caramel cookie

In many countries Are consumed caramel cookies; however, the features of this product vary by region. The term, therefore, can refer to a particular food in one nation and a very different one in a different place.

Before proceeding with the various meanings, it is interesting to analyze the etymology of the term. Alfajor comes from Hispanic Arabic fašúr, in turn derived from the Persian afšor (which can be translated as "juice"). The Persian word, for its part, has its origin in the pelvis afšurdan (translatable as "squeeze").

It is possible to find numerous types of alfajores.

The alfajor in the Spanish territory

In the bakery of Spain, the alfajor is made with honey, walnuts Y almond paste. It is a sweet that can have a cylindrical shape or that has a filling between two wafers made with wheat flour.

Alfajores are characteristic of Andalusia and are usually consumed in the Christmas season. According to historians, the alfajor was born in the gastronomy from Al Andalus, settled in Spain and later it reached the American continent with the voyages of the conquerors.

It is important to mention that, even in the set of what is known as Andalusian alfajor, there are multiple versions. When they are prepared at home level, in addition, each family usually has its own prescription.

The concept in Latin America

The Latin American alfajor it is quite different from Spanish. In fact, it presents differences according to the country and even according to the regions of each nation.

At a general level, it is about two round cookies that are united by a stuffed. Among the most popular fillings are caramel sauce, the chocolate mousse and the quince jelly. As for the cookies or tapas of the alfajor, they can be covered with chocolate, powdered sugar or Meringue, among other options.

Alfajores are pastry products that can be made in an artisanal or industrial way.

There are artisan alfajores and those of industrial elaboration. On Argentina, the alfajores that are produced in the Atlantic Coast Buenos Aires, from the hand of trademarks well known as Balcarce Y Havanna.

Continuing with the Argentine case, alfajores are sold in all supermarkets Y kiosks from the country. They are usually offered individually (wrapped in plastic) or in packages of six or twelve units.

The triple gingerbread

Although the traditional alfajor consists of two tapas, in recent years the triple alfajores. As its name implies, in this case the product It has three cookies, all joined by layers of filling.

In this way, a triple alfajor can consist of three cookies baked with dulce de leche between half of every one of them. In turn, the entire alfajor can be dipped in chocolate, covering both the bottom and top covers as well as the sides.

With cornstarch tapas

Among the types of alfajor we can also name the cornstarch alfajor. Their caps are made with starch corn and they are generally filled with dulce de leche.

One of the peculiarities of cornstarch alfajores is that they do not usually have coverage: they only have grated coconut on the sides of the filling.