The Story
The alfajor sailed to South America from Spain, where the name and the idea of a sweet little sandwich go back centuries. Argentina took it and ran. Today you can buy one at every kiosk, bakery and gas station in the country, and everyone has a favorite.
This is the homemade kind, alfajores de maicena. Cornstarch makes up most of the dough, which is why the cookies are so short and delicate. The filling is dulce de leche, slow-cooked milk and sugar, and the coconut around the edge is there to catch whatever squishes out.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups (150 g) cornstarch
- 3/4 cup (100 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 7 tablespoons (100 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 6 tablespoons (75 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon
- 1 tablespoon brandy or milk
- 1 1/2 cups (about 450 g) thick dulce de leche
- 1/2 cup (40 g) finely shredded unsweetened coconut
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Steps
- Whisk the cornstarch, flour, baking powder and baking soda together in a bowl.
- Beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time, then the vanilla, lemon zest and brandy.
- Add the dry mix and stir just until a soft dough comes together. Pat it into a disk, wrap it and chill for 30 minutes.
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment.
- Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment to about 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick. Cut 2-inch (5 cm) rounds, gather the scraps and roll again. Set them on the sheets about 1 inch apart.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until set but still pale. They should not brown. Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then move them to a rack. They are fragile while warm.
- Once cool, spread a heaping teaspoon of dulce de leche on the flat side of half the cookies. Top with the rest and press gently, so the filling just reaches the edge.
- Roll the edges through the coconut, then dust the tops with powdered sugar.
FAQs
Where do I find dulce de leche?
Most grocery stores carry it in jars or cans near the sweetened condensed milk, or in the Latin foods aisle. Pick the thick kind labeled for pastry if you can find it, since it holds its shape between the cookies.
How long do alfajores keep?
Up to 5 days in an airtight container at room temperature. They get even softer by the second day, which many people think is when they are best.
