Alfajores (Dulce de Leche Sandwich Cookies)

March 15, 2014December 2, 2018 What Jessica Baked Next112 Comments

Alfajores are South American-style cookies. These delicious biscuits/cookies are similar to a shortbread with their same buttery and crumbly texture. Traditionally these delicate cookies are rolled in desiccated coconut, however we love them simply filled with decadent dulce de leche.

I dare you to try and eat just one of these delicious cookies! I’d never tried or made Alfajores before sharing this blog post, so it was all new recipe territory for me.

I tried one straight from the oven I couldn’t believe how good it tasted even without the filling, however sandwiching two biscuits together with dulce de leche certainly takes these cookies to the next level.

Alfajores originate in South America. They’re a confectionary usually sold around Christmas, however they’re also very popular in bakeries all year round. The cookies are traditionally filled with dulce de leche. I used readymade, however you can make your own by simmering a can of sweetened condensed milk, but a speedy shortcut is always handy!

To decorate, the cookies are usually just dusted with icing sugar, but they can also be glazed with sugar, decorated with chocolate or grated/desiccated coconut.

Ingredients:

Shortbread Dough:

200g salted or unsalted butter, softened

100g caster sugar

1 large free-range egg, at room temperature

1 large free-range egg yolk, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt – ONLY add if you’re using unsalted butter

225g plain flour, plus extra for rolling

100g cornflour/cornstarch

Filling:

397g (14 ounce) can caramel / dulce de leche – you might not need the whole can depending on how much filling you like

Method:

Beat the butter and sugar together until creamy and pale in colour. Add the whole egg, yolk and vanilla and continue to mix until combined fully.
Add the salt (only add if you’re using unsalted butter) and sift in the flours. Mix until a soft dough forms. Divide the dough into two pieces and wrap in clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes or until firm.
Preheat oven to 190°C / 170°C Fan / 375°F / Gas Mark 5. Line 2-3 large baking trays with parchment paper.
Lightly dust a work surface with flour and roll the dough out to approx. 0.5cm thickness. Using a 6cm cutter, stamp out biscuits until all the dough has been used up. Re-roll any trimmings. Place the biscuit rounds on the baking trays.
Bake the biscuits for 10-12 minutes until pale golden and sandy to the touch. Cool the biscuits on the baking trays for 5 minutes, then transport them to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, use the tin of caramel to sandwich the biscuits together. Dust the biscuits just before serving with icing sugar, roll the edges in desiccated coconut or even drizzle with melted chocolate.

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Baking · Biscuits and Cookies

Cheddar Star Biscuits

December 11, 2013October 10, 2022 What Jessica Baked Next2 Comments

Cheesy spicy biscuits make a tasty canapé to serve at Christmas parties or on a cheese board. Kids and adults alike will enjoy making these!

These cheesy biscuits are buttery and rich, they have a beautifully flaky texture and every bite is packed with flavour from mature Cheddar, English mustard and cayenne pepper. These biscuits have a pleasant kick of heat from cayenne pepper, if you’re not a fan of spicy food then you can leave it out. They take no time at all to make and you can cut them into any shape you like. Just watch these disappear!

Ingredients:

140g plain/all-purpose flour

60g salted or unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small cubes

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

110g extra mature Cheddar, finely grated

1 large free-range egg yolk

2 teaspoons English or Dijon mustard

Method:

Weigh the flour out into a large mixing bowl. Add the cubed butter and using your fingertips rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Add the salt and cayenne and mix through. Now add the grated cheese and mix again until combined.
Add the egg yolk along with the mustard and gently mix until a ball of dough forms. Cover the dough in clingfilm and leave to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 180ºC / 160°C Fan / 350ºF / Gas Mark 4.
Once the dough has chilled for half an hour, lightly dust a work surface with flour. Roll the dough out until it’s roughly 1/8 inch thick.
Using any shaped cutter you like cut out pieces of the dough and place on a 1-2 large non-stick baking trays. Bake for 12-15 minutes until the biscuits are golden. Once they’ve finished baking, remove from the oven and leave to cool on the tray for a few minutes. Carefully transport to a wire rack to finish cooling completely. Biscuits will store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Recipe Notes:

You can use a mix of different cheese in this recipe, if you want use half Cheddar and half Parmesan or similar vegetarian hard cheese alternative.
Try your best to handle the dough as little as you can, over handling will develop the gluten in your dough and will make it tough – something you don’t want to happen as you want the biscuits to be flaky and light.
I used this set of useful conversion tables to convert the measurements in this recipe.

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Biscuits and Cookies · Cheesecake · No-Bake

No-Bake Oreo Cheesecake

October 26, 2013July 8, 2018 What Jessica Baked Next46 Comments

Buttery digestive biscuit base followed by a layer of creamy vanilla cheesecake that’s speckled with a mixture of Oreo chunks and crumbs. Decorated with swirls of whipped cream and mini Oreos. This is one truly decadent dessert and is the perfect treat for any Oreo lover!

Recipe Rundown:

Biscuit Base – I went for a classic digestive biscuit base, but if you want you could swap the digestives for Oreos or any other of your favourite biscuits/cookies. If using Oreos or a sandwich biscuit/cookie instead remember to reduce the amount of butter from 140g to 75g instead.

Easy No-Bake Cheesecake Filling – I’ve used my fail-proof no-bake cheesecake mix. It’s made using softened cream cheese, a little bit of icing sugar to sweeten and help the cheesecake set, whipped cream to lighten and give the cheesecake its gorgeous airy texture and also a touch of vanilla. And before I forget a whole load of crushed Oreos are incorporated too!

Decoration – For the finishing touches, I sprinkled even more crushed Oreos over the top and then decorated with whipped cream and mini Oreos. Decoration is optional, but I think it makes the dessert look extra special!

I’m the seriously the biggest fan of anything cookies and cream or Oreo related! If you’re as obsessed as I am, then you should head to your kitchen right now and make this!

The cheesecake looks super impressive, so it would be a great dessert to make if you’re entertaining because it can be made ahead of time.

Once you dig into a slice you will taste the crunchy buttery biscuit base, then the ultra creamy and fluffy vanilla Oreo cheesecake filling.

Oreos lovers, give this cheesecake a try. You’re going to love it!

(Serves 10-12)

Ingredients:

Biscuit Base:

300g digestive biscuits or Oreos (if using Oreos reduce amount of butter to 75g)

140g unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

Oreo Cheesecake Filling:

500g full-fat cream cheese or mascarpone, at room temperature

300ml double cream, chilled

85g icing sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 regular pack / 14 original Oreos, crushed and broken into small pieces (leave the creme filling in)

Decoration:

Crushed Oreos, mini Oreos, whipped cream

Method:

To make the cheesecake base: Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Blitz the biscuits in a food processor to a fine crumb. Add the melted butter and mix until well combined. Tip the biscuit crumbs into a 23cm springform cake tin and press down until firm. Use the back of a spoon or the base of a glass to smooth over. Place in the fridge to chill whilst you make the filling.
To make the cheesecake filling: In a medium mixing bowl beat together the cream cheese with the icing sugar until softened. In another mixing bowl whisk together the cream and vanilla until soft peaks form. Fold the cream into the cream cheese mix. Finally fold through the crushed Oreo cookies.
Spoon over the biscuit base and smooth over with a spatula or palette knife. Cover and leave to chill for at least 6 hours, or overnight. Before serving decorate with extra crushed Oreos and whipped cream.

Enjoy!

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