The argentinian alfajores They are made up of a sandwich of two round cookies generally filled with dulce de leche and dipped in white or dark chocolate, or with a lemon or other glaze. The fillings can vary between sweets, fruits, meringue, chocolate mousse or other types, and they are often covered with grated coconut. They are generally enjoyed with coffee or a hot mate.
The cookies used in the argentinian alfajores They are generally made with a combination of wheat flour and corn starch. Also with other additives that make them very soft and dissolve in the mouth without any effort, in some cases they also add grated chocolate in the preparation of the cookie dough.
History of the alfajores
There are controversies about the origin of the alfajores. What seems most logical was that the Spanish during the conquest introduced something similar to America. They used as food for the fighters against the locals a sweet consisting of two wafers or cookies sandwiched with sweet inside. From that recipe and with some changes, it was possible to arrive at what today are the alfajores.
At least the alfajores filled with dulce de leche could not be made before the conquest, because it was the Spanish who introduced cows, horses, goats, among other animals, into America. It is affirmed that it arrived in Spain due to Arab influence, when they invaded it from the XNUMXth century to the XNUMXth century.
Whatever the place on earth where the first alfajor was made, the important thing is that it came to stay in these lands. Like all recipes that have an impact in their creation for some reason, in some cases due to the speed of preparation of the recipe and others due to the exquisite flavor. They are spreading and as they do so, they are undergoing modifications.
Even today the modifications continue, so there are many variants in the way of preparing the argentinian alfajores. Also in most countries such as: Bolivia, Venezuela, Peru, Ecuador, Brazil, among others, there are many variations. In most cases they are similar in shape and size.
Recipe to prepare Argentine alfajores
Ingredients
200 gr. of starch or corn starch, 100 grs. of wheat flour, half a teaspoon of yeast, 100 grs. of butter, half a teaspoon of salt, 100 grs. of icing sugar or ground sugar, 3 eggs, 1 lemon, half a teaspoon of vanilla essence, 30 grs. grated coconut, 250 grs. of dulce de leche
Preparation
- Sift the wheat flour, corn starch and yeast together in a container. Add the salt and reserve.
- Form a cream by mixing the sugar with the butter with a fork, left out of the refrigerator for a few hours to soften.
- Clean the lemon well, dry and grate its rind without reaching the white part, add the vanilla, a whole egg and an extra yolk there. Then it is beaten well until it turns pale yellow, incorporating the butter cream and sugar obtained before, beating until they are integrated.
- Next, the already mixed and sifted flours are added, beating only what is necessary to integrate them and thus prevent gluten from developing. Take the dough to the refrigerator enclosed in transparent paper for approximately 20 min.
- Preheat oven to 155°F with even heat and no fan.
- When the dough has rested, it is taken out onto a surface previously dusted with enough flour, where it is stretched with a floured rolling pin until it is approximately half a centimeter thick.
- Circles with an approximate diameter of 5 cm are cut and carefully placed on a previously floured baking tray or on non-stick paper.
- They are baked for 7 or 8 minutes at 155 degrees Celsius. Then the cookies are placed on a rack until they cool very well.
- When they are cold, join two of the cookies, placing dulce de leche in the middle. Finally, the sides are passed through grated coconut.
Tips for making Argentine alfajores
If you want to give your alfajores a bath once they are ready, you can do it with:
Chocolate bath
To prepare the chocolate bath, buy semi-sweet chocolate and dissolve it in a water bath, stirring continuously until everything is dissolved and uniform. Then, with the help of two forks, bathe each alfajor and put it on a rack that rests on a tray or paper that collects the chocolate that is styled, which can be used another time.
lemon glaze
Extract the juice of several lemons and add little by little to a bowl where you have put an amount of icing sugar, according to the number of alfajores that you will cover with the glaze. Stir and add lemon juice until a smooth mixture is formed to the consistency you like.
If you don't have icing sugar at home, you can get it by pulverizing granulated sugar in a blender.
Did you know…?
When baked, the cookies for the alfajores will be white. The time should not be prolonged because even doing so, they do not brown.
Each of the ingredients used in the preparation of the argentinian alfajores, provide nutrients that benefit the body of those who consume them. Below we specify the benefits of the most common ingredients:
- The wheat flour that forms part of the preparation provides carbohydrates, fiber, which helps the proper functioning of the digestive system. It also contains vitamins, which the body transforms into energy, vegetable protein: B9 or folic acid, and other B complex vitamins, although in smaller quantities. Minerals: Potassium and magnesium and minor amounts of iron, zinc and calcium.
- The starch or corn starch, which forms part of the preparation, provides carbohydrates. It also contains vitamins: B complex vitamins (B9, B2, B3 and B6). Minerals: phosphorus, potassium and magnesium, iron, zinc and calcium.
- Dulce de leche contains very important protein in the creation and health of the muscles of the body. In addition, it contains vitamins: B9, A, D and Minerals: phosphorus, calcium, magnesium and zinc.
