Alfajores de maicena are a traditional Argentine sweet. These are made with soft lemony biscuits filled with milk caramel (dulce de leche) and coated in shredded coconut. They are perfect for a mid-morning or afternoon coffee/tea/mate.
Recipe
How much time do you need?
· Preparation time: 45 minutes
· Cooking time: 15 minutes
· Total time: 1 hour
Material:
· Rolling Pin
· Mixing bowls
· Cookie cutter 4 to 5 cm diameter
· Clinging wrap
· Baking trays
· Baking paper
· Spatulas
Ingredients:
· 200 grs of common flour
· 300 grs of corn starch
· 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
· 2 teaspoons of baking powder
· 190 grs of butter
· 150 grs of sugar
· Zest of 1/2 lemon
· 3 egg yolks
· 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
· 1 tablespoon of port (optional)
· 500grs dulce de leche (milk caramel)
· 100grs shredded coconut
Method:
In a medium bowl, sift the flour with the corn starch, the baking soda and the baking powder.
In a separate bowl, mix the butter and sugar for 30 seconds until combined, add the yolks, the lemon zest, the vanilla essence and the port.
Pre-heat the oven to 170 ° C.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and combine until the dough is formed, do not knead too much. Add a little more corn starch and/or flour if the dough is too wet.
Roll out the dough on the table sprinkled with corn starch until it is 0.5 to 1 cm thick and cut 4 to 5 cm diameter discs to form the alfajor caps (discs).
Place parchment paper on the baking sheets. Carefully lift the discs using a spatula and spread them out on the baking sheets, 1 to 2 cm apart. Bake until dry (but not golden) for about 12-15 min. Remove them and transfer them to a cooling rack until cool.
Join the leftover cuts, without kneading too much and repeat the same process explained above.
Once the discs have cooled, fill with dulce de leche (check my recipe for this delicious spread here), gently press the lids so that the confectionery protrudes from the edges. Spread some dulce de leche (approx. 1/2 teaspoon) around the same edges using a butter knife and then roll the alfajores over grated coconut. Ready to enjoy!
Tip: If you let them rest overnight, they will get a softer consistency since the dulce de leche will moisten the alfajor caps just a little.
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