trujillo, peru. locally named “the city of eternal springtime” (la ciudad de la eterna primavera), and rightly so. very rarely does the temperature peek below 60ºf, and even rarer still does it climb above 79ºf. and as if the utopian temperature wasn’t inviting enough, trujillo is also a coastal city in the north of peru that boasts of great beach vibes and even greater seafood. but geography aside, trujillo’s enchantments are more than just the superficial. it’s a magical city of culture, boasting of notable global accolades in art, dance, and food. trujillo is the ultimate destination for cost conscious bohemians (like myself); especially if said cost conscious bohemians have an affinity for good food (as I do).

but even so, there’s more. there’s a unique temperament that the city itself conveys unlike any other city in the world, even among fellow bohemian cities. it doesn’t have the parisian irreverent, bloody revolution of effortless, authentic artistry that comes out of the oven as “timeless.” nor does it have the careless desire for barefoot beauty (for the mere sake of beauty, regardless of who’s around to see it) that flows through the veins of lisbon. the soul of trujillo is one that beckons you to pause your mind, engage your senses to rest. she wants you to just take a stroll down pizarro st., and just live in the hustle of people shopping and working. she beckons you just strike up a conversation with a stranger next to you as you enjoy a “cafe con algarrobina.” she doesn’t care for plans, and if you would let her, she’ll show you life can be just a bit more enjoyable that way sometimes.

la casona deza. one of my favorite cafes in trujillo.

and if you make these cookies, i hope you let trujillo hang out with you in the kitchen as you make them. how do you invite her in you ask? pour yourself a glass of your favorite wine. play some of your favorite music. invite someone over who is particularly gifted in the art of animated conversation. turn your phone off, and let yourself dance a little, even if you’re like me and don’t know how. she’ll be there.

these are everyone’s favorites – my “everyone” anyways. they're one of the first bakes i really got down, and i’ve easily made thousands, if not more. these buttery, crumbly bites of heaven carry with them one of my first connections to my peruvian heritage, and some of my most endearing memories of friendships. they’re sweet familiarity for me in many more ways than just food. they represent self discovery, connection, and purpose.

tldr – recipe here

peruvian alfajores

ingredients:

245g bleached all purpose flour or unbleached pastry flour

30g sifted confectioners sugar (plus more for dusting)

230g unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1 cm cubes (best quality you can find. i use kerrygold or plugra)

3g fine sea salt (1/2 tsp)

manjar blanco filling

1 14 oz tin of sweetened condensed milk.

equipment:

2 half sheet pans lined with parchment paper

5cm (2”) round or fluted biscuit cutter

sifter

rolling pin

shallow pyrex baking dish

larger pan for water bath, i use a 12” cake pan. a roasting pan works too.

piping bag and round tip (optional)

stand mixer (optional but very helpful)

method:

make the manjar blanco a day before or several hours before.

manjar blanco

1. preheat oven to 425° F (220° C). Place an oven rack in the lower third of the oven

2. pour one can (14 ounces) of sweetened condensed milk into a glass shallow baking dish, like a pie dish.

3. Place the pie plate in a larger pan, and add hot water until it reaches halfway up the side of baking dish.

4. Cover the pie plate with aluminum foil and bake for 1 to 2 hours, or until brown and caramelized.

5. remove from the oven and let cool. Once cool, whisk until smooth.

6. Store in the refrigerator until cool.

note: if you’re pressed for time or just feeling lazy, the “la lechera” brand of canned dulce de leche is an acceptable alternative. so much so, that i use it all the time and only the most discerning people can tell the difference.

cookies/assembly

1. preheat oven to 350ºF, 180º C

2. in the bowl of a stand mixer, combine flour, sifted confectioner’s sugar and salt and mix well with a whisk. attach bowl to stand mixer fitted with flat beater.

3. with mixer running on lowest speed, add cubes of cold butter, one at a time. once all butter has been added, keep mixing until dough comes together in mass. this may take a while. the mixture will first look sandy like corn meal, then small clumps will begin to form before it comes together. keep mixer at lowest speed (stir speed on a kitchenaid) and do not increase speed.

4. once dough has come together, mix for 20 seconds longer and transfer dough to a sheet of plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes (this step is optional if your butter remained cold and your dough is firm. You may otherwise proceed immediately to roll the dough out.)

5. using a rolling pin, roll the dough out in between two sheets of minimally floured parchment paper to about 3-4 mm thickness, about an 1/8 of an inch.

6. if dough is very soft at this point, chill for 15 minutes. otherwise, cut out cookies with biscuit cutter dipped in flour and transfer to baking sheets, prick each cookie with a fork 3 times

7. bake for about 20 minutes, or until cookies are a very light golden brown and firm.

8. cool completely.

9. pipe or spread about 2tsp of manjar blanco on the flat side of a cookie and sandwich with the flat side of another cookie.

10. dust assembled cookies with powdered sugar and enjoy.