue whipping until you achieve stiff peaks 3.

Now pour the yolks into a separate bowl and beat them with an electric whisk 4 until they are light and fluffy 5. At this point, add the yolks to the whipped egg whites 6

and gently mix from bottom to top with a spatula, being careful not to deflate them 7. When the egg mixture is well blended, add the flour in 2-3 parts, sifting it directly into the bowl using a sieve 8 and gently mix from bottom to top with the spatula to avoid deflating the batter 9.

When the ingredients are well combined, transfer the obtained batter into a piping bag with a smooth nozzle with a diameter of 0.71 inches (18 mm) 10. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and pipe mounds of batter with the piping bag, spacing them apart, which should have a base of about 2.36 inches (6 cm) in diameter and finish with a peak on top 11. With these doses, you will obtain 9 whispers 12. Bake the whispered forms in the preheated oven at 320°F and bake for about 25-30 minutes.

While the whispers are in the oven, proceed with the preparation of the custard: pour the milk into a saucepan, add the lemon peel 13, and bring it to a simmer. Meanwhile, combine the yolks and sugar in a bowl 14 and beat with a hand whisk until they are nice and foamy, then add the sifted cornstarch 15

and mix again with the whisk to make the mixture smooth 16. At this point, the milk will be almost boiling, so pour it into the bowl with the yolks through a sieve to remove the lemon peel 17, and mix again. Finally, pour the obtained mixture back into the saucepan 18

and bring it to a boil, stirring for 4-5 minutes over low heat 19. Once the cream has thickened, transfer it to a glass baking dish 20 and cover with cling film in contact; let it cool at room temperature, then store it in the refrigerator. For further information on the procedure, you can consult the Pastry cream recipe. After the whispers' baking time (they should be golden on the outside but not dark), transfer them to a wire rack and let them cool completely 21.

In the meantime, proceed with the preparation of the royal icing: pour 90 g of egg whites into a bowl and add a few drops of lemon 22, then start beating with the electric whisk, adding a tablespoon of powdered sugar at a time 23. Continue beating with the whisk until the powdered sugar is completely incorporated and the glaze is smooth and lump-free 34, then cover it with cling film in contact. For further information on the procedure, you can consult the Royal icing recipe.

Now you can assemble the sweet whispers: remove the cream from the refrigerator and transfer it into a piping bag with a smooth nozzle of 0.59 inches (15 mm) in diameter; take the now-cooled cakes and make a cut parallel to the base, taking care to leave it attached on one side so as not to remove it completely 25. Fill the inside of the cakes with cream 26, close them carefully 27 and place them back on the wire rack; proceed in the same way with all the whispers.

When all the whispers are filled, cover them entirely with royal icing by pouring it on top with a spoon and letting it run down the sides 28. Let the whispers dry on the rack for 3-4 hours at room temperature (not in the refrigerator), making sure to place a tray underneath to collect the excess icing 29. Once dried, your sweet whispers are ready to be served 30!