Around the world etc... Argentinian alfajores!

Yummy yummy yummy... When searching for an Argentine recipe these little puppies jumped out at me. They are shortbread style buttery cookies sandwiched with dulce de leche... And sometimes tolled in coconut for good measure. 

I found a few recipes and concocted my own as I always think I know best... But these were an out and out success and absolutely deeeelish!

I made the dough and left it in the fridge, well wrapped, overnight. Once warmed up it is a dream to work with, silky and forgiving, and the biscuits remain beautifully short and melty even when you've re rolled it for the billionth time.

The recipe here makes a lot, I got about 40 out of mine. But don't let that put you off. Just share the love...

Just out of the oven...

Rolled in coconut...

Salted caramel version...... Phwoar!!!

Ingredients

250g salted butter, softened 

2/3 cup caster sugar

2 egg yolks plus one whole egg from happy chickens 

1tsp proper vanilla extract or seeds from a pod

1 cup cornflour

2 cups self raising flour

2 tbsp milk (dependent upon egg size!)

1 tin carnation caramel (or similar)

Optional: 

Flakes of sea salt

Dedicated coconut

Icing sugar

Equipment: 2 big baking trays lined with non stick paper and a cutter of your choice (I used a round 5cm cutter)

Method

1. Cream the butter and sugar really well until pale and fluffy. 

2. Add the eggy and vanilla bits and mix it up until nice and evenly combined

3. Add about half of the flours and mix in, then add the other half. It should create a pretty soft dough, if it's a little stiff then add the milk.

4. Pat it into a kind of disc, wrap will and chill the dough until it's Alfajore'o'clock (at least 2 hrs I reckon, until then it was still too squidgy to work with).

5. When you want to bake, preheat a fab oven to 160, and get your dough out of the fridge. Break it into a few pieces and knead it on a floured surface a few times until it warms and becomes pliable enough to roll without cracking.

6. Roll it to about 4-5 mm thick, cut into cookies and bake for 10 mins (they will still be pale - also you may need to do a few batches as you get a lot of dough!)

7. Cool on a rack, then sandwich 2 cookies together with a dollop of caramel/dulce de leche. If you like (and I LOVE) salted caramel then add a few salt flakes sprinkled over the caramel before sandwiching. Yummy tummy! You can then roll in coconut as the picture, sprinkle with icing sugar, drizzle with chocolate, or just bury your face straight in. Which I did, unashamedly.

I think I might move to Argentina...

JB x