The alfajores are a traditional sweet and popular both in Latin America and Spain, but despite the fact that they share a name, they are not the same sweet.
It is said that the cradle of the alfajores is in Argentina, although they are so typical in other places like Chile, Peru and other Latin American countries. Is about a candy that deserves a separate category: it is an Argentine classic that can be imitated but not equaled.
It must be said that Argentine alfajores are nothing like the Spanish ones. We are talking about completely different sweets, which share neither ingredients nor appearance. On the one hand, there are the Argentine classics that consist of two or more cookies that are joined by a filler. Traditionally, the filling is usually dulce de leche, although we can find other flavors such as fruits or some type of mousse. These alfajores can be bathed or not in chocolate or some glaze. to
While the Alfajores from Spain They are popular at Christmas time and are usually prepared to a greater extent in Andalusia and Murcia. His main ingredient is almond pastewhich is combined with honey and nuts, like many other traditional sweets such as nougat or marzipan.
According to the Royal Spanish Academy, the word alfajor comes in four definitions:
- m. alajú
- m. Arg., Chile, Col., Ec., Par., Peru, Ur. and Ven. Candy composed of two thin slices of dough attached to each other with sweet and sometimes covered with chocolate, meringue, etc.
- m. Hond., Nic. and come. Pasta made with cassava or corn flour, papelón, pineapple and ginger.
- m. Mex. Sweet made from coconut, milk and sugar.
From this, it is concluded that the term alfajor has a universal scope. It is believed that the origin of this Spanish-American sweet comes from the Andalusian dessert of the same name. However, before arriving in Spain, it was already consumed in Arabia some 700 years ago, where it was called al-hasú or alaju, which means stuffing. It is believed that the current snack is a cousin of the Andalusian alfajor, which in turn they inherit from the Arabs. It is a sweet story.
Despite their origin, alfajores are popular in Argentina, Uruguay, Peru, and throughout South America. The pioneer was the French chemist, Don Augusto Chammas. Who around 1869 in Argentina, inaugurated a small family industry dedicated to the preparation of sweets and preserves. It was his idea to make a tablet that was round instead of rectangular. This is how this candy began to be marketed with the name of alfajor and continues with more than 130 years of national tradition.
The popular Instagram account @catadordealfajores is in charge of showing the versatility of the sweet, since in Argentina there is a huge industry around the alfajor. “In Argentina, 70 alfajores are consumed per second, about 6,048,000 alfajores per day,” they say in the note. Of the six million industrial alfajores that are sold in kiosks (places where candies, chocolates, soft drinks, cigarettes and other products are sold), there are also gourmet versions with high-quality raw materials and European pastry techniques.
One of the most requested and consumed varieties, are cornstarch alfajores. We are talking about tapas made from corn starch, filled with dulce de leche and shredded coconut wrapping the union of the alfajor. The cornstarch alfajor stands out for its unmistakable flavor. HE melts in your mouth and it is ideal to accompany with a cup of coffee, tea or mate. There are those who seek to encourage themselves to go one step further and combine the sweet with an infusion, with white wine or with a spirit drink.
Argentina made the concept of “alfajor” his own and made it an emblem of its sweet treats, along with dulce de leche ice cream. Today, whoever travels through Argentine territory will find various expressions in each region. There are those of Mar del Plata for example. Historic seaside resort and port on the coast of Buenos Aires, it is one of the most important cities in the country and the vacation destination for a large part of the local population. The tradition here is to return with a box of the Alfajores from Mar del Plata. These are characterized by their tender dough versionsfilled with dulce de leche and covered with dark chocolate or meringue-type sugar (white).
In the center of the country, in the province of Santa Fé, they find the typical Santa Fe Alfajores. Easily recognizable by its glaze bath and its layers filled with dulce de leche. The secret of these sweets are their crispy dough tapaswhich are achieved by adding a pinch of fine alcohol to the preparation.
In the Mediterranean area of Córdoba, in the city of La Falda the National Alfajor Festival is celebrated every year and for this reason, this snack is the king of the province. The difference is that it has a lighter and spongier dough, it is filled with regional fruit jams and it is bathed in the typical powdered sugar and lemon icing, which gives it a crunchy texture that breaks at the first bite.
One of the characteristics of Alfajores from Mendozais that the dough is made with a percentage of ground walnuts, which gives it a unique flavor. In addition, its texture is tender and creamy. In the land of wine, there is no shortage of dulce de leche fillings and those made with Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and sparkling wines, among others.
HAVANNA- Mixed alfajores 12 units- 612 grs
Finally, in the province of Corrientes, you can enjoy alfajores based on a typical product of the area: cassava. Filled with fruit preserves, they are very fresh and have become a classic regional product. Ultimately, the history of the argentinian alfajor It is as extensive as its territory and it could well be said that they add more and more fans and followers.
Image | Photo 1: Cavan Images, Photo 2: Guillermo Spelucin Runciman, Photo 3: Guillermo Spelucin Runciman, Photo 4: Natalia SO
In DAP | Chocotorta: recipe for the classic Argentine chocolate cake (and without an oven) that everyone likes
In DAP | Creole cakes: traditional Argentine puff pastry recipe with dulce de leche or quince paste