PERUVIAN ALFAJORES

PERU

12TH CENTURY

 

OTHER NAMES: alfajor (singular form), alfaxor or alaxur

 

The name, Alfajor, derived from Arabic word, الفاخر‎, which means luxury. It is a South American type of shortbread sandwich cookie that filled with dulce de leche (caramel filling). [1]

 

This cookie has its origin in the Middle East, which is very similar to the sweet called alajú, but the presence of alfajor is evident in the area of southern Peru during the 12th and 13th centuries. [2]

 

Today, there are restaurant chains dedicated entirely to the alfajor cookie, whose brand names are as recognizable as Starbucks in the US. [3]

 

BASIC INGREDIENTS:

Flour, butter, honey, Dulce de Leche Filling

Optional: sugar, rolled in coconut flakes, dipped in chocolate, filling with nuts, fruits, or chocolate