Alfajores

Alfajores are delicate South American sandwich biscuits that truly melt in your mouth, thanks to their high starch content. Filled with rich dulce de leche and rolled in desiccated coconut, they’re especially popular in Argentina, Peru and Uruguay. Some versions are even dipped in chocolate. If you’re a fan of dulce de leche, you simply have to try this recipe!

Makes 35 sandwich biscuits.

Ingredients for the alfajores:

• 200 g plain flour
• 300 g potato starch or cornflour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 200 g unsalted butter
• 150 g caster sugar
• 3 large egg yolks
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

All the ingredients should be at room temperature.

Place the butter and sugar into the bowl of a mixer and beat until pale and fluffy. Add the egg yolks and vanilla extract, then beat until well combined. Add the flour, potato starch (or cornflour) and baking powder, and mix until a dough forms. If the dough seems too dry, add 1 tablespoon of cold water or milk and mix again. Shape the dough into a disc, wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 1–2 hours.

Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 3 mm. Using a 5 cm round cutter, cut out biscuits and place them on baking trays lined with baking paper, leaving a little space between them. Chill the trays in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before baking.

Bake at 180°C for 8–10 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to turn golden. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.

For the filling:

• 400 g dulce de leche
• ½ cup desiccated coconut

Sandwich the biscuits together with dulce de leche, then roll the exposed filling around the edges in the desiccated coconut.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 7 days.

Enjoy!

Source: Pretty. Simple. Sweet. (recipe adapted).