Dulce de Leche Revisited and Alfajores
Some time ago I attempted to make dulce de leche, a wonderful South American caramelized milk spread, using the microwave as well as the more commonly known method of boiling the sweetened condensed milk in the can, in a water bath, for 3 hours. The water bath method worked best for me but I decided I wanted to know if I could get just as tasty a result after boiling for a shorter time, namely 2 hrs.
Yesterday, after supper, I finally made the attempt and I'm happy to say that the results were a success.
Dulce de leche - The can on the left was boiled in a water bath for 2 hrs while the one on the right was boiled for 3 hrs. Even better, they both tasted great, though the shorter boiling time gave me a looser, sweeter result compared to richer, almost bitter, flavour of the 3 hr batch. It was quite easy to spread the 2 hr product but since I didn't have any cookies left on which to try spreading the other batch, it will have to wait for its 'trial by combat' in the field of cookie spreading.
I ended up with 2 cans of the decadent treat as I boiled a can for 3 hrs as well ... so I could do a colour and taste comparison, of course. :)
What could I do with it all I wondered?
Why ... make some alfajores, another South American treat.
Two tender shortbread textured cookies are sandwiched together with a generous amount of dulce de leche, the edges are rolled in dessicated coconut so you get a lacy collar of coconut and then icing sugar is sifted over the cookies. If you're REALLY feeling decadent, pour a coating of dark bittersweet chocolate over the cookie sandwich instead of rolling it in the coconut.
Well, my friends, embellishments are NOT necessary. Though I may use them in my second batch, which will be a double batch since unfortunately, the recipe grossly over estimated the number of cookies I would get. Especially as I did not have a 1 1/2" round cookie cutter.
I was going to use a 2" diameter water glass to cut the cookies from half the dough, and my newly acquired rectangular shortbread cookie cutter, which is 1 1/4" by 3" in size to cut out the other half. However, I was having so much fun using the new cutter (even though I had to SHAKE the dough out of it, even after flouring the cutter generously) that I just kept going, and the whole batch ended up being rectangles ... except for a single round which I cut. I shaped the trimmings of the dough into a rough undersized round and baked it. Then, I stuck these 2 circles together with some dulce de leche, and dug in. The oft-mentioned 'cook's treat'.
Verdict ... OMG, it was good!!!
Assembling the alfajores
Alfajores - probably makes 28 single cookies (NOT the 28 cookie sandwiches promised.)
1/3 cup (75 mL) superfine sugar, if you have it, or just regular granulated sugar (buzz it in your food processor if you're fussy)
1/2 tsp (2 mL) grated lemon zest
1/2 cup (125 mL) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
2 egg yolks
1/2 tsp (2 mL) vanilla
1 tbsp light rum or brandy (optional)
1 1/4 cups (300 mL) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (60 mL) cornstarch
1/2 tsp (2 mL) baking powder
1/4 tsp (1 mL) baking soda
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
1/3 cup (75 mL) dulce de leche, room temperature if you're storing your jar in the fridge
1/4 cup (60 mL) unsweetened desiccated coconut
2 tbsp (30 mL) icing sugar
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
In a bowl, rub the superfine sugar with lemon zest between your fingers until the sugar is fragrant and the zest is well dispersed. Beat in the butter with a hand or stand mixer (you can use a food processor too) until the mixture is light and fluffy; beat in egg yolks, 1 at a time. Beat in vanilla. (You can add the rum or brandy at this point if using.)
Whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt and stir into the butter mixture with a wooden spoon or with your hands to make a soft dough. Divide in half; wrap each half in saran wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
On a lightly floured surface or between saran wrap, waxed or parchment paper, roll out the dough to a scant 1/4-inch (5 mm) thickness. Using 1-1/2-inch (4 cm) round cutter, cut out circles, re-rolling the scraps.
NOTE: You may want to gather the scraps together from the 2 discs of dough, wrap them in saran wrap and refrigerate for about half an hour before rolling out again as they get very soft at room temperature and will be difficult to transfer the circles to the baking sheet, once cut, without losing their shapes.
Place, 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart, on parchment paper-lined baking sheets or Silpat sheets. Bake in a 350°F (180°C) oven until golden, about 9 minutes. (Do NOT over bake.) Let the cookies cool on the pans which have been placed on cooling racks.
Spread the bottoms of half of the cookies with a generous 1/2 tsp dulce de leche. Sandwich with another cookie, top side up.
Roll the edges in coconut. Dust tops with icing sugar. Let stand until set, about 1 hour.
(Make-ahead: Store in airtight container for up to 24 hours.)
Trial 1: After 9 minutes, I took a look at the first batch of cookies and thought that they might be under baked (even though I could push them around on my Silpat sheet) so I left them in the oven for another 2 minutes. When I pulled them out they were darker than I wanted so on the 2nd batch I took them out promptly after 9 minutes according to the original recipe. Other than having to leave them on the baking sheet on the cooling rack for at least 10-15 min or they are too fragile to handle roughly and may shatter (see the cookie in the picture below this) this time was PERFECT.
The cookie on the left was baked for 9 min while the cookie on the right was baked for 11 min.
THE GOOD, THE BAD and THE UGLY - If you don't refrigerate your scraps before rerolling them they get quite soft and if, like me, you have to SHAKE your cookie cutter to get your cookies out, you'll get a curved cookie like the one on the bottom row, far left. (ugly) If you try to pick up your perfectly baked cookie to transfer it to your cooling rack too soon, it will shatter cause the cookies are so tender and fragile (bad). The good cookies ... both the 9 and 11 min cookies.
Yesterday, after supper, I finally made the attempt and I'm happy to say that the results were a success.
Dulce de leche - The can on the left was boiled in a water bath for 2 hrs while the one on the right was boiled for 3 hrs. Even better, they both tasted great, though the shorter boiling time gave me a looser, sweeter result compared to richer, almost bitter, flavour of the 3 hr batch. It was quite easy to spread the 2 hr product but since I didn't have any cookies left on which to try spreading the other batch, it will have to wait for its 'trial by combat' in the field of cookie spreading.
I ended up with 2 cans of the decadent treat as I boiled a can for 3 hrs as well ... so I could do a colour and taste comparison, of course. :)
What could I do with it all I wondered?
Why ... make some alfajores, another South American treat.
Two tender shortbread textured cookies are sandwiched together with a generous amount of dulce de leche, the edges are rolled in dessicated coconut so you get a lacy collar of coconut and then icing sugar is sifted over the cookies. If you're REALLY feeling decadent, pour a coating of dark bittersweet chocolate over the cookie sandwich instead of rolling it in the coconut.
Well, my friends, embellishments are NOT necessary. Though I may use them in my second batch, which will be a double batch since unfortunately, the recipe grossly over estimated the number of cookies I would get. Especially as I did not have a 1 1/2" round cookie cutter.
I was going to use a 2" diameter water glass to cut the cookies from half the dough, and my newly acquired rectangular shortbread cookie cutter, which is 1 1/4" by 3" in size to cut out the other half. However, I was having so much fun using the new cutter (even though I had to SHAKE the dough out of it, even after flouring the cutter generously) that I just kept going, and the whole batch ended up being rectangles ... except for a single round which I cut. I shaped the trimmings of the dough into a rough undersized round and baked it. Then, I stuck these 2 circles together with some dulce de leche, and dug in. The oft-mentioned 'cook's treat'.
Verdict ... OMG, it was good!!!
Assembling the alfajores
Alfajores - probably makes 28 single cookies (NOT the 28 cookie sandwiches promised.)
1/3 cup (75 mL) superfine sugar, if you have it, or just regular granulated sugar (buzz it in your food processor if you're fussy)
1/2 tsp (2 mL) grated lemon zest
1/2 cup (125 mL) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
2 egg yolks
1/2 tsp (2 mL) vanilla
1 tbsp light rum or brandy (optional)
1 1/4 cups (300 mL) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (60 mL) cornstarch
1/2 tsp (2 mL) baking powder
1/4 tsp (1 mL) baking soda
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
1/3 cup (75 mL) dulce de leche, room temperature if you're storing your jar in the fridge
1/4 cup (60 mL) unsweetened desiccated coconut
2 tbsp (30 mL) icing sugar
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
In a bowl, rub the superfine sugar with lemon zest between your fingers until the sugar is fragrant and the zest is well dispersed. Beat in the butter with a hand or stand mixer (you can use a food processor too) until the mixture is light and fluffy; beat in egg yolks, 1 at a time. Beat in vanilla. (You can add the rum or brandy at this point if using.)
Whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt and stir into the butter mixture with a wooden spoon or with your hands to make a soft dough. Divide in half; wrap each half in saran wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
On a lightly floured surface or between saran wrap, waxed or parchment paper, roll out the dough to a scant 1/4-inch (5 mm) thickness. Using 1-1/2-inch (4 cm) round cutter, cut out circles, re-rolling the scraps.
NOTE: You may want to gather the scraps together from the 2 discs of dough, wrap them in saran wrap and refrigerate for about half an hour before rolling out again as they get very soft at room temperature and will be difficult to transfer the circles to the baking sheet, once cut, without losing their shapes.
Place, 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart, on parchment paper-lined baking sheets or Silpat sheets. Bake in a 350°F (180°C) oven until golden, about 9 minutes. (Do NOT over bake.) Let the cookies cool on the pans which have been placed on cooling racks.
Spread the bottoms of half of the cookies with a generous 1/2 tsp dulce de leche. Sandwich with another cookie, top side up.
Roll the edges in coconut. Dust tops with icing sugar. Let stand until set, about 1 hour.
(Make-ahead: Store in airtight container for up to 24 hours.)
Trial 1: After 9 minutes, I took a look at the first batch of cookies and thought that they might be under baked (even though I could push them around on my Silpat sheet) so I left them in the oven for another 2 minutes. When I pulled them out they were darker than I wanted so on the 2nd batch I took them out promptly after 9 minutes according to the original recipe. Other than having to leave them on the baking sheet on the cooling rack for at least 10-15 min or they are too fragile to handle roughly and may shatter (see the cookie in the picture below this) this time was PERFECT.
The cookie on the left was baked for 9 min while the cookie on the right was baked for 11 min.
THE GOOD, THE BAD and THE UGLY - If you don't refrigerate your scraps before rerolling them they get quite soft and if, like me, you have to SHAKE your cookie cutter to get your cookies out, you'll get a curved cookie like the one on the bottom row, far left. (ugly) If you try to pick up your perfectly baked cookie to transfer it to your cooling rack too soon, it will shatter cause the cookies are so tender and fragile (bad). The good cookies ... both the 9 and 11 min cookies.