Passion Fruit Alfajores

A tropical take on a beloved South American sandwich cookie!

1 hour prep

1 hour cook

Serves 8-10

Chris Cahill

Ingredients

Dough:

100 gCornstarch

70 gSelf Raising Flour

85 mlDouble Cream

1 Medium Egg

50 gSugar

1/2 LemonLemon Zest

1 TpsVanilla Extract

Italian meringue:

Eggs 3

150 gSugar

70 mlWater

Passionfruit curd:

4 Passion Fruit

4 Eggs

150 gSugar

50 gButter

Pinch of Salt

Coating:

500 gWhite Chocolate

Oil Based Food Colouring

Traditional Alfajores are filled with Dulce de leche and rolled in coconut (and they are delish!) but instead of going down the caramel route we've opted for our own little twist! A Passion fruit curd in the center of a swirl of italian meringue, sandwiched between the classic Alfajor shortbread biscuit - then to finish dipped in a creamy white chocolate coating.

Method

Preheat oven to 180ºC and line a baking tray with parchment paper.

To make the biscuits add cornflour, flour, double cream, eggs, sugar, vanilla extract and lemon zest into a bowl and combine until a dough is formed. Roll out the dough and cut out circles. Place on baking sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes.

For the Italian Meringue boil the sugar and water to make a sugar syrup. When the sugar reaches around 110ºC beat the egg whites until fluffy. Once the sugar syrup reaches 118°C (soft-ball stage), slowly pour the syrup into the whipped whites while beating, and continue beating until the bowl cools.

To make a quick Passion Fruit curd by combining all the ingredents (Passion fruit, eggs, sugar, salt, butter) in a blender then boil over a medium heat until thickened.

Pipe a ring of meringue on a now cooled biscuit, fill the center with your curd and sandwich a second biscuit on top to form a sandwich. Place the prepared Alfajores in the fridge while you melt and colour the white chocolate and colour. Carefully dip each biscuit into the chocolate and place on baking paper to set.