Name: Alfajores
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 250 gm butter, softened; 125 gm pure icing sugar, sifted; 1 lemon, finely grated rind only; 1 tsp ground aniseed (see note); 1 egg yolk; 20 ml dry sherry; 1 tsp lemon juice; 250 gm plain flour

Alfajores

Australian Gourmet Traveller Spanish recipe for alfajores.

Serves 6

Prep

20M

Cook

20M

Total

40M

These classic Spanish shortbreads are the perfect accompaniment to coffee or a glass of sherry.

Makes about 24 biscuits

Ingredients

250 gm butter, softened

125 gm pure icing sugar, sifted

1 lemon, finely grated rind only

1 tsp ground aniseed (see note)

1 egg yolk

20 ml dry sherry

1 tsp lemon juice

250 gm plain flour

Method

Main

1.Beat butter, 40gm icing sugar, lemon rind and aniseed in an electric mixer until pale and creamy (7-8 minutes). Scrape down sides of bowl, add egg yolk, sherry and lemon juice and beat to combine. Sieve in flour, stir to combine then turn onto a lightly floured surface, shape into a disc, cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm (1 hour).

2.Preheat oven to 150C. Roll dough on a lightly floured surface to 1cm thick, cut out rounds with a 4cm-diameter cutter and place on baking paper-lined oven trays. Re-roll scraps and repeat. Bake until light brown (15-20 minutes), cool slightly, then sieve remaining sugar over biscuits. Cool completely and roll in extra sugar. Store in an airtight container, covered liberally with sugar, for up to a week.