Alfajores

From what I understand (translation: from what I've read on the internet), these dulce de leche sandwich cookies are popular in South America. I think they vary a little, depending on the country of origin. This particular recipe originates from Argentina, so I may have been out of line making it on the Mexican holiday of Cinco de Mayo. But just so you know, I don't think every South American country is the same, I'm just not a stickler for details and a big fan of close enough. So yes, I made these yesterday for Cinco de Mayo. If I've offended anyone, lo siento. But in my defense, you're way too sensitive if you can be offended by a cookie. 

ALFAJORES

Makes: 12 sandwich cookies

1 cup cornstarch

3/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus more as needed for rolling

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temperature

1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 large egg yolks

1 tablespoon pisco or brandy

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1 cup dulce de leche, at room temperature

finely shredded coconut (toasted or untoasted), for rolling (optional)

powdered sugar, for dusting

1.      Place the cornstarch, measured flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk briefly to combine; set aside.

2.      Place butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed, stopping the mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl once with a rubber spatula, until the mixture is light in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolks, pisco or brandy, vanilla and lemon zest and mix until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. On low speed, gradually add the reserved flour mixture and mix until just incorporated with no visible white pockets, about 30 seconds.

3.      Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap, shape it into a smooth disk, and wrap it tightly. Place in the refrigerator until firm, at least 1 hour.

4.      Meanwhile, heat the oven to 350° F and arrange a rack in the middle. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

5.      Remove the dough from the refrigerator, unwrap it, and place it on a lightly floured work surface. Lightly flour the top of the dough. Roll to 1/4-inch thickness (the dough will crack but can be easily patched back together). Stamp out 24 rounds using a plain or fluted 2-inch round cutter, rerolling the dough as necessary until all of it is gone.

6.      Place the cookies at least 1/2–inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake 1 sheet at a time until the cookies are firm and pale golden on the bottom, about 12 to 14 minutes. (The cookies will remain pale on top.) Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

7.      Flip half of the cookies upside down and gently spread about 2 teaspoons of the dulce de leche on each. Place a second cookie on top and gently press to create a sandwich.

8.      Roll cookies in coconut if desired and dust generously with powdered sugar before serving.

barely adapted from chow.com (by Christine Gallary)

butter and sugar

butter and sugar creamed - adding egg yolks,
brandy, vanilla and lemon zest

adding flour mixture

mixed

dough formed into a disk

dough rolled; cutting shapes

My dough did crack a little, but it was easily patched.

dough cut into circles

I think traditionally these cookies are round, but I
decided to make some smaller fluted square ones too.

baked circles

Mine might have gotten just a smidge too much color (I think
they're supposed to stay white and not get golden on the edges).

baked squares

I didn't make my dulce de leche from scratch (pure laziness).
But I think it's very easy to do (there are tons of recipes on the internet).

dulce de leche spread on cookie bottom

cookie on top

rolling in toasted coconut (optional)

rolled in coconut

square alfajor rolled in coconut

alfajores sprinkled with confectioners' sugar

These cookies are very delicate and tender. They kind of melt in your mouth. Really delicious (although I think the powdered sugar is superfluous - they're sweet enough and pretty enough with just the dulce de leche). 

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Fried Ice Cream

I would say the only drawback to frying (aside from infusing your diet with fat and possibly burning yourself with the spluttering hot oil) is figuring out what to do with all that leftover oil when you're done. Last month I made cannoli shells and faced that very dilemma. That time the answer was simple, just strain the oil and save it for another use. Which is why I made fried ice cream yesterday. I really just wanted to get that oil out of my fridge and have a little fun doing it. And I have to say, it was pretty great. Hot and crunchy on the outside and cold and melty on the inside. Of course now I have a nasty pot of leftover oil to deal with. What I really need is a vegetable oil powered car to justify my deep frying. I haven't crunched the numbers, but I'm pretty sure my Thanksgiving fried turkey would pay for itself.

FRIED ICE CREAM

Yield: 4 servings

1 quart vanilla ice cream

1 cup finely crushed cornflakes

1 cup finely crushed cookie crumbs (I used nilla wafers)

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

2 large eggs

3 tablespoons sugar

coconut oil or vegetable oil, for frying

salted caramel sauce or chocolate sauce for serving (optional)

whipped cream for serving (optional)

1.      With an ice cream scoop, form 4 large balls of ice cream. Place on a waxed paper lined sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Freeze for at least 2 hours.

2.      In a shallow dish, combine the cornflake crumbs, cookie crumbs and cinnamon.

3.      Dip the ice cream balls in the crumb mixture and freeze for 30 minutes.

4.      In a bowl, beat the eggs and sugar. Dip the coated ice cream balls into the eggs, then roll in the crumb mixture, coating completely. Freeze for 1 hour. (If necessary, or for a thicker crust, roll again in eggs and crumbs until the balls are completely coated.)

5.      Heat the oil in a large pot or fryer to 400º F. One at a time, lower the balls into the oil and fry until golden brown, about 15 to 30 seconds.

6.      Remove from the oil and place in a dessert bowl. Drizzle with caramel sauce or chocolate sauce and top with whipped cream. Repeat with the remaining ice cream.

slightly adapted from Emeril Lagasse

scooping ice cream

ice cream balls

rolling in crumb/cinnamon mixture

coated in crumbs

dipping in egg/sugar

rolling in crumb mixture again

coated again

After freezing for 1 hour, I dipped the balls in
egg & crumbs again for an extra thick coating.

frozen and ready to fry

fresh from the hot oil

fried ice cream

drizzled with warm salted caramel sauce

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Salted Caramel Sauce

Apparently I'm a freak for caramel + salt because I've already made salty caramels and salty caramel ice cream and I still felt the need to make this salted caramel sauce. I'd say somebody stop me, but please don't. Clearly salt and caramel are the Burt and Ernie of the dessert world. And just like Burt and Ernie, this sauce will send you to your happy place and make you feel like a kid again. Or maybe that's just me (I can't help it, every time Burt gets suckered by Ernie all seems right with the world).

SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE

Yield: 2 cups

2 cups granulated sugar
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into pieces
2 1/2 teaspoons fleur de sel (or any other flaky sea salt)

1 cup heavy cream, at room temperature

1.      Add the sugar in an even layer over the bottom of a heavy saucepan, with a capacity of at least 2 or 3 quarts. Heat the sugar over medium-high heat, whisking it as it begins to melt. You'll see that the sugar will begin to form clumps, but that's okay. Just keep whisking and as it continues to cook, they will melt back down.

2.      Stop whisking once all of the sugar has melted, and swirl the pan occasionally while the sugar cooks.

3.      Continue cooking until the sugar has reached a deep amber color. It should look almost a reddish-brown, and have a slight toasted aroma. This is the point where caramel can go from perfect to burnt in a matter of seconds, so keep a close eye. If you are using an instant-read thermometer, cook the sugar until it reaches 350º F.

4.      As soon as the caramel reaches 350º F, add the butter all at once. Be careful, as the caramel will bubble up when the butter is added. Whisk the butter into the caramel until it is completely melted.

5.      Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the fleur de sel. Slowly pour the cream into the caramel. Again, be careful because the mixture will once again bubble up ferociously.

6.      Whisk until all of the cream has been incorporated and you have a smooth sauce.

7.      Set the sauce aside to cool for 10 to 15 minutes and then pour into your favorite glass jar and let cool to room temperature. You can refrigerate the sauce for up to 2 weeks. Warm the sauce up before using.

slightly adapted from browneyedbaker.com 
Check out David Lebovitz’s tips for making perfect caramel sauce.

sugar (starting to get clumpy)

sugar getting even clumpier

I have to admit, I didn't give my sugar the attention I should
have because I was cooking something else at the same too. If
you whisk continuously, yours probably won't get quite as clumpy.

sugar get very melty

caramelized sugar

adding the butter

butter mostly melted

butter whisked in until smooth

cream added

I can't account for the color change here. I would
have thought adding cream would have made it lighter,
but instead it got a little darker.

adding the salt

The original recipe called for the salt to be added after the
cream, but I re-ordered the recipe because the salt doesn't melt
and I wasn't crazy about the crunchy chunks of salt in the sauce.

salted caramel sauce

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