Argentinian Alfajores with Herb-Infused Dulce de Leche

About This Recipe

Alfajores — two tender, crumbly cookies sandwiched around a thick layer of dulce de leche, often finished with a coating of shredded coconut or a dip in chocolate — are one of Argentina's most beloved sweets, found in bakeries and corner stores across the country. The cookie itself, called maicena for the cornstarch that gives it its signature melt-in-the-mouth texture, is delicate and needs gentle handling since the dough is soft and prone to spreading if the butter gets too warm. Infusing a small amount of fresh thyme into the dulce de leche isn't traditional, but warming a good store-bought or homemade dulce de leche gently with a sprig of thyme for a few minutes, then straining it out, adds a subtle herbal warmth that plays surprisingly well against the caramel's sweetness — a modern twist some contemporary Argentine bakeries have experimented with for a more grown-up alfajor. The cornstarch-heavy dough should be chilled before rolling and cut with a small round cutter, since these cookies are meant to be delicate and bite-sized rather than large, and they're traditionally rolled in shredded coconut around the edges once assembled for extra texture and visual appeal.

Ingredients

Serves 12

• 1.5 cupscornstarch
• 1 cupall-purpose flour
• 1 tspbaking powder
• 0.5 tspbaking soda
• 0.25 tspsalt
• 0.75 cupbutter(softened)
• 0.5 cupsugar
• 3egg yolks
• 1 tbspbrandy or vanilla extract
• 1 tsplemon zest
• 1.5 cupsdulce de leche
• 2 sprigsfresh thyme
• 1 cupshredded coconut(for rolling)

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix the dry ingredients

   Whisk cornstarch, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together.

2. 2

   Cream the butter

   Beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg yolks, brandy or vanilla, and lemon zest.

3. 3

   Form the dough

   Gradually mix in the dry ingredients until a soft dough forms. Wrap and chill 30 minutes.

4. 4

   Cut and bake

   Preheat oven to 180C (350F). Roll dough to 1/4 inch thick and cut into 2-inch rounds. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until just set but pale on top — do not let them brown. Cool completely.

5. 5

   Infuse the dulce de leche

   Gently warm dulce de leche with thyme sprigs over low heat for 5 minutes, then remove and discard the thyme.

6. 6

   Assemble

   Spread a generous layer of the infused dulce de leche on the flat side of half the cookies. Sandwich with the remaining cookies and roll the exposed edges in shredded coconut.

Variations

• •

  Skip the thyme for the classic, traditional alfajor filled with plain dulce de leche.

• •

  Dip the assembled cookies in melted dark chocolate instead of rolling in coconut.

• •

  Add a pinch of cinnamon to the dough for a warmer, spiced version.

Storage

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, or refrigerate for up to 10 days. The cookies soften slightly as they sit, which many people prefer.

Frequently Asked Questions