Best Chocolate Alfajores (Argentinian recipe)
This is a fantastic recipe for Argentina's famous alfajores marplatenses. Soft chocolate wafers are filled with dulce de leche and covered in dark chocolate. Making them from scratch is an experience, and I share all my tips so they come out perfect. You can make the cookies ahead. Please read the recipe first, as there are long resting times.
Servings 12 alfajores
Ingredients
Chocolate cookie dough:
- 10 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 ½ tablespoons runny honey
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest finely grated
- ½ teaspoon orange zest finely grated
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- pinch of salt
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
Filling:
- 2 ½ cups thick or pastry dulce de leche 2-3 tablespoons per alfajor
Chocolate coating:
- 14 ounces semisweet melting chocolate
Instructions
Make the chocolate dough:
- Cream 10 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter and ¼ cup granulated sugar until smooth. Add 2 ½ tablespoons runny honey, ½ teaspoon lemon zest and ½ teaspoon orange zest. Mix briefly.
- Add 1 large egg and mix until incorporated. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and mix.
- Sift 2 cups all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, a pinch of salt, and 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder. Add to the butter mixture, using a spatula to combine until a soft dough forms. Do not knead, simply integrate the ingredients well until you have an even-colored dough.
- Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours and up to 4 days.
- Preheat oven to 325°F (170°C).
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the cold dough about ⅙ inch. Cut plain rounds of about 2.5 inches and place on lined baking sheets. They do not expand a lot, but leave ½ an inch or so between them.
- Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until set and dry but still pale. It should not be hard around the edges or colored.
- Cool completely on a wire rack. At this point, you can store them in an airtight container or jar for a day or two before filling.
- Place half of the cookies on a flat surface (I use a clean baking sheet), flat side up, and pipe or spoon 2 ½ cups thick or pastry dulce de leche, using about 2-3 tablespoons for each. Top with another cookie, flat side down, pressing gently to make the filling reach the edges.
- Smooth the edges by running a smooth-bladed knife around them, using more dulce de leche if necessary. It will make an even wall of dulce de leche all around it.
For the chocolate coating:
- Melt 14 ounces semisweet melting chocolate in a wide bowl that accommodates dipping an alfajor comfortably.
- Place each alfajor on top of a large fork, and dip it into the melted chocolate. Flip it over carefully with the fork to coat it completely, then lift it carefully and let excess drip off. You want a thin coating if possible.
- Place the coated alfajores carefully on parchment paper or a silicone mat that has been set on a baking sheet. Move or shake the pan slightly before fully set to avoid thick bases. Let the coating set at room temperature.
- Let the alfajores rest at room temperature for 1 or 2 days before eating. Don't refrigerate them. Place them in an airtight tin or container so they soften and meld flavors. They can be stored for a week or two, sometimes more.
Notes
They improve with time: Like store-bought ones, the texture, flavor and moisture improve as the days pass after the chocolate coating. That's why the resting period of 1 or 2 days is necessary.
The chocolate dough can be made ahead and kept for 4-5 days in the refrigerator or up to a month in the freezer. Always make sure you cover it well in plastic wrap or a Ziploc bag. Otherwise, it will dry out. Make-ahead chocolate wafers: the plain, unfilled cookies can be kept in an airtight container for about a week.
