For fans of a sandwich cookie.
If you’ve ever travelled to South America, or you’ve had the pleasure of experiencing the foodie delights one way or another, you may have come across the famous chocolate covered alfajores. Alfajores are two round cookies filled with dulce de leche and covered in either powdered sugar or chocolate. You will usually find alfajores throughout Chile, Argentina, Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador and Colombia, and oh my goodness, they are truly something. Chocolatey, crunchy and sweet – you really can’t go wrong.
To celebrate the launch of Nescafé Farmers Origins premium coffee capsules, in particular the NESCAFÉ® 3 Americas Lungo, renowned Australian chef Martin Benn has come up with the perfect alfajores recipe to accompany this delicious coffee… Chocolate Alfajores with Dulce de Leche Butter Cream.
“This dish is not only a favourite of the Americas but also world-wide, with many variations to the original recipe,” Martin shares.
“I have added cocoa to my biscuit to give it an earthiness to match the smoky notes of Nescafé Farmers Origins 3 Americas blend. The buttercream is then made from dulce de leche, a popular South American ingredient used in many desserts. It’s perfect for dunking into your coffee at any time of day.”
So, without further ado, here it is:
Makes approx. 36 biscuits
Prep and Cook Time: 90 Mins
Ingredients for the Alfajores biscuits
• 170g unsalted butter
• 125g brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tsp vanilla paste
• 20g golden syrup
• 340g all-purpose flour
• 60g Nestlé Bakers Choice Cocoa Powder
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp bicarb soda
For the Dulce de Leche Butter Cream Filling
• 2 eggs
• 2 pinches of salt
• 200g caster sugar
• 90g water
• 160g Nestlé Top ‘n Fill Caramel
• 300g cold butter, diced
For the chocolate coating
• 400g Nestlé Plaistowe Dark Chocolate
• 70g Coconut Oil
Method
1. Pre heat the oven at 180C.
2. Place your butter in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer for around 3 minutes, until light and airy. Then add the sugar and beat again.
3. In a separate bowl, add the eggs, salt, vanilla and golden syrup and, whisk to combine. Once the butter is creamed together with the sugar slowing add in the egg mixture while whisking on medium. Turn up the speed and continue to beat for a further 2 minutes.
4. In a separate bowl, sieve together the flour, cocoa, baking powder and bicarb soda and, mix well together.
5. Turn the speed of the mixer to low and in four batches add in the flour mixture until all is incorporated. Turn the mix onto the bench and combine together with your hands, press into a rectangular shape, Wrap with cling film and refrigerate for one hour.
6. Line two baking trays with grease-proof paper. Once the dough is rested remove from the refrigerator and divide into two. Working with one amount at a time, flour a bench top and roll the dough to 5mm in thickness. Using a 7cm pastry cutter, cut out circles and place onto the lined trays.
7. Bake the biscuits for 8 minutes, then remove and place onto a rack to cool. Once cooled repeat the process until all biscuits are made – if using all the dough. Set aside until required.
8. To make the filling, place the eggs and salt into a bowl of a stand mixer and attach the whisk, whip on full until light and airy.
9. In the meantime, pour the sugar and water into a small pan and place over a medium high heat bringing to the boil to dissolve the sugar and form a syrup.
10. While the eggs are still whipping, slowly pour the syrup into the bowl in a steady stream, making sure it runs into the eggs not the side of the bowl. Leave to whip on full until the mix cools slightly.
11. Next add the caramel into the whipping egg mixture and continue to whip. When the temperature of the bowl is just warm to the touch add the diced butter a little at a time while whipping on full and, the mixture is cooled completely. Using a spatula, place the butter cream into a piping bag fitted with a plain size 13 nozzle. Set aside at room temperature until ready to use.
12. To fill the Alfajores, pipe a tablespoon of the dulce buttercream into the centre of the flat side of a biscuit. Press the flat side of another biscuit on to the butter cream to sandwich the cream between them. Set aside on a tray and repeat with remaining biscuits. Once all biscuits are assembled, place into the freezer for 15 minutes to set firmly or refrigerator overnight.
13. Place the chocolate and coconut oil into a bowl over a pot of simmering water. Melt together until well combine and fluid. Keep warm.
14. Taking one Alfajores from the refrigerator or freezer at a time, using a wooden or metal skewer press into the dulce butter cream so that the Alfajores resembles a lollypop on a stick.
15. Quickly dip this into the melted chocolate mixture to coat then allow to set place onto a tray lined with parchment paper and place back into the refrigerator to set. Repeat with all the Alfajores as required.
16. Serve from the refrigerator or at room temperature.
17. Team the treats with Nescafé 3 Americas Lungo coffee.
The Nescafé Farmers Origins range is now exclusively available in-store and online at Coles nationally.
