Alfajores are absolutely delicious and worth the time to make. Cornstarch is used in the batter resulting in a light fluffy cookie. Of course if you have never tried Dulce de Leche you are in for a real treat, that is the filling that holds these cookies together. A perfect way to end your Asado!
Alfajores with Dulce de Leche (Cookies with Dulce de Leche filling)
Servings 12
Ingredients
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon brandy
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup Dulce de Leche
- Powdered sugar to sprinkle
- For the Dulce de Leche filling:
- 1 14- oz can or sweetened condensed milk
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- For the Dulce de Leche filling
- Heat oven to 425 degrees and placing a rack in the middle of the oven
- Pour milk into a glass pie plate and sprinkle with salt.
- Cover tightly with aluminum foil and place in a roasting pan with hot water to reach halfway up the sides of the pie plate.
- Bake for 1 hour
- Remove the roasting pan from the oven and remove the pie plate
- Uncover the pie plate, taking care not to burn yourself and whisk the mixture until smooth
- Replace the foil, return the pie plate to the roasting pan and add hot water as necessary to remain halfway up the side of the plate.
- Put back in the oven.
- Continue to bake for about another 1½ hours until the color becomes a caramel color.
- Remove from over, let cool, remove the foil and whisk again until smooth.
- Set aside for the cookies.
- Keep extra in the refrigerator of up to one week.
- For the Cookies:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In a separate bowl, using a mixer on medium mix together the butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy. Add in the egg yolks one at a time, the brandy, and vanilla.
- Start slowly adding in the flour mixture until incorporated, taking care not to over mix.
- Turn the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and shape into a smooth disk, wrap it tightly and let sit for one hour in the refrigerator.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- Line two cooking sheets with parchment paper
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator and lightly flour your work surface.
- Lightly flour the top of the dough
- Roll out to ¼ inch thick, do not be considered if it cracks, you can easily patch it together.
- Stamp out 24 rounds using a plain or fluted 2” round cutter, reroll the dough as necessary.
- Place 12 cookies ½ inch apart on each prepared cookie sheet and bake 1 sheet at a time on the middle rack.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes (Cook until just firm and slightly golden on the bottom, the top will remain light.)
- Transfer to a wire cooling rack
- Once completely cool, flip half the cookies upside down and gently spread with about 2 teaspoons of Dulce de Leche. Place another cookie on top to make a sandwich.
- Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.
