Alfajores Recipe
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Alfajores are soft, delicate cookies from South America made, surprisingly, with cornstarch. The cornstarch gives the dough a smooth, satiny texture that makes it a dream to work with and produces a tender, crumbly cookie. Creamy Dulce de Leche holds the cookies together. If you’re feeling ambitious, you can take these to the next level by rolling the edges of the finished cookies in flaked coconut or covering them in chocolate.
Special equipment: A plain or fluted 2-inch round cutter is needed to portion out the dough.
This recipe was featured as part of our Argentine Grilling menu.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temperature
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon pisco or brandy
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup Dulce de Leche, at room temperature
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
INSTRUCTIONS
- Place the cornstarch, measured flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk briefly to combine; set aside.
- Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed, stopping the mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl once with a rubber spatula, until the mixture is light in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolks, pisco or brandy, and vanilla and mix until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. On low speed, gradually add the reserved flour mixture and mix until just incorporated with no visible white pockets, about 30 seconds.
- Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap, shape it into a smooth disk, and wrap it tightly. Place in the refrigerator until firm, at least 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- 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). Stamp out 24 rounds using a plain or fluted 2-inch round cutter, rerolling the dough as necessary until all of it is gone.
- Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, 12 per sheet and at least 1/2 inch apart. Bake 1 sheet at a time until the cookies are firm and pale golden on the bottom, about 12 to 14 minutes. (The cookies will remain pale on top.) Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Flip half of the cookies upside down and gently spread about 2 teaspoons of the dulce de leche on each. Place a second cookie on top and gently press to create a sandwich. Dust generously with powdered sugar before serving.
Christine --
I did it with the hand mixer, and they came out amazing! We had to beat the sugar and butter quite a bit but the alfajores were better than any I had when I lived in Chile. My friends and family loved them too. Thanks! :)
Just a few suggestions here... My father and his side of the family is Argentinian so I know this recipe well (although I haven't made them in quite some time). They make this recipe with added FRESH grated lemon peel (I don't have my recipe in front of me but we used several large lemons). It's very subtle and it gives it a light fresh taste. Also if you can't find a jar of dulce de leche in stores or online, my mother always got a can of sweet condensed milk, removed the label, and added the whole can (not opened) into a deep pot of boiling water for a few hours (always watch the pot to make sure there is ample water inside it). Then let the can cool. Then when you open the can you add a little bit of real vanilla extract and mix it in. Mmmmmm!
ljamunds -
You can try a hand mixer if you have one. Let us know how it goes if you do!
Christine Gallary, CHOW Test Kitchen
How can I adapt this? I don't have access to a stand-mixer so what should I use instead?