I did end up absolutely loving it there and and got inundated with more Spanish than I knew what to do with. But what about the alfajores? Although it is kind of weird that most of us have never heard about a cookie so popular in so many countries, fear not, I am here to enlighten you. Alfajores (pronounced ahl-fah-HOH-rehs. Don't forget to roll that "r") are two cornstarch shortbread cookies filled with dulce de leche. Even though that's the most simple definition, it can get pretty crazy because there are so many different varieties. *Shout out to my fave, Alyssa, for making me my first one ;)*
For example, while most American renditions are of a small bite-sized cookie, the alfajores I saw in coastal Chilean panaderias were puffy cookies the size of saucers, had 1-inch tall layers of dulce de leche in the middle, and were rolled in coconut . But we got to try local, authentic Chilean alfajores and those were thin, crispy shortbread the size of my palm, with lots of dulce de leche and completely covered in chocolate. The one I tried in a Peruvian Starbucks (don't judge me) was panaderia-sized, but doused in powdered sugar. (I'd like to take the time right now to apologize to my travel buddy, who by the end of the trip, was probably sick of me hunting these down in every town we went to).
As my roomate had correctly told me, these are usually eaten with cafe con leche which is not simply "coffee with milk" - it's actually just a cup of hot milk with a couple spoons of Nescafe instant coffee and tons of sugar. The richness of that, paralleled in this dulce de leche cookie, is generally hard for the American palate to handle. Two soft buttery cookies with milky caramel in the middle and no variety in texture? But few days in any South American country will transform your palate, and I wound up loving these and their "coffee" more than I ever expected. And after trying these for a second time, my family is hooked too. They're just so good.
Of course I know most of you aren't planning on wasting most of your savings on a trip south of the equator, so just trust me and try these on a day when you have a sweet tooth! And possibly some stretchy pants. For some complexity of flavor try adding orange zest; some people even add guava paste to the center- there are so many possibilities! I didn't like them completely covered in chocolate, but they're perfect with some drizzled bittersweet.
I wish this was a travel blog because then I could go on and on about how much I absolutely loved my week in Latin America, but instead I'll introduce you to Rico, my Peruvian llama. Isn't he adorable?
Oh and I almost forgot! In case you're unable to find a can of dulce de leche, I have an super easy (but time consuming) recipe on how to make your own. In San Diego, the La Lechera cans were right in the baking aisle and as cheap as condensed milk, but I couldn't even find it in the Mexican grocery store here. If you're having a tough time, check Safeway/Vons or Target maybe. Trust me, it's well worth the hunt! And I can't resist, so here are some pictures. Take me back! D:
Alfajores
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup room temperature butter
2 egg yolks
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp orange zest
1 cup cornstarch
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 X 13.4 can Dulce de Leche (you'll use almost the entire can)
flour for dusting
1)Cream the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until light in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes
2)Add the egg yolks and vanilla, scraping with a spatula as needed.
3)On low speed, gradually add the cornstarch, flour, salt, baking powder and soda and mix until just incorporated. Be careful not to overmix or the cookies will lose their soft texture.
4)Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap, flattening it into a disk, and then wrap it tightly. Chill for at least an hour.
5)Preheat the oven to 350F.
6)Unwrap the dough and place it on a lightly floured cutting board. The dough will be sticky and crack due to the cornstarch, but don't worry, its easy to mold back into shape. The standard thickness is 1/4 inch, but you can make them as thin or as thick as you want! Remember, thick=soft & cakey while thin=firm & crispier
6)You can use any size cookie cutter, but I used a 2-inch one and was able to make about 20-24 rounds
7)Place the cookies on lined baking sheets and bake them in preheated oven for 11-13 minutes. Time in there also has an effect on texture, so eye-ball it! These shouldn't brown around the edges.
8)Let cool on wire rack before filling
9)The rest is up to you! Spread, pipe, or spoon whatever amount of dulce de leche you'd like onto a cookie and then sandwich them together. Some people like to mix it with guava paste or add a fruit filling in the center. Go crazy!
Dulce de Leche
One can Condensed Milk
1)Remove the label
2)Place can(s)in a pot of water, making sure that the can is completely submerged
3)Turn the heat on medium-high until it reaches a simmer
4)Keep it simmering from 3-4 hours depending on how firm you want it (the firmer the better for this cookie). Be sure to keep filling up the pot when the water levels go down or the can will explode.
5) Let it cool completely before opening (or it will explode) and enjoy!
Happy Hunting!
- Neha x
No comments:
Post a Comment