Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Alfajores with Dulce de Leche, Maicena and Alfajor Coated of Chocolate - a Luscious Sweetness

Alfajores, did I say sweet heavenly Alfajores? A snack with luscious sweetness and potentially a meal (yes you can eat an entire batch and nothing more!)
The cuteness can come in several forms, tastes and colors...alfajores of (de) maicena / maizena a popular brand for corn starch, dipped in semi-sweet-chocolate, dipped in white chocolate, with grated coconut on the side and...many more.


Alfajores de Maicena with Dulce de Leche

Lets see the "Five Ws" for the Alfajores

What are Alfajores?

It's principally a sweet sandwich of 2 round cookies with dulce de leche (manjar blanco or arequipe) in the middle and sprinkled with powdered sugar or they're rolled in coconut as well. The cookies can be hard or soft-type depending of the recipe.
Lately there're sweet-monster-towers with 3 or more cookies/layers that melt in your mouth immediately obtaining your sweet tooth satisfaction :)

Where Alfajores came from and can be found commonly?

The culinary history of the alfajor can be tracked to the original one from Spain that habitually is done for Christmas and with some variants like honey and almonds.
If we go further back in history, you'll find that they came to Spain when the Moors conquered the Iberian Peninsula (A similar alfajor version of the actual one and the word is from the Arabic word for great filled sweets)

Recently the actual alfajores arrived to South America with the Spanish immigrants. In my country Uruguay are immensely popular.
They're found also in other Latin American countries like Argentina, Chile, Peru, Colombia and Mexico.


Chocolate Coated Alfajores with Dulce de Leche

Who eat Alfajores?

Kids go crazy with them but adults are not far to the alfajor because are splendid-one bite. The big guys of the alfajores-team can be marvelous in kcals, so this is a point to have in mind if you are doing some type of healthy diet and you can eat them, but sporadically.
If someone in the world bites an alfajor, I bet that this person becomes an "addict" to the same.

When people eat Alfajores?

Well anytime! At breakfast, as a quick yummy dessert at lunch/dinner, at tea coffee-time, with mate, while driving (it's "perfect" don’t disturb too much). In general, always, there isn't an excuse to end eating one :D
In Uruguay there're alfajores everywhere, even, somebody has said that they grow from the ground and finalize completely delicious with a dulce de leche layer inside when are mature….just warm from bakeries/ovens…


Alfajores de Maizena with Dulce de Leche

Why you'd eat Alfajores

Do you need any good reason?? Do it only one time and tell me later!!
Need more reasons to be excited about the alfajores?
Check out these wonderful recipes and articles with the alfajor as the centre of them.

Alfajor Recipes Center



Which are your preferred alfajor? With dulce de leche, peanut butter, jams or only your own-homemade-type? My answer to these questions is obvious.. every one of them! And you?

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42 comments:

KennyT said...

They all look so delicious!!!

RecipeGirl said...

Thank you for the linky love... I absolutely ADORE these cookies, along w/ everything else made with dulce de leche!!

OysterCulture said...

I've always claimed I did not have a sweet tooth, but looking at this post, you've made me a liar.

Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella said...

Your alfajores look absolutely perfect! I've only had these once but I have very fond memories of them. My favourite is with dulce de leche! :)

Lori said...

The alfajore has been my fave find living in South America. They try to make them here in Brazil, but the best I've had have been from Argentina. I love Havana and they put a small shop in Sao Paulo airport so I can always get one when I'm flying. :)

I do need to attempt making them on my own sometime. I'm all about the dulce de leche (doce de leite) and then covered in chocolate!

Chow and Chatter said...

yummy, great info and history as ever Rebecca, oh would you like to do a guest post for me on how you make time to stay in shape and the activity you do to inspire others?

rebeccasubbiah at yahoo dot com

Hugging the Coast said...

This is right up my culinary alley! I love dulce de leche so I'd really love to try these!

zerrin said...

I love everyone of them too. They are great snacks during day with a cup of black tea.

Marian Blazes said...

Great blog! I learned to love alfajores in Peru. I love the ones with maicena, rolled in coconut, but in Peru there were also "alfajores de miel" which had anise flavoring and a kind of syrup that stuck the cookies together... they are really good.

Selba said...

Must be delicious!

It kinda looks similar to macarons, right?

Pam said...

They all look mouth watering good.

Carolyn Jung said...

I LOVE alfajores! Have only enjoyed them a couple times in my life, but loved them each time. I think my fave are the dulce de leche and the ones with fruit jam in the middle. You have me craving them now! ;)

♥peachkins♥ said...

I am a dulce de leche addict.I'd eat anything and I mean anything! with dulce de leche...

nora@ffr said...

great info about alfajores gera!! ill prefer with jam and peanut butter also with crumpy :) often use to bake them at home.. one of my kids fav home made cookies :) have a nice weekend gera!
cheers!!

Jessie said...

I keep seeing alfajores pop up every where in the food blogging community and I have to say they look so yummy! I am a huge fan of dulce de leche, it makes me want to make my own batch

Erica said...

Hola Gera,

Thank you for the link! I adore alfajores.

Have a great weekend!

5 Star Foodie said...

I've never had Alfajores and would love to try! I think dulce de leche would be my favorite!

Gloria said...

I think your alfajores are wonderful, in South America we have many types with and without chocolates, normally stuffed with Dulce de Leche, Im fromChile and to some types of alfajores we say, "chilenitos", I have tosay I love Dulce de Leche ever and ever!! Gloria

pigpigscorner said...

I've never had these before...but dulce de leche...I want to try some!

Rosa's Yummy Yums said...

A wonderful treat! Those cookies look so delicious! I love dulce leche...

Cheers,

Rosa

Alaniz said...

mmmmm...delicious!!!! I love alfajores!

Gera @ SweetsFoods said...

@KennyT
So delicious! :D

@RecipeGirl
W/dulce de leche everything :)

@OysterCulture
Now you can have a sweet doubt with them ;)

@Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella
You'd try them often mmmm :)

@Lori
The Havana alfajores are great too. With doce de leite Brazilian style and chocolate is super :)

@Chow and Chatter
A sweet culinary history! Sure send you email later! ;)

@Hugging the Coast
Your culinary alley! Wow :D

@zerrin
Alfajores with a cup of black tea, perfect :)

@Marian Blazes
Thanks! Oh I've never saw this type of "alfajores de miel" sounds so yummy! :D

@Selba
Yes they're relatives of the macarons! :)

@Pam
Really mouth watering :)

@Carolyn Jung
It isn’t my intention to make you craving them…but it happens! :)

@♥peachkins♥
We're dulce de leche addicts hehe ;)

@nora@ffr
Nice selection too with jam and peanut butter yummm :)

@Jessie
It's pretty sweet-dangerous to make your own batch of alfajores! ;)

@Erica
Thanks and the same to you Erica! :)

@5 Star Foodie You're missing a lot Natasha! :)

@Gloria
The "chilenitos", wow! nice name for the alfajores. I didn’t know that Gloria :)

@pigpigscorner
You'd try them…you won't be disappointed :)

@Rosa's Yummy Yums
Really a breathtaking treat Rosa! ;)

@Alaniz
It seems so many people love them :)

Elaine said...

Thanks for the link, Gera! I'm going to put you in my blogroll ;)

burpandslurp said...

That's the first time I've seen those! Who east alfajores? Anyone who is human!

Olga said...

Love dulce de leche. I could use a few of these for breakfast :)

Soma said...

I have never heard of them! they look DIVINE.. all the version. What i would love is a soft one with jam;-D & others too (except peanut butter) depending on my mood. Who eats them? LOL who would not?

Elra said...

Will definitely make this. Sounds delicious and tempting.

Rebecca said...

These are wonderful, and love all the background inforamtion! Nice to add your info to my library of dulce de leche recipes.(I have a number of them on my site, which is all about Argentina)Great links, too!

La Mexican Food Diva said...

As much as i love them, my heart belongs to classic Mexican flan made WITHOUT canned milk, just the goodness of organic whole milk.

HoneyB said...

Oh Gera....yummy! :-)
P.S. I'm back!!!

Judy said...

I have never eaten alfajores. They look very interesting and I would love to try them. Thanks for all the links to recipes.

The Duo Dishes said...

Ahhhhhhhh! NO matter who makes these, they always look delicious. We have to try it.

Reeni♥ said...

You know how much I love dulce de leche! Such heavenly treats these are!! I wish I had one or two for dessert.

averagebetty said...

Dulce de Leche is the nectar of the Gods. Or at least the life blood of this SoCal gal! Love it, Gera!!

conveyancing said...

I had never eat such sweet in my life. Now i feel that i have no made any mistake to visit this site.

The Texas Treats Team said...

Oh wow! Those look so tasty. I would love to eat mine with some hot tea or coffee!

Residential Investment said...

I have very fond memories of them. My favourite is with dulce de leche! :)

Tony said...

Oh yumm yumm yumm, these do look so very good. I think I will have one of each for starters...

ice london gifts said...

It such a nice dish ans watering in my mouth.

domain hosting said...

Mine is Milk Chocolate Bars. I make all kind of things with it. Like smores, chocolate coated strawberries, Extra Chocolate Brownies, hot chocolate..... and that is about it unless i have a very great day.

domain hosting said...

In a small saucepan (or in medium bowl in microwave) melt butter and chocolate over low heat. Remove from heat and stir in sugar; beat in eggs and vanilla, then stir in flour, nuts, chocolate chips and coconut.

Bumpr Sticker Lover said...

darn, those alfajores do look mighty yummy. I'll have to get cracking in the kitchen tonight.

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