Name: Chocolate Alfajores, Chilean recipe
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 30
Cuisine: Chilean
Ingredients: 170 grams unsalted butter at room temperature; 130 grams of light brown sugar; 2 eggs at room temperature; 20 grams of honey; 340 grams of flour without baking powder; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 4 tablespoons Dutch cocoa powder; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1/8 teaspoon fine salt; 500 grams of Dulce de Leche; 200 grams of semi-bitter chocolate, I use one with 60% cocoa; 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Versión en español

Over the past five years, Latin food has become popular in Houston. I remember our local gourmet supermarket used to have a fair with products from Argentina. They have Alfajores, the most common ones with the cookie made out of cornstarch and Chocolate Alfajores Havanna.

If you are an old-time reader, you may remember my mother-in-law is Argentinian, and at her house, I was introduced to Alfajores Havanna. They are unique, with a soft chocolate cookie that melts in your mouth. And they are filled with Dulce de Leche, a perfect complement to the semi-bitter chocolate coating. They are addictive.

I made these Chocolate Alfajores for International Night at my kid’s school. I love this celebration, our school in Houston gathers students from more than 25 different countries. Hence, there was food from Ethiopia, South Africa, Sweden, Russia, Cameroon, China, Japan, Israel, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Japan, France, and Chile!

In Chile, this kind of Alfajores is usually associated with the Sausalito brand initially from Viña del Mar, a beach city close to the capital.

* Recipe updated with new photos September 2017 *

You may also be interested in the recipe: Cornstarch Alfajores

Chocolate Alfajores, Chilean recipe

Author: Pilar Hernandez
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Yield: 30 1x
Category: Cookies
Method: Baked
Cuisine: Chilean

Print Recipe

Description

The cookie you having dreaming about it.

Ingredients

Units Scale

170 grams unsalted butter at room temperature
130 grams of light brown sugar
2 eggs at room temperature
20 grams of honey
340 grams of flour without baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 tablespoons Dutch cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon fine salt

for the filling,

500 grams of Dulce de Leche

for coverage,

200 grams of semi-bitter chocolate, I use one with 60% cocoa
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Instructions

To make the dough. In a large bowl with the paddle mixer attachment. Beat the butter until creamy and pale, about 5 minutes, add sugar, mix until smooth (3 minutes), add the eggs one by one, and beat until combined. Add honey and vanilla, beat everything for 2 minutes.
Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, add to the previous mixture and mix with a wooden spoon (do not use the mixer) until a soft and moist dough forms. Wrap in kitchen plastic and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350F or 180C.
Divide dough into 4 and scoop out a quarter and make a ball. Roll the dough thin 1/3″ over a floured countertop. Cut the Alfajores in circles of 3 cm in diameter, place them on an oven tray covered with parchment paper.
Bake for 5 minutes on each baking sheet (without removing the paper). The dough will slightly rise in the oven. Remove and let cool in a grid on the same paper.
Once baked and cooled, you can put them in a plastic bag and freeze them. Repeat with the remaining 3 pieces of dough.
Fill the Alfajores with Dulce de Leche. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, chop the chocolate into small pieces, add the vegetable oil, melt in the microwave slowly, 30 seconds each go. Remove, stir for 1 minute, and melt in the microwave until all the chocolate is dissolved.
Use a spoon to cover the Alfajores. It is best to cover the sides first and then the top.
Let dry and serve.