**Alfajores: A Heavenly Fusion of Sweetness and Texture**
Originating from the culinary traditions of Argentina, Alfajores have captivated taste buds worldwide with their exquisite combination of flavors and textures. These delightful sandwich cookies, made with layers of crumbly shortbread and sandwiched with a luscious Dulce de Leche filling, offer a symphony of sweet indulgence. Embark on a culinary journey as we delve into the diverse realm of Alfajores recipes, each promising a unique twist on this classic treat. From the traditional Alfajores de Maicena, crafted with cornstarch for an ethereal lightness, to the rich and decadent Alfajores de Chocolate, these delectable confections cater to every palate's desire. Prepare to be tantalized by the Alfajores de Dulce de Membrillo, where the tartness of quince paste complements the sugary embrace of Dulce de Leche. And for those seeking a gluten-free indulgence, the Alfajores Sin TACC offer a symphony of flavors without compromising on texture.
ALFAJORES: DULCE DE LECHE SANDWICH COOKIES
Recipe for making homemade alfajores or dulce de leche sandwich cookies. These Latin American cookies are made with all purpose flour, cornstarch, butter, baking powder, egg yolks, sugar, lemon zest, milk, and vanilla. They are filled with caramel and decorated with coconut or icing sugar.
Provided by Layla Pujol
Categories Cookies Dessert Sweets
Time 45m
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Sift the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and baking powder. Stir all the ingredients very well and add the lemon zest.
- Use an electric hand mixer to mix the butter with the powdered sugar (previously sifted) until you get a creamy mixture.
- Add the milk and egg yolks, continue mixing until all the ingredients are well combined.
- Add the flour mixture in batches and mix well in between adding each batch of flour. The final dough should be smooth and not sticky. If it's still sticky you can add an additional handful of flour.
- Divide the dough into two equal parts and make two balls of dough. Then gently squash each ball into a thick disk shape. Cover them with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour.
- Preheat the oven to 375F (200 ° C).
- Remove the dough from the fridge and place it on a lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin to flatten and extend the dough until you have a thin layer. The maximum thickness of the layer should be about five millimeters (less than ¼ inch).
- Use a round cookie cutter mold to cut as many circles as you can. I used a 2 in (5 cm) round mold. You can make them smaller or larger, just adjust the baking time accordingly.
- Put the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leave at least two centimeters or ¾ inch of space between each cookie to keep them from sticking together.
- Bake the cookies for about 12-15 minutes or until they are lightly golden. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool down completely.
- Take a cooled down cookie and place a teaspoon of dulce de leche on its inner surface (the part that was stuck to the baking sheet), spread it well to the edges of the cookie and then gently stick another cookie (baking side on the caramel) on top to form a cookie sandwich.
- Place the grated dry coconut on a flat plate and roll each stuffed cookie in the coconut mix until it sticks to the dulce de leche filling, giving it the characteristic look of the alfajor cookie. You can also dust the cookies with powdered sugar.
- You can keep the alfajores or dulce de leche cookies refrigerated for a week.
ALFAJORES (DULCE DE LECHE SANDWICH CRèME COOKIES)
Prize-Winning Recipe 2007! Take a delicious taste adventure with a traditional cookie of South America. Two cookies made with a time-saving cookie mix are sandwiched with dulce de leche and sprinkled with powdered sugar.
Provided by Betty Crocker Kitchens
Categories Dessert
Time 1h20m
Yield 24
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Heat oven to 375°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- In large bowl, stir cookie mix, 1/2 cup of the coconut, the pecans, butter and egg until stiff dough forms.
- On floured surface, roll half of dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with 2-inch round or fluted cookie cutter. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. Repeat with remaining half of dough.
- Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until set. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets. Cool completely.
- To make each sandwich cookie, spread about 2 teaspoons dulce de leche on bottom of 1 cookie. Top with second cookie, bottom side down; gently press cookies together so some of filling seeps out around edges. Roll edges in remaining 1/2 cup coconut. Place cookies on cooling rack.
- Sprinkle tops of sandwich cookies with powdered sugar. Store between sheets of waxed paper in tightly covered container.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 190, Carbohydrate 28 g, Cholesterol 15 mg, Fat 1 1/2, Fiber 0 g, Protein 3 g, SaturatedFat 4 g, ServingSize 1 Sandwich Cookie, Sodium 95 mg, Sugar 19 g, TransFat 1 g
ALFAJORES WITH COCONUT DULCE DE LECHE
This traditional South American honey-almond cookie gets a tropical twist with an easy-bake coconut dulce de leche filling.
Provided by Rick Martinez
Categories Bon Appétit Dessert Cookies Bake Coconut Almond Honey Vegetarian Soy Free Peanut Free Kid-Friendly Christmas Winter
Yield Makes about 24
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 375°F. Bring condensed milk, coconut milk, and ½ tsp. salt to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Scrape mixture into a 13x9" baking dish and bake, stirring every 15 minutes or so, until very thick and a light caramel color, 40-50 minutes. Mixture will look lumpy, broken, and very pasty-that's exactly what you want. Let cool in dish 1 hour, then transfer to a food processor and process until smooth. Set dulce de leche aside for serving.
- Meanwhile, whisk almond flour and 2¼ cups all-purpose flour in a medium bowl to combine. Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter, sugar, and 1½ tsp. salt in a large bowl, scraping down sides and bottom of bowl as needed, until pale and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add egg yolk, vanilla, and ¼ cup honey and beat until combined, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients, and mix, scraping down sides and bottom of bowl, until incorporated. Divide dough in half and pat each piece into a 1"-thick disk. Wrap in plastic and chill until firm, at least 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll out 1 disk of dough on a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper, dusting with more flour as needed to keep dough from sticking, to about ⅛" thick. Punch out shapes with lightly floured cookie cutters and transfer to 2 parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 1" apart. Pat scraps into a 1"-thick disk, wrap with plastic, and chill 10 minutes if soft.
- Bake a sheet of cookies, rotating halfway through, until edges are lightly browned, 7-9 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes on baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Bake remaining sheet of cookies. Line baking sheets with fresh sheets of parchment paper and repeat process with remaining disk of dough.
- Divide coconut evenly among 3 bowls. Add 1 Tbsp. food-coloring powder (sift if needed) to a bowl of coconut and toss until coconut is coated; add more powder if a more intense color is desired. Repeat with remaining food-coloring powder and another bowl of coconut. Leave 1 bowl of coconut white. If using, add some luster dust to all 3 bowls and toss to combine.
- Turn half of the cookies over to expose flat side; spread 1 tsp. dulce de leche over (this will be the inside of the sandwiches); set aside.
- Heat remaining 2 Tbsp. honey in a small bowl in the microwave just until warm (you want it to be loose), then stir in 2 tsp. warm water. Working one at a time, lightly brush honey over the top of remaining cookies (the ones that have not been filled with dulce de leche). Immediately dip tops into a bowl of coconut; press additional coconut onto cookie to cover any bald spots. Close up cookie sandwiches, coconut side up.
- Do Ahead: Dulce de leche can be made 1 month ahead; place in an airtight container and freeze. Thaw in refrigerator overnight before using. Dough can be made 3 days ahead; keep chilled. Cookies can be baked (but not assembled) 2 days ahead; store airtight at room temperature.
ALFAJORES (DULCE DE LECHE SANDWICH COOKIES)
Given to me by a chef who sweet-talked the recipe out of a street vendor in Peru. These alfajores are to die for.
Provided by vegchef
Categories World Cuisine Recipes Latin American South American Peruvian
Time 1h27m
Yield 24
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Mix flour, confectioners' sugar, cornstarch, and salt together in a bowl. Place butter in a separate bowl and use an electric mixer to beat until soft and fluffy. Add white sugar and vanilla and mix well.
- Add flour mixture to the bowl with the butter mixture in 3 stages; mix until just blended. Divide dough in half and roll each half into a log. Refrigerate dough logs until firm, about 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Slice dough logs into 1/4-inch cookies and place on a baking sheet.
- Bake in the preheated oven until just starting to turn golden around the edges, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Allow cookies to cool on the pan for 1 minute. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely, about 30 minutes more.
- Use a knife to apply a generous amount of dulce de leche on one cookie. Sandwich another cookie on top and place on a serving tray. Repeat with remaining cookies and dulce de leche. Lightly dust finished cookies with confectioners' sugar.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 174.6 calories, Carbohydrate 23.2 g, Cholesterol 22 mg, Fat 8.4 g, Fiber 0.3 g, Protein 1.8 g, SaturatedFat 4.9 g, Sodium 105.8 mg, Sugar 12 g
ALFAJORES DE DULCE DE LECHE
We use caramelized, sweetened condensed milk in our Easy Dulce de Leche, to provide a robust, sweet filling for a light biscuit.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Dessert & Treats Recipes Cookie Recipes
Yield Makes 16
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Line a baking sheet with parchment or a nonstick baking mat (such as Silpat).
- Sift together flour and confectioners' sugar. In a food processor, pulse together flour mixture and butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about 20 seconds. With machine running, pour in the water in a slow steam and process just until the dough comes together, about 20 seconds. Form the dough into 2 flattened disks and wrap well in plastic. Refrigerate 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a well-floured work surface, roll out 1 disk of dough to a scant 1/4-inch thickness. Using a 1 3/4-inch round cookie cutter, cut out rounds from dough and transfer to prepared baking sheet. Repeat with other disk of dough. Gather up the scraps from both batches, and reroll and cut. Sprinkle half the rounds with sanding sugar. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- About 30 minutes before serving, spread 1 to 2 teaspoons of the cold dulce de leche on bottom of unsugared cookies. Place sugared cookies on top to make sandwiches. Serve immediately. Unfilled cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days. Remaining dulce de leche can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator as well.
Tips:
- Use high-quality ingredients: The better the ingredients, the better the alfajores will be. Use real butter, fresh eggs, and high-quality dulce de leche.
- Make sure the dough is well chilled before baking: This will help prevent the cookies from spreading too much in the oven.
- Bake the cookies until they are just set: Overbaking will make them dry and crumbly.
- Let the cookies cool completely before filling them: This will help prevent the filling from seeping out.
- If you don't have dulce de leche, you can make your own: There are many recipes available online.
- Alfajores can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days: They can also be frozen for up to 2 months.
Conclusion:
Alfajores are a delicious and easy-to-make treat that are perfect for any occasion. With their crispy cookies and creamy dulce de leche filling, they are sure to be a hit with everyone who tries them. So next time you're looking for a sweet treat, give alfajores a try. You won't be disappointed!
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