Cream the butter and sugar very thoroughly in a food processor.
Add the eggs in one at a time, beating until incorporated, then add the vanilla essence and lemon zest.
Incorporate the dry sifted ingredients into the butter mix (starch, flour and baking powder).
Fold the mix together with a spatula being very careful not to overwork the dough. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT EVERY LITTLE PART OF THE WET INGREDIENTS ARE MIXED INTO THE FLOUR (when Norali gave me this method this bit was in capitals so take note, we should do as she says!)
Without kneading the dough at all, bring the dough into a ball and wrap it in clingfilm. Chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of two hours.
Roll out on a floured countertop leaving 1/2 inch thick (if the dough is too hard wait a few minutes for it to come to room temperature).
We used a cutter about 3 cm in diameter, to cut rounds out of the dough.
Arrange the slightly separated circles on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
Bake in a preheated oven 200°C for the first 5 minutes and then lower to 160 °/180º. They should be dried while remaining without browning. Watch them carefully, they will take perhaps between 6 and 8 mins depending on your oven. You take them out as soon as the tops are starting to crisp, but while they are still blond. Don’t let them brown at all! Check they are cooked on the base though.
Let the cookies cool on the baking trays.
When cool, we sandwich them together with dulce de leche. Use a piping bag if you can to pipe the caramel firmly but also gently into the centre of one biscuit, be generous with the filling. Then press another biscuit on top, gently rotating it to help spread the filling evenly.
Finally roll in the desiccated coconut.
And there you have it, traditional Alfajores as made by a famous and highly experienced pastry chef. Please have a go yourselves, you’ll need to concentrate but the reward is sooooo worth it!!!
