Alfajores

These are dulce the leche filled cookies that one can find from South America. That's all I know, and I won't pretend to know anything else about them.

What I do know is that these are yummy!

Alfajores

1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups cornstarch
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup white sugar
3 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp lemon extract
2 tsp lemon zest

1 (11.5 oz) jar dulce de leche, or you can make your own
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (optional)
Powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking soda and baking powder. Set aside.
2. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in yolks one at a time, adding extracts and zest with the last egg yolk.Fold in the flour mixture, forming a crumbly dough. Press into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 min to 1 hr. ( I had to add just a little bit of water to get it shaped, but it was still quite crumbly. It'll be ok!)
3. Roll out the dough (if still too crumbly, add a little water) to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out small round cookies and place them on the parchment paper 1/2 inch apart. Continue pressing the dough together, rolling it out and cutting.
4. Bake until set, not browned, for 7-10 minutes (mine only needed 8 minutes). Remove cookies immediately to cool on a wire rack.
5. Spread some dulce de leche on the underside of a cookie and top with another cookie. Roll the sides with coconut and dust powdered sugar on top.

Original recipe:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Alfajores-Argentinean-Style/Detail.aspx

Note: Adding water may be against the rules but they still turned out great. Who said I was going to follow any rules anyway?

Thanks to my dear friend Corinne for inspiring and helping me to make these!