flipCornstarch Alfajores with Dulce de Leche
Cornstarch Alfajores with Dulce de Leche
Why this dish? It is said that Eva, who often skipped meals, had a weakness for dulce de leche. The alfajor—two melt-in-the-mouth cookies joined by this caramelized cream—is the indulgence of the Argentine merienda, the little sweet pleasure that even the busiest First Lady allowed herself between audiences.
Two very tender shortbread cookies made with cornstarch, filled with a generous layer of dulce de leche and rolled in shredded coconut.
You'll tell me I hardly have time to eat—it's true, work devours my days. But faced with an alfajor with dulce de leche, I admit my weakness! The cookie must be so tender it melts before you bite it, and the dulce de leche, you can never put enough—let it overflow a little on the edges, roll it in coconut to hold it. One little one with the afternoon mate, and I'm ready to go back to battle for my poor.
- •Corn flour (cornstarch) and wheat flour — in equal sweet parts (melt-in-the-mouth cookie)
- •Butter and egg yolks — generous (richness)
- •Dulce de leche — abundant (signature heart)
- •Shredded coconut — for rolling (finish)
Cornstarch Alfajores with Dulce de Leche
Two very tender shortbread cookies made with cornstarch, filled with a generous layer of dulce de leche and rolled in shredded coconut.
Why this dish? It is said that Eva, who often skipped meals, had a weakness for dulce de leche. The alfajor—two melt-in-the-mouth cookies joined by this caramelized cream—is the indulgence of the Argentine merienda, the little sweet pleasure that even the busiest First Lady allowed herself between audiences.
You'll tell me I hardly have time to eat—it's true, work devours my days. But faced with an alfajor with dulce de leche, I admit my weakness! The cookie must be so tender it melts before you bite it, and the dulce de leche, you can never put enough—let it overflow a little on the edges, roll it in coconut to hold it. One little one with the afternoon mate, and I'm ready to go back to battle for my poor.
Ingredients (period version)
- Corn flour (cornstarch) and wheat flour — in equal sweet parts (melt-in-the-mouth cookie)
- Butter and egg yolks — generous (richness)
- Dulce de leche — abundant (signature heart)
- Shredded coconut — for rolling (finish)
Ingredients
- Cornstarch — 150 g (melt-in-the-mouth)
- Wheat flour — 100 g (structure)
- Soft butter — 100 g (richness)
- Powdered sugar — 70 g (sweetness)
- Egg yolks — 3 (binder)
- Baking powder — 1 tsp (lightness)
- Dulce de leche (pastry type, thick) — 250 g (signature filling)
- Shredded coconut — 50 g (finish)
Method
- Cream butter and powdered sugar, incorporate the yolks, then cornstarch, flour and baking powder to form a soft dough. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
- Roll out to 5 mm, cut 4 cm discs and bake for 10 minutes at 170 °C without letting them color (they remain pale).
- Once cool, spread a generous spoonful of dulce de leche on one cookie and top with another, pressing gently.
- Roll the creamy edge in shredded coconut.
How it was made : Dulce de leche was prepared at home by stirring milk and sugar for hours over low heat, sometimes by boiling a can of condensed milk. Alfajores, of Andalusian origin brought by colonists, became the national Argentine sweet by the 20th century, sold on every street corner.
The contemporary twist : Dip half of the alfajor in melted dark chocolate for a much more modern 'alfajor de chocolate' version.
Sources : Doña Petrona C. de Gandulfo, El libro de Doña Petrona (1934)
Eva Perón · Charactorium
