16 Dec 2008

Real homemade alfajores

Alfajores Alfajores are quite very delicious and sweet snack. Here in Argentina people eat them all the time, for breakfast, for dessert, as a snack, with a cup of tea , coffee or mate in the afternoon At the office and of course home …if you’re starting to see that there’s no inappropriate time to eat alfajores, you’re on the right track. Anybody can see this ´cos you find Alfajores in everywhere, since supermarkets until the bakery’s corner But the best are homemade, fresh from the oven. These originated in Andalucia, Spain during the Moorish Conquest of the Iberian Peninsula.. Its close cousin is the dessert Ma’amoul-two butter cookies filled with a spread made from dates and almonds, and topped with powdered sugar. Etymologically it comes from the word “al-hasú,” meaning ‘stuffed’ or ‘filled ’You can find alfajores today in Spain normally in Cadiz region, but is a cookie made of flour, almonds, honey and warm spices mainly served at Christmas time Alfajores These came to South America by the hand of Spanish immigrants’ The version of the alfajor we enjoy today gained mass popularity in the mid 19th century. It’s a treat enjoyed in different countries and in various forms all throughout South America (though Argentineans like to claim it as their own)! In fact they are so popular here instead other countries. You can roll the sides in toasted almonds or dust with icing sugar. But if you want the real homemade one, roll in grated coconut. Alfajores (The real one) Home made alfajores 1/4 pound butter (1 stick) at room temperature 4 egg yolks, lightly beaten 2 tablespoon brandy or cagnac 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 teaspoon lemon or lime zest 2 cups flour • 1 cup corn starch 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon baking soda • 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 recipe for dulce de leche (or one jar of it) 1 cup grated coconut Using good quality butter, Beat butter and sugar until fluffy and creamy Add one by one the egg yolks. Add vanilla and brandy and mix well. Combine flour, cornstarch, salt, baking soda and baking powder in a bowl. Add the flour mix over the butter mix and work with your hands until the dough became soft. Do not add extra flour Chill for 2 hours. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. On a floured work surface, roll out dough to a thickness of 1/4 inch. Cut into 2-inch rounds and transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 15 minutes or until done. The cookies will be dry but not brown. When the cookies are cool, spread a spoonful of dulce de leche in one cookie and top it with another. Press together gently; roll the seam of the alfajor in grated coconut. Dulce de Leche (safe recipe) Pour 1 can sweetened condensed milk into 9-inch pie plate. Cover with aluminum foil; place in larger shallow pan. Fill larger pan with hot water. Bake at 425 degrees F for 1 hour or until thick and caramel-colored. Beat until smooth.

34 comments:

cibercuoca said...

Silvia, un placer tu blog,estás entre mis favoritas , maravillosas fotografías, excelente producción,me encanta!
Besos y que pases unas muy felices fiestas.

Peter M said...

These looked good but when you showed us smearing the Dulce de Leche...heaven!

Darius T. Williams said...

Wow - this is some good looking cookie!

Anonymous said...

These look amazing! I love alfajores! :) I'm so excited to be visiting Argentina in a few weeks! :)

Laurie said...

This looks and sounds wonderful! And your dulce de leche looks so creamy and smooth! My family would love both! :)

Gera@SweetsFoodsBlog said...

Hi Sylvia!

Ohhh I can eat alfajores everyday-everytime… yours look wonderful and all the photos are excellent as usual!
In spite of the fact that came from Spain they aren't very popular…nothing compared to the Rio de la Plata ;)

Gera .:. sweetsfoods

Anonymous said...

These look great! I just love these cookies, they're one of my favorites, so addictive! Beautiful!

Anonymous said...

Wow! Wow! Wow! They look so good. I'm going to have to make some, too!

Paz

Manggy said...

If I had cookies that looked that good I'd eat them all the time too! :)

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

Slathered in dulce de leche these sound even more amazing Sylvia.

Anonymous said...

These look so good! I've always heard of alfajores, but never had them before. That dulce de leche is absolutely perfect! :)

Abacaxi & Hortelã said...

I've been reading yur blog for quite some time, but never left a comment (yes I know, shame on me!). But for this alfajor recipe, I really have to thank you. I looooooove them!
I'll be travelling to Buenos Aires coming Friday so I'll make sure I'll take some home (but it's good to have the home made version too... in case a craving is coming up and I'm running out of them!).
Your blog is wonderful, beautiful pictures, great ideas! I'll be back soon!!
B

David T. Macknet said...

Oh, how fabulous! Love them!

Lori Lynn said...

Sylvia - you are not going to believe this but my dear friend is opening a restaurant and he asked me for an alfajores recipe. Alfajores is my favorite cookie, bar none, but I buy them here in town from a Peruvian lady, and I do not have the recipe. I told him that I was sure he could find a recipe on line...but now I am directing him to your recipe. I am certain it is fabulous. And if you are ever traveling to the San Francisco area, let me know, there may be an incarnation of your alfajores there...
Lori Lynn

Anonymous said...

Silvia, these look great! I wanted to email you to ask a couple questions about food in Argentina. I don't see your email. Can you send me a note at denise@chezus.com? Thanks

Mallory Elise said...

dulce de leche Argentinian macarons? mmmmmmmmmm!!
Eles são tão lindos!

virtual chef said...

Feliz Natal! ... e que a alegria das festas e as boas receitas se repitam por todos os dias do Ano Novo.
Beijo.
Virtual Chef

Cynthia said...

Oh my, that last photograph is out of this world!

Happy Christmas!

Bagu said...

Que pases una linda Navidad con mucha alegría.
Un beso.

Heidi Leon Monges said...

Sylvia, hola querida!

I'm so envy of you right now, I will kill to get some home made alfajores. These treats are my all time favorites, just as you said, any time is good time for alfajores (seems we latinos have a very sweet tooth!)

But since you cannot send me those precious cookies I will have to bake them!.

Gracias por compartir tan buenas recetas, saluditos desde Shanghai con amor.

Ivy said...

Love the one with the Dulce de Leche. Happy Holidays and wishing you a happy new year. May all your dreams come true.

TROTAMUNDOS said...

Te deseo que pases una Feliz Navidad y un Prospero Año 2009, lleno de felicidad y mucho amor.

Besos y un fuerte abrazo.

Anonymous said...

Sylvia the pic where you smearing the dulce de leche is absolutely mouthwatering !
Wish you avery happy 209. May you have a wonderful year ahead, and wigh you all the very best

xoxo

Tony said...

I love alfajores. I remember always having them as a snack when I lived in Argentina. I look forward to having them again when I'm back in Argentina next week :-)

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

May love and laughter light your days,
and warm your heart and home.
May good and faithful friends be yours,
wherever you may roam.
May peace and plenty bless your world
with joy that long endures.
May all life's passing seasons bring
the best to you and yours!

ameixa seca said...

Sylvia, queria desejar-te um 2009 recheado de coisas boas!!!
Muitas felicidades :)

ryanv said...

where do you buy baking powder in Buenos Aires? I've been looking all over for it.

ryanv said...

where do you buy baking powder in buenos aires? I can't find it anywhere! thank you. ;)

Sylvia said...

Well I find easily in Supermarkets, grocery It called as polvo de hornear and you find on several brand as Royal,and many others I use Royal

Jelli said...

I'm going to make these for my husband next week. He's been missing dulce de leche as an everyday food since moving away from Mendoza. Can't wait to try these. Thanks!

Anonymous said...

Your cookies look fantastic...
If i wanted to give them a try, could i please ask how many grams would one cup of flour weigh?

i said...

I just made these according to your recipe, and they taste wonderful! Thank you!

**READ THIS** said...

I don't like to be negative, but there is something wrong with this recipe. I made it exactly and it was way to dry. When I looked for other recipes on the internet, they either had less dry ingredients for 1 stick of butter or more butter. So I attempted to fix the first batch and added 4 more Tablespoons of butter. Then I made a second batch as written, but with 1 cup flour. They both turned out ok, the 2nd batch was flufflier. So I would say to add more butter if you are going to make these. Otherwise the taste was very good.

samar said...

I hade the same problem than ** Read this ** maybe there is wrong ingredient with the butter beacause I didn't have a soft dought and I think we need more butter !!!???/