If crime and cocaine are the first thing that come to your mind when someone mentions the South American country of Colombia, you would be forgiven for such a thought. The media have a lot to answer for, always keen to portray the negative, and so very rarely showing the positive, that this amazing place deserves.
A country full of the most welcoming people you will ever meet, I am truly fortunate to have a large group of Colombian friends who, back in 2009, along with their family, welcomed me with open arms for my three week vacation there.
There are so many great things to be said for this vibrant place, from the great music, to their intriguing traditions, the smiling faces of the locals and in particular, the food.
Whilst on holiday, my friends introduced me to all sorts of fantastic cuisine, from savoury to sweet. A baking day was also scheduled in, and we made a batch of delicious cookies called Alfajores (pronounced Alpha-hor-es). A soft shortbread consistency, where two cookies are sandwiched together with caramel, known as Arequipe (pronounced a-re-keepay) and sometimes rolled in coconut around the edges.
Give them are go, they are extremely tasty, I’m fairly sure you won’t regret it!
Ingredients
| Amount | Measurement | Ingredient |
|---|---|---|
| 263 | grams | cornstarch |
| 195 | grams | plain flour |
| 1/2 | teaspoon | baking powder |
| 1 | teaspoon | salt |
| 225 | grams | butter |
| 60 | grams | icing sugar |
| 1 | teaspoon | vanilla extract |
| 1 | cup | Nestle Condensed Milk Caramel |
| 50 | grams | toasted coconut, finely chopped |
Method
Add the icing sugar and vanilla, and mix with your hands until the dough is well combined and smooth. Let the dough rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Roll out the dough to 1cm thickness, and cut into 2 inch circles.
Place the cookies on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake the cookies for 10-15 minutes, until they are barely golden brown. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.
To fill the cookies, spread one cookie with caramel and top with second cookie. Roll the edges in the coconut.
Store in an airtight container.
Source
Photo courtesy of www.sweetfoods.com
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