Alfajores

If you haven't tried Peruvian Alfajores, hey... its time!

For generations, Alfajores have been the most popular cookies in many Latin cultures. These delicious cookies are filled with "marjablanco" also known as "dulce de leche." The cookie dough can be prepared with flour or corn starch also known as "maizena." I prefer Alfajores made out of maizena because the texture is much softer than the one made out of flour.

Alfajores are great for any occasions whether is for a birthday party, shower, wedding or just for fun. My mother use to make them for my birthday. Since these cookies were so popular, they were gone in seconds. So, my mom would save me some for later.

You can be creative when making Alfajores. Some people make the filling with chocolate or almond. Making an almond filling is easy. Just mix "marjablanco" with one teaspoon of almond essence. Also, the dough can be prepared with a hint of lemon, orange, or vanilla extract. Add two teaspoons of lemon or orange zest to the mix and your cookies will have a tasty citrus flavor.

Then.... why not try it? Here is my recipe. Let me know if your Alfajores are as delicious as mine.

Alfajores made of Maicena

1 1/2 cup of maicena.
1 1/2 cup of flour.
1 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder.
3/4 teaspoon of salt.
1/4 of baking soda.
6 tablespoons of confectioner's sugar.
1 cup of margarine.

Marjablanco
2 cans of condensed milk. Use a "bain marie" method and cook for 45 minutes. You can find pots for this technique in any kitchen ware store.

Preparation:

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F. Sift together flower, maicena, baking powder, baking soda, confectioner's sugar, and salt. Add  margarine and mix until the dough is formed. Sprinkle the surface where you will roll out the dough with powder sugar. Roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thick. Cut into circle shapes and place them on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes long. Then, let the cookies cool for 10 minutes. Fill them up with your favorite filling (mine is marjablanco) and enjoy!!