July 9, 2010

International Delights: Alfajores





Lately, I've been having an obsession with cooking delightful desserts. I might as well call it a hobby since almost every other day I'm whipping up a batch of a new recipe that I find. Today I made these melt-in-your-mouth 'cookies' that are very typical in the country of Argentina. The process takes time, but the end result and licking a spoonful of dulce de leche makes it all worthwhile.

Ingredients:
- 2 sticks of butter slightly melted
- 3/4 cups of sugar
- 2 1/2 cups of cornstarch
- 1 cup of flour
- 3 egg yolks
- 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
- 2 teaspoons of baking powder
- 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons of grated lemon peel
- shreds of coconut
- dulce de leche {can be made or store bought}

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and the sugar. Add in the egg yolks and vanilla and beat over medium speed until incorporated. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, cornstarch and baking powder and baking soda together. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and continue mixing until it forms a consistent dough.
*If necessary, add milk to get the consistent dough.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Roll the dough out to about 1/4 inch thickness, then cut with a small round cutter (or a juice glass). Repeat the rolling and cutting until you have used all the dough. Place the cookies on a parchment-paper lined cookie sheet, and bake for 15 minutes, just until the edges start to brown.

Let the cookies cool completely, and then place a generous dollop of dulce de leche on one cookie, topping with another cookie to make a sandwich. Press gently together and roll the sides into the coconut shreds.

As they say over there,
Chau!
emilykate(:

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