Alfajores de Maicena

by Evelyn
(Uruguay)

The name alfajor is derived from Arabic, which means "fancy" or "great" sweets.

Alfajores (Al-fa-ho-res) are a South American type of shortbread cookie that is filled with dulce de leche or "caramel filling".

Alfajores are delicious cookies that were first composed of dried fruit preserves rolled in carefully prepared dough then rolled in an assortment of nuts or sugar.

Cornstarch prepared Alfajores needs the following ingredients:

Butter: 100g
Sugar: .75 cup
Egg yolk: 1
Eggs: 1
Lemon zest .5 of a lemon
Cornstarch: 150 gr
Flour: .5 cup
Baking powder: 1 teaspoon
Dulce de leche: 250 gr
Grated coconut: 3 tbsp

Preparation A tell time with these ingredients we start with the preparation of cornstarch Alfajores following these instructions:

Beat the butter with sugar until creamy. Added the yolk and egg, beating well. Then, the grated lemon peel.

Sieved together cornstarch, flour and baking powder and add to the previous preparation.

Knead lightly on a floured board until dough is smooth, and let rest 15 minutes. Stretched to have 1 / 2 cm thick and cut with a round cookie cutter. Place on a greased baking tray and bake in moderate oven for 15 minutes without letting it take color.

Once cold bind to two with caramel and passed by the edges grated coconut.

Cutting into a mold of approximately 5 cm in diameter are obtained approximately 14 alfajores.