Alfajores

I know I've haven't posted in awhile. I've been swamped with school and physical therapy. If you guys do not know what alfajores are, they are famous cookies in South America, mostly in Peru and Argentina. I lived in Argentina for 5 months for tennis and loved these cookies. It took me a few years to have the guts to make these, and they turned out pretty well. It is like a shortbread cookie with caramel filling. 

Cream the butter and sugar, until fluffy.

Add the egg yolks and vanilla, until incorporated.

Add the dry ingredients.

Turn the dough on a piece of plastic wrap, shape it into a disk and wrap tightly. Refrigerate for about an hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Flour the surface and the dough and roll it out to 1/4 inch thickness.

Cut the dough into the pieces you want.

Bake for 12-13 minutes and place and wired rack.

The best part, spoon the dulce de leche on half the cookie, then place the second cookie. Yum!

Alfajores

Ingredients:

1 C cornstarch

3/4 C all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 C room temperature butter

1/3 C sugar

2 egg yolks

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 (13.4 can) Dulce de Ldeche (you'll use almost the entire can)

flour for dusting

Directions:

1. Add the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and cream the mixture until light in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes. 

2. Add the egg yolks and vanilla and mix until incorporated. With a spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl.

3. On low sped, gradually add the cornstarch, flour, salt, baking powder and soda and mix until just incorporated.

4. 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.

5. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 350 F.

6. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

7. 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).

8. Cut out 20-24 rounds using a 2 inch cookie round cutter, rerolling the dough as necessary until all of it is gone. 

9. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets and bake them in preheated oven fore 12-13 minutes

10. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely

11. 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!