Stuffed! Alfajores!

 

The idea for this article came after the Mixed Grill event organized by Fire and Knives  a couple of weeks ago. Dr. Morgaine Gaye, food futurologist, was present and gave us an idea of the next food trends we can expect. One of them stroke a note with me – Alfajores!  Just another of my childhood favorites! ( I know I have lots of them !!)  We used to live in a building in São Paulo, Brazil; one of our neighbor family was Argentinean. The mother, Dona Mercedes, used to bake Alfajores and give us some now and then as a treat.  We really enjoyed them.
at Mixed Grill by Fire and Knives

The word Alfajor comes from the Arabic meaning stuffed.

They are a traditional Latin American sweet sandwich biscuits stuffed with dulce de leche (milk caramel) . There are over 40 varieties of Alfajores. This fabulous and very addictive filled cookies, in my opinion they are between cookies and cake;  came first into Spain during the period Al-Andalus with the Arabic conquests.  The recipes have then infiltrated into the Americans with the Spanish conquistadores.
Argentina is famous for it’s alfajores, however they are  a traditional treat in Peru, Mexico, Uruguay, Chile, Bolivia and obviously Spain, where the Alfajores are usually consumed at Christmas. Spanish version is a pastry like with honey, almonds and spices.
Each region of Latin America, adapted the Spanish Alfajor and developed its own version. In Argentina and Peru  alone there are over 20 varieties that culminate in the delirious “King Kong”, an alfajor made in Trujillo of colossal proportions containing various levels and flavors.  There are lots of theories and myths about them. The one I like the most is ‘Alfajor proves the existence of the soul, the two cookies represent our bodies and the filling our soul’
For  afternoon tea, a special dessert or anytime snack.
Ingredients
  • 100 gr. unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup of sugar
  • 1 whole egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 tsp of vanilla essence
  • 1 cup of flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ cup of ground almond
  • ½ cup of maizena (corn starch)
  • 350 gr.  dulce de leche (recipe) or can be shop bought
  • 50gr coconut shavings or grated
Method:
Place the butter at room temperature in a bowl, add the sugar and mix with a wooden spoon. Now add the whole egg, the egg yolk and vanilla, always mixing gently.
Add the the flour, baking powder and corn starch mixing with the wooden spoon.  The dough is light and shouldn’t stick to the fingers. Place the dough in a plastic bag and leave overnight in the fridge.

 

 

 

 

Next day, pre-heat the oven medium-low.
Open the dough (at room temperature) in a floured surface with a rolling pin.

The thickness should be about 1cm.  Cut the shapes (round 5cm diameter).
Place them on a grease proof paper leaving about 5 cm in between them.
The dough will spread a bit while baking.
Bake the biscuits for 15-20 mins. They shouldn’t be too golden.
When ready let them cool completely in a rack.
Make the sandwiches by ‘glueing’ the biscuits together with dulce de leche.

 

 

The alfajor may be bare, or have a coating of powdered sugar, chocolate, white chocolate. Another coating found on many alfajores is meringue, a crispy coating made from sugar and egg whites. This type of coating is known as a “snow coating,” because it looks like white peaks of snow. An afajor with a meringue covering is called an “alfajor de nieve,” which means snow alfajor. When the alfajor has no coating, it will often be rolled in coconut shavings, which adhere to the sticky dulce de leche filling, and prevent the filling from getting all over the place.
They can be frozen for 1month (with coconut coating) to 3 months (without coating)
Makes about 14 delicious, definitely non low calorie cookies!  

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2 Comments

  1. February 27, 2011 / 6:10 pm

    That looks decomposing good! But give me savoury Brazilian treats over sweet ones any day!

  2. February 27, 2011 / 6:15 pm

    Hi Sabrina, they are coming soon…