Alfajores Tart with Cream Cheese

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If you like Alfajores cookies, you’re gonna love the alfajores tart! It’s made of a golden buttery short crust pastry filled with dulce de leche and whipped cream cheese and toasted coconut. A delicious treat that’s also perfect for Shavuot.

Alfajores Tart with Cream Cheese

Photo: Efrat Lichtenstadt



Alfajores Tart with Cream Cheese

For short crust pastry:

  • 140 grams (1 cup) all-purpose flour
  • 40 grams (4 tbsp.) cornstarch
  • 120 grams (1 stick) cold butter (cut into cubes)
  • 50 grams (5 tbsp.) icing sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1-2 tbsp. cold milk (as needed)

For the filling:

  • 200-300 grams Dulce de Leche
  • 210 grams (1 pack) cream cheese
  • 250 ml. (1 cup) cold heavy cream
  • 2 tbsp. sugar powder
  • 1 tsp. instant vanilla pudding powder
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Decoration:

  • 20-30 grams toasted shredded coconut
  1. Crust: in a food processor with a steel blade put flour, cornstarch, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and salt and process until mixture is crumbly.
  2. Add egg yolk and continue to process just until large clumps of dough form. If the dough is not setting, gradually add a little milk.
  3. Transfer the dough chunks on a lightly floured work surface and form a disc-shape with your hands.
  4. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour.
  5. Roll out the dough on a floured work surface about 3-4 mm thick and line the pie pan. It is important to create a right angle between the sides and the base of the crust, which will ensure the edges remain high when baking.
  6. Using a fork create holes in the crust. Freeze the crust for about an hour.
  7. Preheat oven to 170c degrees.
  8. Blind baking: put a sheet of heat-resistant plastic wrap or baking paper on the frozen crust and fill with dry beans or special weights for baking.
  9. Bake for about 12-14 minutes.
  10. Remove the weights and the plastic wrap and continue to bake the crust for about 10-15 minutes or until it is golden brown.
  11. Cool completely at room temperature.
  12. Spread Dulce de Leche over the baked crust in a thin layer.
  13. Cheese filling: in a mixer bowl whip cream cheese, heavy cream, powdered sugar, cream stabilizer and vanilla on high speed until creamy and very stable.
  14. Transfer the cream cheese into a piping bag fitted with a round 2 cm piping tip, and pipe mounds of cream over the Dulce de Leche layer.
  15. Garnish with toasted coconut and serve.
  • Keep the alfajores tart in a closed container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
  • Instead of cream cheese you can use mascarpone.

Alfajores Tart with Cream Cheese

Photo: Efrat Lichtenstadt