It is my honour to share with you my magic secrets in Alfajor making! so come close and have a look!
The Magic of Alfajores is that you can make your own recipe twist very easily. Just replace orange zest for lemon or add cinnamon instead of cocoa powder.
Make it vegan by replacing the butter for coconut butter, the egg for its weight in cold water or juice and the honey for treacle.
Make it raspberry flavour by taking away the cocoa powder and replacing 20% of the flour for freeze dried raspberry.
Last season we made a seeded one. I got hold of monkey puzzle pine nuts flour and I made a new recipe.
Gluten free? yes of course. replace the flour with rice flour or mix of gluten free flour. I would add a bit of xantham gum to bind the mix because it is a bit crumbly to work and it is widely available. Or there is a a very classic alfajor with only corn flour with dry coconut around instead of a chocolate coating.
For fillings you can use dulce de leche repostero as the most classic road but, you can make a ganache, use spreads and even marmalade.
You can dip them in chocolate or just dust them with icing sugar...
There are infinite creative options to play with and that is why is so much fun!
Join us in the making of alfajores and share the happiness with your loved ones.
Until the next magic trick! stay tuned
Alfajores Classic Recipe by Chef Chocolatier Maria Romero
Ingredients | Makes 20
- 120g unsalted butter
- 80g icing sugar
- 1 orange zest
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp honey
- 200g self-raising flour
- 5g cocoa powder
- 500g dulce de leche (Repostero)
- 600g 70% dark chocolate drops
Method
- Preheat the oven at 180°C.
- Using a food processor or mixer, blend the butter with the orange zest first.
- Add the sugar and cream together
- Add the egg with the honey and continue mixing until pale and creamy.
- Sift in flour and cacao powder and mix without overworking the dough.
- Roll the dough to 2mm thick between 2 grease proof paper and cool in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Take out of the fridge and peel the paper on one side, turn and peel the paper on the other side. Cut out 6cm discs.
- Place the biscuits on a tray lined with grease proof paper, leaving a bit of space between each one. Bake for six minutes. Allow to cool.
- Fill a piping bag with dulce de leche and cut the tip 1cm wide. Fill in the centre of a biscuit. Cover with a second biscuit turned upside down (to ensure the outer sides of the alfajores are both as flat as possible)
- Temper the chocolate and submerge the alfajores one at a time. Make sure each one is fully coated with chocolate, using a palette knife to remove excess from the top and smooth the base on the rim of the bowl. Place carefully on a tray lined with greaseproof paper or cellophane. Once the chocolate dries, the alfajores are ready to eat.
TEMPERING CHOCOLATE
by Seeding method
- Melt in 30 seconds intervals 400g of chocolate in the microwave. Mix slowly in between to even the temperature until it reaches 45°C
- Add 50g of chocolate drops and softly mix. This will melt the chocolate and lower its temperature. Repeat with less amount each time until 35°C.
- Keep slowly mixing to cool until 31 °C. Then it will be ready to use.
