I was introduced to alfajores by my Uruguayan and Argentinian family. These cookies exist in both a home-made version and an industrially manufactured version. Oddly enough, both versions have practically nothing in common.
Me, I like the home-made version, not only because it reminds me of my grandma and my aunts, but also because it has an unique gustative experience, impossible to replicate in a factory.
Home-made alfajores consist of a sandwich of two crumbly, fragile cookies with a generous layer of “dulce de leche” in between, and rolled in grated coconut.
Dulce de leche deserves not a post, but a monument. If you like the flavour of caramel you will become addicted to this stuff. I can guarantee you that.
There are two ways of preparing dulce de leche: the first method is slowly simmering milk with sugar and stirring regularly until it forms a dense paste. The second method is the one I’m going to explain here; it can’t be easier but it requires a bit of time. If you live in the USA you can forget about this altogether and simply buy a can of Nestlé LA LECHERA dulce de leche.
To my utter delight, my first attempt at making alfajores was a great success. I used a recipe I found on an Argentinian culinary blog.
While I was trying the alfajores I closed my eyes and I was instantly back in my grandma’s kitchen in Montevideo, savoring every particle of dulce de leche in it.
Ingredients for the dulce de leche:
- 1 400gr/14 ounces can of Nestlés sweetened condensed milk
Ingredients for the alfajores:
- 200 gr/1.5 cup flour
- 300 gr/2 cups cornflour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 200 gr/ 5.3 ounces margarine
- 150 gr/0.8 cup (a little bit more than a 2/3 cup) sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 tbsp cognac (brandy)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp grated lemon skin
- dulce de leche
- 1 pack of grated coconut (you will not need much)
Cooking instructions for the dulce de leche:
Put the can of condensed milk in a cooking pan with enough water to cover the can entirely. Bring to boil.
The water will evaporate slowly, keep an eye on it and add more (hot) water whenever necessary, in enough quantity to keep the can fully submerged at all times.
I only remove the can from the water after 3 hours because I like the dulce to be thick, but my mum only keeps it for about 2h. No rules here, it is a question of trying and finding out which texture and flavour (more or less concentrated) you like more.
Now, this is very important for your safety: LET THE CAN COOL (until you can grab it with your fingers without burning yourself) before opening it.
Cooking instructions for the dualfajores:
In a bowl sift the flour, the cornflour, the baking soda and the baking powder.
In a separate bowl, mix the margarine with the sugar. Incorporate the egg yolks one by one while you keep on mixing. Then add the sifted (dry) ingredients. And finally add the brandy, the vanilla extract and the lemon skin. Mix well.
No need to knead. Spread the dough on a flat surface which has been sprinkled with some flour until the dough is 0.5 cm/0.2 inches thick, using a rolling pin.
Cut circles with either a cookie cutter or a glass. I used a champagne flute because the alfajores should have a diameter around the 4cm/1.6 inches.
Cover the oven baking sheet with parchment paper and lay the cookies on it.
Bake for 7 minutes at 160°C / 320°F. Then turn the cookies upside down and bake for another 3 minutes. The cookies should not get a golden colour, they are supposed to be ‘pale’. Get them out of the oven.
Bake the rest of the cookies using the same method.
Now take a cookie and delicately (because they are fragile) spread a good layer of dulce de leche on it. Top with another cookie to form a sandwich.
Spread a bit of dulce de leche on the outer rim of the alfajor.
Pour the grated coconut on a dish and roll the sides of the alfajor (as it was a wheel) on the coconut. The coconut should stick to the sides.
Now serve and enjoy!!
Great with mate, mate cocido/with milk, tea, coffee, milk…
