Alfajores de Maicena: Cornstarch Alfajor
This is a decadent dish that is perfect for a cool autumn evening.

Alfajores de Maicena: Cornstarch Alfajor
Artist
Leo Franchi
Designer, Illustrator, Animator
lacar.tv
Country
Argentina
Ingredients
100g butter (¾ cup)
150g sugar (1 cup)
1 egg
1 yolk
100g all-purpose flour (¾ cup)
150g cornstarch (1 cup)
½ Tbsp of baking powder
Lemon zest
1 tsp of vanilla extract
Desiccated (shredded) coconut
Dulce de leche
About this Recipe
During the pandemic in 2020, when everyone was locked up at home without being able to go out, the desire to eat something delicious became more intense. Being lucky enough to have a pastry chef mother, I discovered the simple process of making these cornstarch alfajores, a classic in Argentina and a journey back to my childhood.
Alfajor: a sandwich made of two cookies with a filling in the middle.
Dulce de Leche: a jam made by slowly heating sweetened milk with a similar flavour to caramel. You will probably find it in supermarkets, but if not, it can easily be made at home.
Instructions
- Mix the butter and sugar until you have a creamy consistency.
- Add 1 egg plus a yolk.
- Add the vanilla extract and lemon zest.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients (flour, cornstarch and baking powder) and mix until you have a soft dough.
- Refrigerate the dough for 1 hour.
- Roll out the dough until it’s 3 millimeters thick.
- Cut the dough with a 5 cm cutter. Tip: you can use the rim of a glass
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- Sandwich together with Dulce de Leche and add desiccated coconut to the edges.