Alfajores

Alfajores are traditional Latin American treats, very popular especially in Argentina and Uruguay. They may vary slightly from country to country, but they usually consist of two soft cookies joined together by dulce de leche and often covered in chocolate or dusted with powdered sugar. I propose a classic version of Alfajores, perhaps with a small Italian touch.

Ingredients

• 300g of all-purpose flour
• 200g of butter at room temperature
• 100g of powdered sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1 pinch of salt
• Dulce de leche as needed for filling
• Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
• Grated zest of 1 lemon (for the Italian touch)

Preparation

1. In a bowl, mix the flour with the baking powder and salt.
2. In another bowl, cream the butter with the powdered sugar until you get a soft and fluffy mixture. Add the egg yolks, vanilla extract, and grated lemon zest, and blend the ingredients well.
3. Gradually incorporate the dry ingredients into the butter mixture until you obtain a smooth and homogeneous dough.
4. Wrap the dough in cling film and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
5. After resting, preheat the oven to 180°C and prepare a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
6. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface until it is about 5mm thick.
7. With a round cookie cutter, cut out many disks and place them on the prepared tray.
8. Bake for about 10-12 minutes or until the edges begin to slight golden.
9. Let the cookies cool completely before proceeding with the filling.
10. Spread a generous amount of dulce de leche on one cookie and cover with another cookie, pressing lightly to stick.
11. If you like, you can dust the Alfajores with powdered sugar before serving them.

Curiosity

The word “Alfajor” comes from the Arabic “al-hasú,” which means “stuffed”. These sweets were probably introduced on the Iberian peninsula by the Moors and then brought to Latin America by the Spanish, where they underwent local variations, becoming the dessert we know today. In Italy, we do not have a direct equivalent of Alfajores, but the combination of cookie and cream is certainly a beloved formula, as in the classic Piedmontese Baci di Dama.

Enjoy your preparation and bon appétit!