Vida Recetas Editorial
Chilean alfajores are two thin, crispy caps joined with a generous layer of manjar: the most recognisable sweet of kiosks, neighbourhood bakeries and roadside stalls, and a fixture of the afternoon tea table and the national holidays. The dough is made with flour, chuño (potato starch), egg yolks and a touch of acid from orange juice, rolled out very thin and baked for just a few minutes, so the cap comes out flaky instead of chewy.
It is home baking with pantry ingredients and it makes 12 alfajores. You can knead the dough and let it rest in the fridge overnight, and the caps keep for a week in an airtight container or up to 2 months in the freezer. Thick manjar repostero, stiffer than the spreadable kind, keeps the filling from running out the sides.
They belong to the same family as chilenitos with meringue, hojarasca alfajores and cornstarch alfajores: if this dough works for you, it is worth having those on hand too.
Prep
60 min
Cook
12 min
Servings
12
Calories
160 kcal
Sift the flour with the potato starch, baking powder and salt into a large bowl and make a well in the centre.
Add the 5 egg yolks, the melted butter, the orange juice and the pisco if using to the well, and mix with a fork until crumbly.
Knead by hand for 8 to 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and firm (it should sound when you tap it on the counter); if it feels too dry, add cold water a teaspoon at a time.
Wrap the dough in plastic film and rest it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 days, so it relaxes and rolls out more easily.
Preheat the oven to 180 °C for at least 15 minutes and lightly flour a baking tray, or use a silicone mat.
Roll the dough out very thin, 2 to 3 mm, directly on the floured tray, and cut 5 to 6 cm discs with a cutter or a glass.
Remove the trimmings, prick each cap 3 or 4 times with a fork and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges are barely golden.
Take the tray out of the oven and let the caps cool on it, without moving them, for about 10 minutes: while hot they break.
Fill with manjar repostero: put a generous teaspoon on one cap and press another one on top until the filling shows at the edge.
Roll the edges in shredded coconut or dust with icing sugar if you like, and serve; unfilled caps keep for a week in an airtight container or up to 2 months in the freezer, and assembled alfajores are best eaten the same day.
This recipe has a medium difficulty level, which means it's accessible for cooks of all levels.
The preparation time is 60 minutes and the cooking time is 12 minutes.
This recipe is designed for 12 servings.
Yes, many ingredients can be substituted with similar alternatives. We recommend checking the recipe variations.
Store the preparation in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Some preparations can be frozen for up to 3 months.
