Alfajores (Sandwich Biscuits with Dulce de Leche)

Dough

• 170 g Unsalted butter, room temperature
• 100 g Caster sugar
• 1 medium Lemon
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• 2 Egg yolk
• 150 g Plain flour
• 200 g Cornflour
• 1 tsp Baking powder

Filling and finish

• 350 g Dulce de leche
• 80 g Desiccated coconut

1. Heat the oven to 170°C (340°F). Line two baking trays with baking mats.
2. Beat the butter and caster sugar until pale and fluffy. Finely zest the lemon, then beat in the zest, vanilla and egg yolks until smooth.
3. Whisk together the plain flour, cornflour and baking powder, then add to the bowl. Mix on low just until a soft dough forms; it should be tender, not sticky.
4. Bring the dough together into a disc, then chill it until firm enough to roll cleanly. This helps the biscuits keep their shape and stay delicate.
5. Roll the dough to about 5 mm thick and cut out rounds about 5 cm wide, re-rolling scraps as needed. Arrange on the trays with a little space between each.
6. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, rotating the trays halfway through, until the biscuits are set and just pale with barely any colour. Cool on the trays for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
7. Match the biscuits into pairs of similar size. Spread or pipe dulce de leche onto the flat side of one biscuit, sandwich with its partner, then roll the exposed filling edge in the desiccated coconut.

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