Baking
Welcome to our creative pastry blog! Today, we’re bringing you one of the easiest and most delicious recipes to make at home: alfajores. These are traditional Argentine cookies filled with dulce de leche that you will love.
Ingredients:
For the dough:
- 200 g all-purpose flour
- 300 g cornstarch
- 200 g butter at room temperature
- 150 g sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Zest of 1 lemon (optional)
- 1 tablespoon rum (optional)
For the filling:
- 400 g dulce de leche
Instructions:
Step 1: Prepare the dough
1. In a large bowl, beat the butter with the sugar until you get a creamy mixture.
2. Add the egg yolks one by one, beating well after each addition.
3. Add the vanilla extract, lemon zest, and rum (optional), and mix well.
4. In another bowl, sift the flour, cornstarch, and baking powder.
5. Gradually incorporate the dry ingredients into the butter and egg mixture until you form a homogeneous dough.
6. Roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment paper and freeze until firm.
Step 2: Shape and bake the cookies
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
2. Use a round cookie cutter (about 5 cm or 2 inches in diameter) to cut out the cookies.
3. Cut the dough while it’s frozen so it retains its shape during baking.
4. Place the cookies on the baking tray, leaving some space between them so they don’t stick together.
5. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes or until they are slightly golden at the edges. Do not let them brown too much.
6. Let the cookies cool completely before proceeding to the next step.
Step 3: Fill and decorate the alfajores
1. Once the cookies are cool, spread a generous layer of dulce de leche on the flat side of one cookie.
2. Place another cookie on top, pressing gently so the dulce de leche spreads evenly.
3. If desired, you can roll the edges of the alfajores in shredded coconut for decoration.
4. You can also sprinkle the alfajores with powdered sugar or dip them in melted chocolate for a delicious variation.
And there you have it! An easy and delicious recipe to make alfajores at home. These treats are perfect for sharing with friends and family or enjoying with a cup of coffee or tea.
