Alfajores

Ingredients

• 200 g cornstarch (maicena)
• 100 g plain flour
• 150 g unsalted butter, cool but pliable, cut into pieces
• 80 g icing sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cognac
• For the filling
• 350 g dulce de leche, at room temperature
• For finishing (choose one)
• 300 g dark chocolate, chopped, for tempering
• 80 g desiccated coconut, for rolling

Method

1. 1
   Combine the cornstarch and plain flour in a wide bowl. Add the butter pieces and work the mixture by hand, pressing and rubbing between the fingers, until the texture resembles damp sand and no visible butter pieces remain. The mixture should hold its shape briefly when pressed but fall apart when released.
2. 2
   Add the icing sugar and combine. Make a well in the centre, add the egg yolks, vanilla extract, and cognac. Bring the dough together with a light hand until it just coheres into a smooth mass. Stop the moment it holds — this is where the dish lives or dies: any further working develops gluten and the characteristic tierno texture is lost irreversibly.
3. 3
   Flatten the dough into a disc, wrap, and rest at cool room temperature — not in the refrigerator — until firm enough to roll without sticking but still pliable. Chilled dough cracks on rolling; it should yield without resistance under the rolling pin.
4. 4
   Roll the dough to 7–8 mm on a lightly floured surface. Cut rounds of consistent diameter (4–5 cm is standard). Transfer to parchment-lined trays. The rounds should hold their shape cleanly when lifted.
5. 5
   Bake at 160 °C until just set — the cookies must remain pale and white on top with no colour at the edges. A golden edge signals overbaking and the crumb will be dry rather than tierno. The cookies will feel very soft in the oven; they firm slightly on cooling.
6. 6
   Allow the cookies to cool completely on the tray before handling. They are extremely fragile; lift them only when fully cold and set.
7. 7
   Pair matched rounds. Spoon dulce de leche at room temperature onto the flat side of one round — the layer must reach the edge and sit approximately 5 mm deep. Press the matching round on top with even, gentle pressure. The filling should reach the perimeter without overflowing. Cold dulce de leche tears the cookie; if it drags rather than yields, bring it to room temperature before continuing.
8. 8
   To finish with chocolate: temper the dark chocolate to 26–27 °C, confirming by touch against the inside of the wrist — it should feel distinctly cool and begin to thicken. Dip each assembled alfajor and set on a rack. Untempered chocolate blooms grey within hours. To finish with coconut: roll the filled edges and surfaces in desiccated coconut immediately after assembly.