Uruguay
Photo: Muago, CC0, croppedChajá
/tʃaˈxa/chah-HAH
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- Taste
- Sweet
- Made with
- EggDairy & cheeseWheat & flour
History
Chajá is a cake of sponge, meringue, whipped cream and peaches, sometimes with dulce de leche or strawberries, covered with crushed meringue pieces. It was created in 1927 by Orlando Castellano at the Confitería Las Familias in Paysandú, a city on the Uruguay River. It is named after the chajá, the southern screamer, a large bird of the region whose light fluffy feathers inspired the airy texture. The original confectionery still makes it, and the cake is sold all over Uruguay and exported to Argentina and Brazil. It is served at birthdays and family celebrations and is considered one of the country's most typical desserts.
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