Alfajores are traditional confections found in many parts of South America. Traditional Peruvian alfajores are made up of two round, sweet biscuits made of cornstarch and joined together with dulce de leche, and coated with powdered sugar.

Ingredients: 

1 can of sweetened condensed milk

1 can of evaporated milk

¾ cup of all-purpose flour

1 ¼ cups of cornstarch

½ cup of unsalted butter

1 cup of powdered sugar

¼ tablespoon of vanilla extract

Salt

Preparation: 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or use nonstick baking mats; set aside.

To make the dulce de leche: Pour the condensed milk and evaporated milk into a thick-bottomed pot and cook over low heat, stirring continuously until you can see the bottom of the pot. Remove and let cool.

Separately, sift the flour with the cornstarch and a pinch of salt; set aside. With an electric mixer, beat the butter and half of the powdered sugar until you achieve a creamy texture. Add the vanilla essence and, then, the mixture of flour, cornstarch, and salt. Knead the dough with your fingertips until you achieve a smooth dough. Refrigerate.

Use the rolling pin to stretch the dough on top of a floured surface and cut circles out of it using a circular stencil or the top of a cup. Arrange these discs on the baking sheets and leave in the oven for about twenty minutes. Remove and let the cookies cool. Spread a hearty layer of dulce de leche on top of one of the cookies and place another one on top (almost like a sandwich). Sprinkle the remaining powdered sugar on the tops of the cookie sandwiches.

This recipe comes from http://menuperu.elcomercio.pe/recetas/alfajores-1937 and was translated from Spanish to English.