On a recent trip to Argentina, I expected to eat large portions of meat and drink wine at every meal. Still, I was surprised by the culinary diversity offered in restaurants, which dispelled the all-meat stereotype of Argentinian cuisine. Beef and other meats, of course, are on all menus, but so is seafood, an amazing assortment of vegetables and cheeses. However, I did not expect the variety of sweets and baked goods, and most of all, I did not expect to fall in love with popular, crumbly-filled sandwich cookies called Alfajores (alfajor, singular).
As I sampled Argentinian food in various cities, I was intrigued by the fact that many dishes use the same ingredients and have the same names as other national cuisines but with a distinct Argentinian twist. I learned that traditional Argentinian cooking (cocina criolla) reflects centuries of colonial and immigrant influences. Argentina was a colony of Spain for 300 years and welcomed 6.6 million immigrants between 1853 and 1955, mostly from Italy and Spain. Today’s Argentinian kitchen is a blend of these imported culinary traditions.
Alfajores are a product of this cultural heritage, originating centuries ago and thousands of miles from Argentina in the West North African Muslim world. The name is not Spanish but probably derived from an old Arabic word, al-fakhor, which means “luxurious” or “excellent,” or from al-hasu, meaning “filled” or alfahua, meaning “honeycomb.”
The alfajores’ recipe is well-traveled. The Moors, Berber and Arabian Muslim warriors who conquered the Iberian Peninsula in 711 C.E. brought these cookies to Spain. Spanish bakers created their versions, which later Spanish conquistadores carried to Spanish colonies throughout South America and the Philippines. Alfajores, while also popular in Uruguay and Peru, took root in Argentina, where over one billion are consumed yearly, elevating this cookie to the country’s national treasure. Tourists are offered samples at many kiosko (kiosk) and panaderia (bakery).
Plain and Almond Alfajores at Narda Comedor in Buenos Aires
Chocolate-dipped Alfajores at Narda Comedor in Buenos Aires
Alfajores are notable for their melt-in-your-mouth shortbread-like taste. The cookie dough contains almost equal parts cornstarch, flour and butter, with a few egg yolks for added tenderness. Typically, an alfajor consists of two shortbread cookies filled with dulce de leche or various fillings such as dulce de camote, a sweet potato-based caramel, chocolate mousse, cream, marmalade, or honey. Fillings differ from region to region. Sometimes, bakers put a fruit mixture or wine jelly in between layers of dulce de leche to lighten the sweetness and richness of the caramel. Alfajores are traditionally dusted with powdered sugar, but they can also be glazed or dipped in chocolate or rolled in grated coconut or flaked almonds.
These cookies use simple, readily available ingredients. They are easy to make, and although they can be made in one day, the work can also be divided over several days: making the dough and baking cookies on day one and filling them on day two.
Here are some tips for making tender alfajores:
These cookies are delicate. So gentle dough handling is important. First, sift the dry ingredients thoroughly. Second, mix the dough just until the ingredients are combined to prevent developing too much gluten which will toughen the cookies.
If the dough seems dry, add a drop or two of water or milk just until it comes together.
Dulce de leche, whether purchased or homemade, is a delicious filling, but it’s best not to overfill these cookies. A ¼ inch (0.6 cm) of this super sweet filling, about the thickness of one cookie, will be plenty.
Alfajores can be coated in non-tempered and tempered chocolate. Non-tempered chocolate coating – chocolate mixed with coconut oil – produces a shiny, hard finish when chilled but softens when handheld. Tempered chocolate coating hardens around the cookie and remains hard like a chocolate bar. Instructions for both methods are provided below.
During my Argentina trip, I ate numerous fired-grilled meats at asadas, and one would expect that I would return from Argentina with grilled meat recipes. But grilled meat, even if flavorful, is still just meat, and it is hard to remember one from another. But alfajores are a memorable artistic creation.
Alfajores are delightfully decadent but definitely not dietetic. Argentinians love these rich, sweet cookies despite mandatory Ministry of Health warnings on bakery menus and packaging that alfajores are excesio en grasias totales – excess in total fats, excesio en azucares- excess in sugar; excesio en calorias – excess in calories. Nonetheless, these lemony shortbread cookies, coupled with a creamy dulce de leche filling, are indulgent and irresistible, a comforting treat whether plain, dusted with powdered sugar, or rolled in coconut or almonds. But adding a drizzle or coating of bittersweet chocolate moderates the caramel’s sweetness and elevates alfajores to a perfect dessert.
Alfajores have dual personalities. When just baked, they are crispy, an unexpected contrast with the soft, luscious caramel filling. Within a day, the cookies soften, developing a cake-like texture. They are delicious at either stage. Argentinians eat alfajores at any time, as a breakfast pastry, a snack with coffee, or an evening treat. For me, when my energy is flagging, one buttery alfajor with a cup of black tea is a satisfying pick-me-up, vastly improving my spirit.
Alfajores
For the dough:
1 cup (120 g) cornstarch
¾ cup (95 g) all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
5 ounces (142 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
⅓ cup (66 g) granulated sugar
3 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon brandy (optional)
For the filling:
1 can 13.4 ounces (380 g) Nestle La Lechera dulce de leche*
For decorating options:
2 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar
2 ounces (57 g) semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped and melted, to drizzle on tops of cookies
½ cup (50 g) sweetened shredded dried coconut
For coating cookies (optional):
16 ounces (453.6 g) bittersweet chocolate (60% cacao), finely chopped
2 tablespoons coconut oil (unnecessary for tempering)
Dough preparation: Sift the cornstarch, flour, baking powder, and salt several times. Set it aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on medium speed for 3 minutes until light in color and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks, vanilla, brandy, and lemon zest just until combined. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture just until combined, taking care not to overmix. (The dough should be cohesive, soft, and not too sticky.)
Shape the dough into a flat disk, tightly wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours until firm enough to roll or overnight. You can also place the disk in a ziplock bag and freeze it for up to a month. If frozen, thaw the dough overnight in the refrigerator before rolling.
Forming and baking cookies: Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Remove dough from the refrigerator, unwrap and cut it into 4 pieces. Work with one piece at a time, keeping others covered.
Lightly flour a work surface. Soften dough on the counter for a few minutes, then roll it out to a ¼-inch (0.6 cm) thickness, cut in 2-inch (5 cm) rounds, and place on prepared baking sheets. If the dough becomes too warm to handle, place it in the refrigerator for a few minutes. Combine and re-roll the scraps, using as little flour as possible so cookies do not become dense and tough, putting them back in the refrigerator to chill as needed. Continue to cut cookies until the dough ends.
Alfajores ready to bake
Place the baking sheet ready for the oven in the refrigerator and chill for at least 30 minutes to prevent spreading. Bake cookies one sheet at a time for 7-10 minutes until they look dry and the edges start to turn golden, rotating the tray halfway through. Cool cookies for 15 minutes, then gently transfer to a rack and cool completely before filling.
Filing with Dulce de leche
Filling cookies: Using a 1 teaspoon scoop, place one mound of filling on a cookie and spread evenly with an offset spatula to within ⅛ inches (0.3 cm) of the edge. Sandwich the filling with another cookie, pressing lightly so the filling spreads to the edge. (Save leftover dulce, if any, in a lidded glass jar for topping for other desserts.)
Alfajores rolled in shredded coconut
Options for decorating cookies: Dust sandwiched cookies with powdered sugar.
Or, once sandwiched, roll cookie sides in shredded coconut or flaked almonds.
Or, melt dark chocolate and drizzle it over the cookies.
Alfajores drizzled with chocolate and dipped in chocolate
Or, dip half or whole cookie in the non-tempered chocolate coating as follows:
Place chocolate and coconut oil in a metal bowl set over a pot of simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water). Stir occasionally with a rubber spatula until the chocolate melts and becomes smooth.
Dip half or a whole cookie in the chocolate coating. If coating half a cookie, dip, lift out, and gently scrape along the edge of the bowl to remove excess chocolate. When coating the entire cookie, dip, using two forks or a fish spatula to lower into melted chocolate, lift and shake excess coating. Transfer the coated cookies to a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat to cool. Refrigerate a baking sheet of coated cookies for 15-30 minutes for the chocolate to set.
For a tempered chocolate coating: Make sure all equipment that comes in contact with the chocolate remains completely dry. Any water will cause the chocolate to seize.
Divide bittersweet chocolate between two metal bowls: 10.6 ounces (300.5 g) in one and 5.4 ounces (153 g) in the other. Place bowl with 10.6 ounces over simmering water (the bottom of bowl should not touch the water). Stir often with a rubber spatula until the chocolate reaches around 115°F, but absolutely no higher than 120°F. (For milk or white chocolate, heat to no higher than 110°F.)
Once 115°F is reached, remove the bowl with melted chocolate to a towel-lined counter and slowly add the remaining chocolate a spoon at a time, stirring constantly as the added chocolate melts and the temperature drops to 84°F, usually about 15 minutes. Stop adding remaining chocolate when 84°F is reached. (You may not use all remaining chocolate.) Then, reheat the chocolate briefly by placing the bowl over the simmering pot for 5-10 seconds at a time until the temperature reaches 89°F, but no more than 91°F. Remove bowl from simmering pot. The chocolate is now tempered and ready for dipping.
Maintain the working temperature when dipping at about 89°F. If the temperature falls below that temperature, set it over the simmering water until it is 89°F again. Іf temperature goes above 89°F, then add some of the remaining chocolate to lower the temperature to 89°F. Tempered chocolate can be tempered repeatedly.
Transfer coated cookies to a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat to cool. Refrigerate a baking sheet of coated cookies for 15-30 minutes for the chocolate to set.
Alfajores can be stored in an airtight container in a refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for up to two months.
Makes 24 sandwiched cookies.
*Dulce de leche is sold in many general and Latin grocery stores and online.
Photo credits: All photos by Slava Johnson.
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