Peruvian alfajores with delicate pastry rounds made from flour, vegetable shortening, milk and a small touch of pisco, joined with thick chancaca syrup scented with cinnamon and clove. Crumbly at first bite, sticky in the center and made for coffee or an afternoon snack.
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Sift the flour, powdered sugar and salt into a bowl. Add the cold vegetable shortening in pieces and rub it into the flour until sandy, without kneading or warming the fat too much.
Add the fresh milk and Quebranta pisco gradually, bringing the dough together only until it forms a uniform block. Do not knead it like bread; less gluten development means more delicate wafers. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
Roll the dough to about 3 mm thick. Cut 24 even rounds about 5 to 6 cm wide and transfer them to a baking tray. Prick each round several times with the tip of a knife so it does not puff. Bake at 175°C for 11 to 13 minutes, until firm and only beginning to color. Let them cool completely.
While the wafers bake, place the chancaca, water, cinnamon stick and whole cloves in a medium pot. Cook over low heat for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the syrup is dark and thick. To test it, drop a little onto a cold plate: once cool, it should remain dense and form a heavy thread rather than running like water.
Strain the syrup and let it cool for about 8 minutes. It should still spread easily but be thick enough not to run out from between the wafers. If it becomes too firm before assembly, warm it gently until fluid again.
Spread a generous layer of chancaca syrup over 12 cooled wafers and top each with another wafer. Press very lightly, only until the syrup approaches the edge. Let the alfajores rest for 10 minutes before serving. The wafers should remain crumbly while the filling stays sticky, dark and spiced. And that's it—chancaca between two wafers: Peruvian dessert engineering. 🍯🤝
