Traditional Argentine Dishes
Marplatense Alfajor - Argentine Recipe
Marplatense alfajores, Argentine-style, with tender cocoa tops, a generous filling of pastry dulce de leche, and a fine coating of semi-bitter chocolate. A homemade recipe ideal for accompanying mate, coffee, or a special snack; after a few hours of rest, its texture becomes even more delicious.
Prepare 12 medium-sized Marplatense alfajores, inspired by one of the most beloved sweets in Argentine pastry. The tops, soft and slightly biscuit-like, are joined with dulce de leche and coated in semi-bitter chocolate.
01
Ingredients
Have everything ready before you begin.
- ✓250 g of common wheat flour
- ✓50 g of cornstarch
- ✓30 g of unsweetened bitter cocoa
- ✓125 g of soft butter
- ✓100 g of powdered sugar or confectioner's sugar
- ✓1 tablespoon of honey
- ✓2 egg yolks
- ✓1 teaspoon of vanilla essence
- ✓1 teaspoon of baking powder
- ✓1 pinch of salt
- ✓400 g of pastry dulce de leche
- ✓300 g of semi-bitter chocolate for melting
- ✓1 tablespoon of neutral oil
02
Step-by-step method
- 01
Place the soft butter and powdered sugar in a large bowl
Place the soft butter and powdered sugar in a large bowl. Beat for two or three minutes, until you get a pale and airy cream.
- 02
Add the honey, egg yolks, and vanilla essence
Add the honey, egg yolks, and vanilla essence. Mix until fully incorporated.
- 03
Sift the flour, cornstarch, bitter cocoa, baking powder, and salt in another container
Sift the flour, cornstarch, bitter cocoa, baking powder, and salt in another container.
- 04
Incorporate the dry ingredients into the cream in two or three batches, mixing with a spatula and without overworking the dough. When the dough comes together, press it gently to form a homogeneous block.
Incorporate the dry ingredients into the cream in two or three batches, mixing with a spatula and without overworking the dough. When the dough comes together, press it gently to form a homogeneous block.
- 05
Flatten the dough to form a disk, wrap it, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes
Flatten the dough to form a disk, wrap it, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- 06
Preheat the oven to 170 °C
Preheat the oven to 170 °C. Roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment paper to a thickness of approximately 5 mm.
- 07
Remove the top paper and cut out circles of about 6 cm in diameter
Remove the top paper and cut out circles of about 6 cm in diameter. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving a small space between them.
- 08
Gather the scraps gently, without overworking, and continue cutting until the dough is finished
Gather the scraps gently, without overworking, and continue cutting until the dough is finished.
- 09
Bake the tops for 10-12 minutes
Bake the tops for 10-12 minutes. They should be firm at the edges, soft in the center, and not too browned.
- 10
Let the tops rest for 5 minutes on the baking sheet and then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely
Let the tops rest for 5 minutes on the baking sheet and then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- 11
Place the pastry dulce de leche in a piping bag or a sturdy bag with the tip cut off
Place the pastry dulce de leche in a piping bag or a sturdy bag with the tip cut off. Distribute a generous portion in the center of half of the tops, without reaching the edge.
- 12
Cover with the remaining tops and press very gently to distribute the filling
Cover with the remaining tops and press very gently to distribute the filling. Remove the excess that protrudes from the edges.
- 13
Melt the semi-bitter chocolate in the microwave, in short intervals and stirring between each one, or in a double boiler without the bowl touching the water
Melt the semi-bitter chocolate in the microwave, in short intervals and stirring between each one, or in a double boiler without the bowl touching the water.
- 14
Add the neutral oil to the melted chocolate and mix until you get a smooth and fluid coating
Add the neutral oil to the melted chocolate and mix until you get a smooth and fluid coating.
- 15
Take each alfajor with a fork, dip it in the chocolate, and cover the entire surface
Take each alfajor with a fork, dip it in the chocolate, and cover the entire surface. Let it drain and place it on parchment paper.
- 16
Let the chocolate solidify at room temperature
Let the chocolate solidify at room temperature. If it's very hot, you can refrigerate the alfajores for a few minutes.
- 17
Store the alfajores in an airtight container, separated by parchment paper
Store the alfajores in an airtight container, separated by parchment paper. Let them rest for several hours before serving so that the tops become even more tender.
- Use soft butter, but not melted.
- Avoid overworking the dough to preserve the tender texture of the tops.
- Pastry dulce de leche is the most suitable because it keeps the filling in place.
- Do not overbake the tops: they should be firm at the edges and soft in the center.
- Melt the chocolate slowly and avoid reaching too high a temperature.
- Let the tops cool completely before filling them to avoid breaking or softening the dulce de leche.
- Do not store the alfajores uncovered in the refrigerator, as they can absorb moisture and lose texture.
- Semi-bitter chocolate helps balance the sweetness of the dulce de leche. For a more intense flavor, you can use chocolate with a higher cocoa percentage, as long as it's suitable for melting.