Alfajores

I have a soft spot for Alfajores, mainly because it was what I took to school for a snack to eat at recess EVERYDAY when I was growing up, pretty nutritious, hu?

 

My favorite brand of store bought Alfajores growing up, purchase at the Latino store
 

Romina and Gonzalo, two of my siblings in their "tunicas", all ready for school, aren't our uniforms funny? The white coat and blue bow bring back so many memories!

 

Alfajores are basically a cookie "sandwich" filled with Dulce de Leche, they can be covered with chocolate and the edges are usually rolled in coconut flakes.

This is the recipe for the cornstarch cookie.  The cornstarch makes these cookies soft, crumbly and delicious.

I've had these Alfajores for dessert in most Sunday dinners and holidays for the past 30 + years of my life, it never gets old!


Ingredients (makes approximately 24 alfajores)

·        1 2/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

·        2 1/2 cups cornstarch

·        1/2 teaspoon baking soda

·        2 teaspoons baking powder

·        1 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

·        3/4 cup white sugar

·        3 egg yolks

·        1 teaspoon of lemon or orange extract

·        1 tablespoon of vanilla extract

·        1-2 Can of Dulce de Leche

·        1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Directions:

1.      In a bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add butter and yolks and work them into the dry ingredients, continue with the vanilla and orange/lemon extract. 

2.      Start forming the dough with your hands, when you have made the dough into a ball (it takes some work to form dough) bring it to a floured surface.

3.       Divide dough in half.  Using a rolling pin, roll dough into 1/4 inch thickness (the dough may crack but can be easily put back together). 

4.      Cut out cookies using at 2 inch round cookie cutter, you may also use a heart shape but the dough is too delicate for more complicated shapes.

 

5.      Preheat oven at 350 Fahrenheit and line cookie sheet with parchment paper. Place about 12 cookies at a time and bake for 12-15 minutes, until they are firm and start showing some color in the bottom (top remains pale), don't leave too long or they come out too hard.

6.      Let cookies cool, spread about two tbsp. of Dulce the Leche on cookie bottom and add a second cookie to form the "sandwich", press softly together (cookies crumbles easily) and top with melted chocolate, roll edges in coconut flakes or sprinkles.

Pionono and Studio 5

I was super lucky to participate in a food segment at Studio 5, one of our favorite local shows here in Utah.  It was so fun to watch the different segments being recorded as I was setting up in the kitchen and to observe the dynamics of a TV show, very fascinating:)

I talked a little bit about Dulce de Leche and kind of showed (talked a bit much and run out of time) how to make "Pionono".

Pionono is a thin, airy cake that my Mom has been making forever, it's an amazing dessert that everyone that has tried it, cant get enough.  I feel like I'm kind of just giving away the family's most precious recipe ha! It's really that great...

It can be filled with the spread of you choice (Dulce de Leche is my favorite), rolled up and topped with chocolate, powdered sugar, fruit, etc, possibilities are endless.

It can also be used as a savory dish, you can spread chicken salad like filling and it works great as an appetizer.

Pionono recipe:

6 eggs

5 tablespoons of flour

5 tablespoons of sugar

A teaspoon of Vanilla

A pinch of salt  

1.     Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.     Separate egg whites from yolks.  Put whites in a bowl and beat with electric mixer until hard peaks form. 
3.     Add sugar, flour and vanilla to the yolks and mix well.
4.     Fold the whites gently into the egg yolk mixture until blended.
5.     Spread batter evenly into the prepared cookie sheet. 
6.     Bake for 10-12 minutes until it is golden and starts to spring back to your touch. Do not over-bake, or it will be difficult to roll. 
7.     Loosen the edges of the cake by running a knife around them, then turn cake out onto a dish cloth and let it cool.  Spread Dulce de Leche (or any filling of your choice) and roll up the cake.
8.     Top it with melted semi-sweet chocolate chips and strawberries.

 Maria xo