Delicious Bites: Walnut Dulce de Leche Sandwich Cookies
Hi, it’s Jillian here with this month’s Delicious Bites column. You know, even though I like to eat chocolate and I bake with chocolate all the time for others, I rarely eat chocolate desserts. However caramel is a completely different story. I just love it! So today I’m bringing you a recipe for walnut cookies sandwiched with caramel.
These cookies were supposed to be pecan dulce de leche sandwich cookies. When I checked my cupboard, the bag of pecans I thought were there were in fact walnuts left over from last month’s Plum Crumble Cake. The weather in Sydney last weekend was just awful and I couldn’t face walking back to the shops in the wind and rain just to get pecans, so I used what I had. I think toasted almonds or macadamias would also work really well in this recipe if that’s what you have lurking in your pantry.
The cookie dough is quick to make but it’s really soft so don’t be tempted to skip the fridge time as it will make slicing the cookie dough impossible. If you don’t feel like making sandwich cookies, you can roll the still warm cookies in icing sugar (confectioner’s sugar) soon after they come out of the oven to make Mexican wedding cakes.
Dulce de leche is hard to find in Sydney so I made some myself at home using a tin of sweetened condensed milk. Dulce de leche is really easy to make so I’ve included the instructions for you. I’m warning you it’s really delicious and a bit addictive. I think I ate more licking the spoon than made its way into the jar.
Here are the recipes for you.
Walnut Dulce de Leche Sandwich Cookies
Makes about 40 filled cookies
Ingredients
250 g (8 oz) unsalted butter
1/3 cup caster sugar
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
300 g (2 cups) plain flour, sifted
125 g (4 oz) finely chopped toasted walnuts
Additional ¼ cup finely chopped toasted walnuts
1/2 cup dulce de leche
Preparation
In large bowl, beat together the butter, caster sugar, brown sugar and vanilla until fluffy. In separate bowl, stir together flour, the 125 gm of finely chopped walnuts and stir into butter mixture to make a smooth dough. Divide the dough in half; form each into 1½ inch (4 cm) wide log. Roll each log in the additional finely chopped walnuts, pressing so they stick to the cookie dough. Wrap each log in kitchen paper and refrigerate for 1 hour or you can freeze the logs at this stage to use later.
Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F). Line 2 trays with baking paper. Cut the logs into ¼ inch (5 mm) thick slices and arrange 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart on the prepared baking trays. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes.
Transfer the cookies to a wire rack; let cool completely before storing in an airtight container. Just before serving, spread the bases of half the cookies with about 1/2 tsp of dulce de leche for each cookie. I used a piping bag but a knife or teaspoon will do fine. Top with remaining cookies to make sandwiches.
Homemade Dulce de Leche
1 x 395 gm tin condensed milk
Preheat the oven to 220° C (425° F).
Pour the tin of sweetened condensed milk into a shallow baking dish. Set the baking dish into a larger pan, and add hot water until it reaches halfway up the side of the baking dish. Tightly cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 1 1/2 hours. Add more water to the roasting pan as necessary. Once the condensed milk is nicely browned, remove the dish from the oven and let cool. Once cool, whisk the caramel until smooth before spooning into a sterilized jar. Store the dulce de leche in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
I hope you like the cookies. I’ll be back again next month with another recipe for you, so see you all then – Jillian
(text/images: jillian leiboff)
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March 22nd, 2013 at 5:26pm
Glad to hear about argentinean dulce de leche in your blog !!!
One of the yummiest things in the world !!!
Isabel
Isabel Magnasco´s last [type] ..You are my wild
March 22nd, 2013 at 8:18pm
Oohh that looks delicious! Trying it out this weekend :)
Thanks for sharing!
Catherine
March 22nd, 2013 at 9:00pm
Oh Jillian! These look divine. Perfect for the ridiculous weather we were having in Sydney. I love the way you made the caramel, on the stove scares me a bit but the oven sounds a bit safer. I’ll have to give it a go. :)
Kylie @ All Things Lovely´s last [type] ..Freedom’s New Style
March 22nd, 2013 at 11:59pm
Looks delicious !!! I will try it
Cintia Soto´s last [type] ..Food styling
March 23rd, 2013 at 1:05am
Dulce de leche is part of the traditional food in Uruguay and Argentina, we love it! every dessert comes with dulce de leche! sometimes people of other places think it is too sweet but we can’t live without it. It’s great to combine it with nuts and chocolat. Your cookies have to be delicious!
lucia´s last [type] ..Slideshow
March 23rd, 2013 at 8:38am
Gonna try them! :)
Miss Drawingdream´s last [type] ..Dancing Woman
March 23rd, 2013 at 11:48am
The biscuits look delicious but I would just love some of those bottles!
Louise Houghton´s last [type] ..Let’s Get Pretty Nostalgic – Pretty Gorgeous, too!
March 24th, 2013 at 4:48am
Yum indeed. Love dulce de leche and can’t wait to make these cookies.
Anya @ SAS-does´s last [type] ..CREPE PAPER BEAD GARLAND
March 24th, 2013 at 3:38pm
When my husband is not traveling, he brings treats into the office every Monday. He’s home today, I’m pleased to say I’m making these treats now. Dough cooling, Milk baking. :)
Thanks for the great recipe!
Mari Partyka´s last [type] ..Challenge: the ripple effect
March 24th, 2013 at 10:23pm
These are called ‘alfajores’ in Peru, I love that you offer a delicious alternative with walnuts, more texture and flavor. Yum, indeed!
Marjory´s last [type] ..A prayer for the liberation of woman, earth, life
March 25th, 2013 at 2:35am
@Louise Houghton: @Louise Houghton:
Hi Louise,
I bought them in a Melbourne store called Scout. I think they’re originally from the UK so you might find one round and about.
J
Jillian Leiboff´s last [type] ..pesach white chocolate fig pecan cookies
March 25th, 2013 at 2:38am
@Kylie @ All Things Lovely: Hi Kylie,
So much safer than boiling a tin and keeping your fingers crossed it doesn’t explode!
J
Jillian Leiboff´s last [type] ..pesach white chocolate fig pecan cookies
March 25th, 2013 at 1:36pm
I think I’ll skip the cookie bit and go straight for the filling!!!
March 25th, 2013 at 7:19pm
This recipe looks amazing!
I grew up in Argentina eating dulce de leche all the time. Don’t have it as much here in NYC.
Adri
Adri´s last [type] ..A Day {Dream} in…Venice
April 5th, 2013 at 1:48pm
Oh wow!! Thank you Jillian. I think I’ll treat my workshoppers to these this weekend if I can successfully bake them!
April 10th, 2013 at 6:18am
hello good evening!
a simple recipe for dulce de leche, which we use here in Brazil:
a tin of condensed milk, place the tin in closed pressure cooker and then give it pressure cook for 25 minutes let cool. ready the dulce de leche. Hugs.