Dairy-Free Alfajores

About this dish

Classic alfajores lean on two dairy staples — butter in the dough and dulce de leche, itself boiled-down milk and sugar, in the filling. This version swaps both for coconut: coconut oil gives the shortbread the same short, sandy crumb, and a slow-cooked coconut milk caramel stands in for dulce de leche, closer in spirit than you'd expect since both are really just sugar cooked until it deepens. Alfajores themselves trace back to Moorish Spain, 'al-fahu' meaning 'the filling', and crossed the Atlantic to become one of Argentina's most-loved sweets.

• Vegan
• Lactose-free
• Contains gluten because of Plain flour

• 150gPlain flour
• 300gCornstarch
• 2tspBaking powder
• 150gCoconut oil
• 230gCaster sugar
• 400mlFull-fat coconut milk
• 2tspVanilla extract
• 150gDesiccated coconut

Instructions

1. 1

   Simmer the coconut milk with half the sugar over low heat, stirring often, until it turns a deep amber caramel, about 20 minutes.

   20 min

   Tip: Low and slow is what thickens it without scorching the coconut milk's natural sugars — walk away and it catches fast in the last five minutes.

2. 2

   Beat the coconut oil with the remaining sugar and the vanilla, then work in the flour, cornstarch and baking powder to a soft, slightly sticky dough.

   10 min

   Tip: Mix just until it comes together — overworking a cornstarch-heavy dough toughens what should stay tender and sandy.

3. 3

   Roll the dough to a finger's thickness, cut small rounds, and bake until pale gold at the edges but still soft in the centre, about 12 minutes.

   12 min

   Tip: Pull them while they still look underdone — they firm up entirely as they cool, and a golden cookie here is an overbaked one.

4. 4

   Sandwich pairs of cooled cookies with a spoonful of the coconut caramel and roll the sticky edge in desiccated coconut.

   5 min

   Tip: Only the edge, not the whole cookie — rolling the rim is what makes the coconut shell up and catch the eye, not just coat it.