by Roxana 51 Comments
Alfajores, also known as dulce de leche sandwich cookies, are traditional shortbread cookies with a dulce de leche filling, popular in Spain and throughout Latin America.
Lately I’ve been on a Latin kick. With Cinco deMayo just around the corner, I sat down one afternoon and browsed the internet for great desserts to celebrate this Mexican holiday. Lots of the recipes came back featuring the rich sweet caramel sauce “dulce deleche”. I usually buy mine from the international market, along with other ingredients from Asia, Middle Eastern and even from Romania.
A couple of months ago, might be a little over a year, while browsing the store for some ladyfingers I saw a pack ofAlfajores on one of the shelves. It had been so long since I last enjoyed these soft, butterycookies sandwiched with dulcedeleche.
Without thinking twice I grabbeda package and immediately openedand bite into one cookie.
Since then, although I have bought many more, I have been on a quest for the bestAlfajores, just like those I remembered from a trip years ago to Mexico.
I’ve tried a couple of different recipes. Different ratio of dry/wet ingredients. Some called for just flour, some for a combo of flour and cornstarch and after many, many cookies and lots of dulcedelechecans I finally foundthe ones I will make over and over again.
Thecornstarchmixed with flour make the cookies soft and light. Alone, the cookies are not too sweet, or not as sweet as a cookie should be, but once sandwiched with dulce de leche a new world opens. I’ve seen alfajores, once sandwiched, being rolled in shredded coconut or finely chopped nuts but I prefer mine plain.
The dough is a little hard to work with at first. When you start rolling it it starts to crack but it’s easy to glue it back together and the scraps work like a charm when re-rolling them.
There’s one thing some might change. The size of the cookie. These are pretty bigsandwichcookies. I think my cookie cutter is around 2 1/2 inch but you cancertainlymake them smaller.
Alfajores – dulce de leche sandwich cookies
Yields 10-12 sandwich cookies
Alfajores, also known as dulce de leche sandwich cookies, are traditional shortbread cookies with a dulce de leche filling.
20 minPrep Time
13 minCook Time
2 hr, 30 Total Time
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Ingredients
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup room temperature butter
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 X 13.4 can Dulce de Leche (you'll use almost the entire can)
- flour for dusting
Instructions
- Add the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and, with the paddle attachment on, cream the mixture until light in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add the egg yolks and vanilla and mix until incorporated. With a spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- On low speed, gradually add the cornstarch, flour, salt, baking powder and soda and mix until just incorporated.
- Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap, shape it into a disk and wrap it tightly. Place in the refrigerator until firm, at least 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, heat the oven to 350F.
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator, unwrap it, and place it on a lightly floured work surface. Lightly flour the top of the dough. Roll to 1/4-inch thickness (the dough will crack but can be easily patched back together).
- Cut out 20 to 24 rounds using a 2 inch cookie round cutter, rerolling the dough as necessary until all of it is gone.
- Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets and bake them in preheated oven for 12-13 minutes.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Spoon on half of the cookies about a tablespoon of dulce de leche. Place a second cookie on top and gently press to create a sandwich.
- Enjoy!
Notes
recipe from Chow
7.6.8
449
http://atreatsaffair.com/alfajores-dulce-de-leche-sandwich-cookies-recipe/
Roxana Yawgel http://atreatsaffair.com/ All images and content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or simply link back to this post for the recipe. Thank you.
Cinco deMayo it’s the first holiday I spend along with other food bloggers. It’s a little early, some may say, but here’s what we’ve made!
- Alfajores fromRoxana’s Home Baking
- Spicy Fish Tacos with Avocado Yogurt Sauce from Crumb Blog
- Classic Flan from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Dulce de LecheMilkshake with Coconut Milk Whipped Creamfrom Chocolate Moosey
- Lime Margerita Bars from Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
- Shrimp and Avocado Ceviche from Magnolia Days
- Tropical Fiesta co*cktail from Hungry Couple NYC
- Paletas – Mexican Popsicles from Pineapple and Coconut
- Bizcochitos Cookies from Jen’s Favorite Cookies
- Mexican Hot Chocolate Cupcakes from Gotta Get Baked
- Vegan Taco Salad from What Smells So Good
- Gluten Free Tres Leches Cake from Kelly Bakes
- Queso Blanco from The Messy Baker
- Gorditas with Picadillo from Juanita’s Cocina
- Strawberry Margerita Slurpee from Chocolate Chocolate and More
