The fragility of a cookie that melts in your mouth, joined by the intensity of a coffee-kissed manjar blanco. This alfajor balances traditional sweetness with the refined character of roasted coffee. A crumbly indulgence made to lift an afternoon with flavor and elegance. Pure artisanal sophistication.
Turn what you find into an experience you can actually bring to your kitchen.
Sift the wheat flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and part of the powdered sugar into a bowl. Mix for 30 seconds, just until everything looks even and aerated.
Add the cold cubed unsalted butter and rub it into the dry mix until it looks like coarse sand. Dissolve part of the instant coffee in part of the water, mix it with the egg yolks and vanilla, then bring the dough together without overworking it.
Flatten the dough into a disk, cover it with plastic wrap, and chill for 25 minutes, until firm but still flexible. If it hardens too much, wait a few minutes before rolling.
Roll the dough to 4 mm thick and cut 24 rounds. Arrange them on a tray lined with parchment paper, leaving space between them; if the dough softens, chill the tray for 5 minutes before baking.
Bake at 170°C for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are just set and the bottoms are lightly colored. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes; do not fill them warm or the manjar will loosen.
Dissolve the remaining instant coffee in the remaining water and mix it into the manjar blanco until smooth, glossy, and clearly coffee-scented. If it feels too loose, chill it for 8 minutes before using.
Fill half of the rounds with the coffee manjar and top with the remaining rounds, pressing only lightly. Dust the remaining powdered sugar over the top and rest for 10 minutes before serving, so the cookie settles around the filling.
