Monday, September 16, 2013
Alfajores (Argentinean Cookies)
So, I'm sure most of you have never eaten one of these cookies or even heard of these cookies. But let me tell you (having eaten more than I'm willing to admit here) they are the best. They're in my list of top 5 cookies...if not the top cookie.
Alfajor (alfajores is plural) are pronounced in alfa-hoar. They are a traditional cookie found in regions of Spain and numerous countries in Latin America. In Argentina, these cookies are traditionally filled with dulce de leche (caramel from milk) and rolled in shredded coconut or dipped in chocolate. The best alfajores you can buy are from an Argentine company called Havanna.
Since it's not very easy to get these delicious cookies form Argentina in the United States, I decided to make them for my mum's surprise birthday party. Although they too some time to make, it was all worth it (adapted from this recipe)!!
Alfajores (Argentinean Style)
(Yields 3 dozen cookies)Ingredients:
- 1 2/3 cups flour
- 2 1/2 cups cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 Tbsp. lemon zest
- 1 (11.5 oz.) jar dulce de leche (you can use a store-bought kind or make it yourself. It's pretty easy to make - the recipe is below)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking soda and baking powder. Set aside
- Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy
- Add egg yolks one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla extract and lemon zest with the last egg yolk
- Gently fold in flour mixture with a spoon - your dough will be very crumbly. When the dough becomes cohesive enough, form the dough into a ball using your hands. Wrap the ball dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes (up to 1 hour).
- Roll out your dough, trying not to use very much flour, until it is 1/4-inch thick (your dough will still be a strange consistency). Cut circles using a small round cookie cutter (mine was about 2 inches in diameter). Place cookies 1/2 apart on a prepared cookie sheet
- Bake cookies for 7-10 minutes until a cake tester inserted into a cookie comes out clean (cookies should not be browned). Remove cookies immediately to a wire rack to cool
- Once cookies are completely cooled, spread about 1 tsp. of dulce de leche on the underside of a cookie. Push the underside of another cookie on the dulce de leche, forming a sandwich, until the dulce de leche oozes out.
- Eat all the cookies. Okay this is not a real step in the alfajor making process - but good luck not eating all the cookies
Here are the completed cookies. I sprinkled plate of cookies with powdered sugar before serving them:
Dulce de Leche
(Yields 1 (11.5 oz.) jar)
Ingredients:
- 1 (11.5 oz.) jar sweetened condensed milk - if you use a smaller can, you'll end up with less dulce de leche
Directions:
- Remove label from can of sweetened condensed milk
- In a large pot, completely submerge the unopened can in water. You need to make sure that the can is covered by at least one inch of water and remains covered throughout the entire process! This is super important to assure your can will not explode!
- Cover the pot with a lid and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer* for 3 hours. Yes, 3 hours
(*just about boiling/low boiling - bubbles are gently rising to the surface of the water) - Continually check to make sure the can is completely covered in water
- After 3 hours, allow your can to cool completely before opening it
Super easy - right? Also, you can use dulce de leche in a number of ways - not just for alfajores. I personally enjoy spreading dulce de leche on apple slices or a banana. Honestly, you can just eat a spoonful of this stuff - it's that good.
Here's the cans after they cooled and were opened (yes, I made an extra can to eat!):
Enjoy and thanks for reading!
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