Chocolate Alfajores

These melt-in-your-mouth Chocolate Alfajores are a soft and buttery shortbread cookie filled with dulce de leche.

chocolate alfajores

What are Alfajores?

Alfajores can be found all across Latin America and Spain, with each country having kind of their own variation but very similar taste. The most popular ones are Argentinian and Peruvian, and they can be covered in powdered sugar, grated coconut or chocolate. All equally delicious.

How to make Chocolate Alfajores

Alfajores are easy to make and you only need a few ingredients. Here are some tips to make your baking process even easier! 

  • Before you start, make sure you have access to dulce de leche. You can find it at your local Mexican or Argentinian grocery store, Amazon Prime and occasionally at Target.
  • If you can’t find dulce de leche, you can easily make your own with 1 ingredient! Here’s a blog post with a step-by-step tutorial.
  • Always use room temperature ingredients, including your eggs and butter.
  • Sift the flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder and baking powder so that its easier to mix in with the wet ingredients.
  • This recipe calls for egg yolks. Separate the eggs while they’re cold so it’s easier, just allow them to come to room temperature before using them.
  • Adding orange zest will give your alfajor cookie a delicious kick! But you can omit, if desired.

Tips to make Chocolate Alfajores

Sift the dry ingredients. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until smooth. Add one egg yolk at a time, followed by vanilla extract and orange zest (if using). Working in batches, add the sifted dry ingredients and mix until well combined.

Transfer the dough onto a floured working surface and roll into a ball. Cover with plastic and chill for at least an hour. Remove from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature for around 10 minutes. Knead for a couple of minutes until it’s easy to handle.

Divide the dough into 2 balls. Roll out the dough, using a rollin pin, to around 1/4 inch thick. Cute the dough using a small round cookie cutter, and transfer to a lined baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, allow to cool and using a spoon or piping bag fill the center with dulce de leche. 

chocolate alfajores

What is Dulce de Leche?

Dulce de Leche is a popular confection from Latin America made from milk and sugar, or sweetened condensed milk. It’s similar to caramel and used in many hispanic desserts, especially ones from Argentina. It has a sweet golden-brown color with deeply decadent flavor.

How to cover Chocolate Alfajores in Chocolate?

Traditionally, Chocolate Alfajores are covered in chocolate. If you’d like to try them this way, make sure to temper the chocolate. Tempered chocolate has a shiny appearance and breaks off with a snap, like a chocolate bar would. Here’s a step-by-step tutorial.

chocolate alfajores

These Chocolate Alfajores are the perfect afternoon treat for all you dulce de leche lovers. Hope you love them as much as I do! If you make them and love them, leave a comment here or share them with me on Instagram using #yogaofcooking so I can share with the world! 

Happy Baking! x

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chocolate alfajores

Chocolate Alfajores


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  • Author: Rosana
  • Total Time: 58 minute
  • Yield: 2 dozen cookies

Description

These melt-in-your-mouth Chocolate Alfajores are a soft and buttery shortbread cookie filled with dulce de leche.


Ingredients

  • 230gr (16 tbsp), unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 150 gr (2/3 cup) granulated sugar
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 6 tsp honey
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp orange zest
  • 200 gr (1 1/2 cup) cornstarch
  • 200 gr (1 2/3 cup) all purpose flour, unbleached
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 20 grams cocoa powder
  • Homemade Dulce de Leche, or 1 can store bought

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, sift the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, cocoa powder and salt, and set aside.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until smooth. Add one egg yolk at a time, followed by vanilla, honey and orange zest.
  3. Working in batches, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low until combined.
  4. Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured working surface and roll into a ball. Cover with plastic and chill for an hour.
  5. Preheat the oven to 350 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  6. Remove from the fridge and let it come to room temperature, for around 10 minutes. Knead for a couple of minutes until it’s easy to handle.
  7. Divide the dough into 2 balls. Roll out the dough, using as little flour as possible to around 1/4 inch thick.
  8. Cut the dough using a small round cookie cutter, and transfer to a lined baking sheet.
  9. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool.
  10. Using a spoon or piping bag fill the center with dulce de leche.

Notes

*If you’d like to cover them in melted chocolate, follow these instructions on how to temper chocolate.

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes plus chill time
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Category: dessert
  • Cuisine: Hispanic

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