Two halves and a heart of dulce de leche
An alfajor is two round, tender biscuits joined by a generous layer of dulce de leche and finished with a coating: chocolate, grated coconut, icing sugar or nuts. That simple, and that hard to get right.
In Argentina the alfajor is everywhere: at the corner kiosk, in the school lunchbox, after a meal with coffee and as the gift you bring back from a trip. It is estimated that the country eats more than a billion a year. It is, without argument, the national sweet.
Where it comes from
The word alfajor comes from the Arabic al-hasú, "the filling", and arrived in Spain with the Moors. The Spanish alfajor, from Andalusia, is something else: a bar of honey, almonds and spices. It crossed the Atlantic with the colonisers and was completely transformed on the Río de la Plata. In the 19th century, in Córdoba and Santa Fe, the first "two-half" alfajores with dulce de leche appeared, and from there they spread across the whole country.
Every region has its own:
Marplatenses
Thick chocolate coating. The most famous.
Santafesinos
Three thin layers and a white glaze.
Cordobeses
Filled with fruit.
Cornstarch
Melt in your mouth, coconut around the edge.
The alfajores at Patagonien
At Patagonien we make our alfajores by hand, in Nuremberg, following Argentine recipes. The biscuits are baked here, the dulce de leche is piped on one by one, and the coating is done by hand. These are our varieties:
- Cornstarch (maicena). The softest: cornstarch dough, dulce de leche and grated coconut around the edge. Ideal with a coffee.
- White, dark or milk chocolate. Cocoa dough with dulce de leche and a chocolate coating. The Mar del Plata classic, in three versions.
- Walnut. With walnuts around the edge, more rustic and with texture.
- Almond. With almonds, a little finer.
- Gluten-free. For those who cannot eat wheat, without giving up the dulce de leche.
You can see them with photos on the alfajores page, and prices and allergens are on the menu.
As a gift or for an event? We put together alfajores boxes to order, in the size you need. Pick-up at the café. More under orders for events.
How to eat an alfajor
There are no rules, but there are habits. In Argentina an alfajor is eaten by hand, at any time of day, and almost always with something hot: a coffee, a mate or a tea. The cornstarch one crumbles a little, that is part of its charm. The chocolate one keeps better and survives travel, which is why it is the one people take as a gift.
They keep well for a few days at room temperature, in a cool, closed place. In the fridge the chocolate turns white and the biscuit hardens, so better not.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an alfajor and a filled biscuit?
The proportions. In an alfajor the dulce de leche is the star, not a thin filling, and the biscuit is tender and melts, not crunchy.
Alfajor or alfajores?
"Alfajor" is the singular and "alfajores" the plural. One alfajor, two alfajores.
Do you have vegan alfajores?
Not at the moment: dulce de leche is made from milk. We do have a gluten-free option.
Can I take them to another city?
Orders are picked up at the café. The chocolate alfajores keep for several days without a fridge, so they travel well.
Come and try them
Come to Patagonien at Kressenstraße 33 and try a cornstarch alfajor with a coffee. If you have never had one, start there. And if you are already a fan, we have six varieties to compare.
