Alfajores de Maicena §

This is a recipe I got from a cooking workshop I took in high-school. I hadn’t made it in years, but recently tried it and it turned out surprisingly great. It gets you 22 alfajores.

Ingredients §

• 150 grams of all-purpose flour
• 100 grams of cornstarch
• 3 egg yolks
• 150 grams of butter
• 125 grams of sugar
• 7 grams of baking powder
• Vanilla extract. My tweak: add the zest of a lemon. I like how the acidity of the lemon balances the sweetness of the alfajor.
• Dulce de leche (plan for at least 350 grams)
• Shredded coconut (optional)

Procedure §

• Combine the butter at room temperature with the sugar.
• Add the yolks one by one, and the flavoring (vanilla extract and/or lemon zest).
• Add the dry ingredients, form the dough, wrap it, and let it rest in the fridge for at least 2 hours (I wouldn’t leave it more than 48 hrs. because it has baking powder).
• Roll the dough with a rolling pin, cut the “cookie of the alfajor” with a round cutter, and place on a buttered and floured baking sheet.
• Cook for about 8 minutes in a 350F oven, until the cookies become beige.
• Fill them up with dulce de leche once they are cool. Optionally roll the formed alfajores in a plate with shredded coconut.