ana I love cookies , and alfajores can easily be the tastiest cookie I’ve had. The cookies literally melt in your mouth.
Alfajores are popular in Latin America and can be made in a variety of ways. This version is classic. A bit time consuming but worth the effort.
Ingredients
- Filling :
- 1 can of condensed milk or ready dulce de leche
- Cake:
- 200 g butter
- 150 ml sugar
- 4 yolks
- Lemon zest (optional)
- 500 ml corn starch
- 300 ml wheat flour
- 2 spoons of baking powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla sugar
- Decoration:
- coconut
Start by making concentrated milk. Place the jar with condensed milk in a large saucepan with water, boil and cook covered for 2 hours. It is important to top up the water at all times so that the can is flooded with water, otherwise it can explode. Wait for it to cool completely before opening after cooking, you can rinse it under cold water. If you bought a can of caramelized milk, you can skip the cooking step.
Dough: Mix flour, cornstarch, baking powder and vanilla sugar in a bowl, set aside. Whisk the butter, sugar and lemon zest until fluffy. Add yolks and mix.
Add all dry ingredients. Squeeze the dough with your fingers until it becomes brittle, then quickly connect them together. However, do not knead the dough for too long. Wrap it tight and leave it in the fridge for 30-40 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180st C. Roll out the dough, remember to sprinkle with flour. Do not roll the dough too thin, it will be slightly inflated in the oven, it should be thin, but not very thin. Squeeze the circles with a small glass about 3 cm in circumference. Put on a baking sheet and bake in the center of the oven for about 6-8 minutes. Remove the baking tray from the oven and allow the cakes to cool completely. Perform the same procedure with the remaining dough.
When the cookies cool down completely, it’s time to fill them. Take a cake and spread it on a dulce de leche, make sure there is also a little on the edges if you want to sprinkle with coconut. Cover with a second cake and sprinkle the edges with coconut. Sprinkle the cookies with powdered sugar.
Serve or store in a cookie jar in the fridge for up to 7 days or in the freezer for 2 months.
