Around the World in 80 Plates: Buenos Aires, Argentina

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by Hannah (BitterSweet)
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These past few weeks of constant culinary travel really did wear me out, so I can only imagine how the chefs actually making the trek must feel! After a much needed one week intermission, we’re back on the road again, pounding the pavement in search of new edible inspiration. Today, our path brings us to Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Buenos Aires, alive with bright colors and lively music through all hours of the day, immediately brings to mind tango dances and beautiful beaches, but desserts? Not so much. Luckily, there does seem to be a universal craving just beneath the surface, and everyone from school children to their grandparents can agree that dulce de leche is pretty much the unofficial sweet spread of this capital city, and beyond.

Whereas peanut butter or nutella might be commonplace on breakfast toast in the US, you’re much more likely to find a sticky jar of caramelized milk jam on the table here. It truly shines, of course, when it comes time for dessert, and that often means wedged between two delicate shortbread cookies in the form of alfajores. Though found in many parts of South America, there’s a good amount of variation between cultures, with some containing no gooey dulce de leche filling at all. Argentinians win the honor of calling Alfajores their own, by my own estimation, since they firmly hold the title as the world’s largest consumer of those addictive sugary sandwiches.

Still in the grip of a killer heat wave back at home, all I can think about are chilled, frozen, or otherwise cooling treats, so ice cream is still front and center on my mind. Whipping up a dulce de leche-flavored creamy concoction with the help of my coconut milk-based Dulce de Coco from Vegan Desserts, the rest of the plated dessert came together effortlessly. The plated version pictured above includes a fluffy crown of whipped coconut creme and long ribbons of toasted coconut flakes, calling to mind the optional dip in coconut flakes that some alfajores take, and harmonizing beautifully with the subtle coconut essence of the ice cream. No need to get so fancy if the heat becomes too much to bear; Just slap a scoop of the ice cream between two cookies, roll in coconut flakes like the original, and you’re good to go.

Yield: Makes 6 Plated Desserts, with Extras for Nibbling

Ice Cream Alfajores

Ice Cream Alfajores

Alfajores typically take rich dulce de leche and sandwich it between two delicate shortbread cookies, but in this elegant plated dessert, those flavors are re-imagined as a decadent caramel ice cream with a fluffy crown of whipped coconut creme and toasted coconut flakes, calling to mind the optional dip in coconut flakes that some alfajores take.

Ingredients

Dulce de Coco Ice Cream:

  • 1 Cup Dulce de Coco (Vegan Desserts, page 213) or Store-Bought Vegan Dulce De Leche
  • 2 1/3 Cups Plain Non-Dairy Milk
  • 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
  • 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Salt

Shortbread Cookies:

  • 5 Tablespoons Vegan Butter
  • 1/3 Cup Granulated Sugar
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Lemon Zest
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 1/8 Teaspoon Almond Extract
  • 3/4 Cup Cornstarch
  • 1/2 Cup + 2 Tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 Tablespoon Arrowroot
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
  • 2 – 3 Tablespoons Full-Fat Coconut Milk

Garnish:

  • Additional Dulce de Coco
  • Whipped Coconut Cream
  • Lightly Toasted Coconut Chips
  • Mint Leaves and Nasturtium Blossoms or Other Edible Flowers (Optional)

Instructions

  1. Beginning with the ice cream, be sure to have the dulce de coco prepared and fully cooled in advance. Whisk it into the non-dairy milk in a medium saucepan, and vigorously beat in the cornstarch as well, ensuring that all lumps of starch are broken up and incorporated. Set the pan over medium heat on the stove, and whisk occasionally, until it comes to a full, rolling boil.
  2. Turn off the heat before stirring in the vanilla and salt. Let cool to room temperature before thoroughly chilling the mixture in the fridge, for at least 3 hours. Freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
  3. When finished churning, smooth the still soft, freshly churned into silicon hemisphere molds for a plated presentation, or simply transfer to an air-tight container. Store in the freeze to set up solidly; at least 5 hours, to be certain that it won’t immediately melt on the plate.
  4. Meanwhile, to make the cookies, preheat your oven to 325 degrees and line two baking sheets with silpats or parchment paper. Set aside.
  5. In your stand mixer, beat the vegan butter briefly to soften, and then cream it together with the sugar. Beat thoroughly until homogeneous, and then add in the zest and both extracts. Mix to incorporate.
  6. Separately, whisk together all of the remaining dry ingredients in a large bowl. Incorporate them into the stand mixer with the speed on low in two additions. Scrape down the sides of the work bowl as needed, to ensure that everything is being mixed in smoothly.
  7. Finally, drizzle in the coconut milk 1 tablespoon at a time, just until the dough comes together when pressed. It should be a fairly firm, almost crumbly dough, so don’t go crazy with the added liquid. If it’s too sticky, it won’t roll out properly.
  8. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface, and use a rolling pin to flatten it out to about 1/8th of an inch in thickness. Cut out rounds with a 2 3/4- or 3-inch fluted cookie cutter, and transfer the shapes to your prepared baking sheets. Bake one sheet at a time for about 15 minutes, until the tops of the cookies no longer look moist, but not so long that they look browned. The finished cookies should remain very pale.
  9. Cool completely on wire racks, and chill further before applying the ice cream.
  10. To make a simple ice cream sandwich, just take one shortbread cookie, plop a scoop of the ice cream on top, and finish it off with one more cookie. You can wrap them individually and store them in the freezer, to be doled out as desired.
  11. For the plated presentation, start by piping out a few decorative dollops of coconut whipped cream on top of one cookie, and artfully sticking a handful of the toasted coconut chips into it. Place a second cookie on the plate, and pop out one hemisphere of solidly frozen ice cream.
  12. Stack the ice cream puck on the plain cookie, and carefully balance the decorated cookie on top. If it threatens to slide off, lightly melt the top of the ice cream dome with a hot knife or metal spatula, just enough to flatten out the peak slightly. Finally, garnish the plate with additional dulce de coco, mint leaves, and nasturtiums if desired.

Notes

There's no need to make your treats so fancy; Just slap a scoop of the ice cream between two cookies, roll in coconut flakes, and you’re good to go.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 477Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 272mgCarbohydrates: 68gFiber: 1gSugar: 45gProtein: 8g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimations.

© Hannah Kaminsky
Cuisine: Argentinian / Category: Frozen Desserts

21 thoughts on “Around the World in 80 Plates: Buenos Aires, Argentina”

  2. How amazing looking! The whole thing looks delectable, but I find myself wishing for a big ol’ bag of those coconut chips to munch on right now :)

  4. I am so loving Around the World in 80 Plates. It’s my current fave show on TV! And what a fabulous dessert. Gorgeous details and you must have the steadiest hands! So perfect!

  10. That’s true though, the first thing that comes to mind when someone mentions Argentina, is their meat entrees. But this looks delicious! At first glance, I thought the center was a chocolate covered marshmallow.

  11. so incredibly pretty. i had never heard of ice Cream Alfajores. the platter and the plating is gorgeous!
    i just took a week off too and now trying to get back to the old schedule..

  12. 1. No joke, I was singing along to the “What’s new, Beunos Aires! I’m new! I’m gonna say I’m just a little stuck on you!” song from Evita when I clicked over to Google Reader and found your post. TWINSIES!

    2. The photo/dessert makes me think of the dancing mushrooms in Fantasia.

    3. Less than one month. Oh my heavens.

  14. This is gorgeous — that surface you used in the photo is incredible! It gives the dessert such a calming, refreshing feel. Love the flavors in it too…your milk-based Dulce de Coco sounds delicious!

  16. Hannah, you always amazes me, every time when visiting your site I leave inspired by your recipe and pictures…this one again looks amazing.
    Hope you are enjoying your week :)

  17. Around the World in 80 Plates is a very interesting show. It takes a show like Top Chef and takes it to a new level. The food is interesting, the challenges are good, and the contestants on the show each bring a little something extra. I’ve always been a fan of cooking shows because they are a great example of what not to do in the kitchen and they also bring out techniques of each person. The show airs when I’m at work so a Dish co-worker recommended the remote access app for Smartphones. It allows me to stream live TV as well as what I’ve already recorded through the Sling Adapter and it works great with my Hopper. Now when I’m eating my sandwich and dreaming of a better dinner I can watch the show and avoid boredom too. I wonder what tasty recipes they will come up with on tonight’s episode.

  19. Visiting a new bakery is one of my favourite things in the world. I love your take on alfajores, I’m not sure you can really beat an ice cream sandwich for pure joy and enjoyment.

  20. Wow! So delicious!! I’m looking for an ice cream maker, do you have any recommendations?? I’m gonna ask for one for my birthday. haha. Love your blog!! I’ve heard of some Cuisinart ice cream makers, but I wanted to see if you had any recommendations for a different one, and which specific maker do you have? Thanks!!

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