Alfajores De Chocolate

Ingredients

• For the cookies:
• 1 tablespoon brandy or cognac
• 2 teaspoons instant coffee
• 3/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 6 ounces unsalted butter, softened
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 4 teaspoons honey
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus additional for shaping dough
• 1 cup cake flour
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• For the filling:
• 2 cans dulce de leche
• For the coating:
• 12 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening

Directions

1. For the cookies, stir the brandy, coffee, almond extract, and vanilla together in a small bowl, then put it aside. Beat the butter, sugar, confectioners' sugar, and orange zest on medium speed until the mixture looks pale and airy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each one. Add the honey and the coffee mixture, then mix only until everything is incorporated, stopping to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
2. Sift the flour, cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt over the butter mixture. Fold with a rubber spatula until the dough gathers together. Place plastic wrap right against the surface of the dough and chill it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
3. Set an oven rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
4. After the dough has chilled, dust your fingers lightly with flour. Scoop 1-tablespoon mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, then gently press each one into a round about 2 1/2 inches across and about 1/4 inch thick.
5. Bake the cookies, using one sheet at a time, until they have set and the tops look dry, 7 to 9 minutes. Move the baking sheets to a cooling rack and let the cookies rest until you can handle them, about 5 minutes. Transfer the cookies themselves to the rack and let them cool fully, about 15 minutes.
6. For the filling, when the cookies are cool, spread half of them with 1 heaping tablespoon dulce de leche each. Top with the remaining cookies to make sandwiches.
7. For the coating, place the semisweet chocolate, bittersweet chocolate, and shortening in a large metal bowl set over a pot of simmering water, making sure the bowl does not touch the water. Stir with a rubber spatula until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Or, put the chocolate and shortening in a large bowl and microwave for 1 to 2 minutes, pausing every 20 seconds to stir, until smooth.
8. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
9. Carefully lower one sandwich cookie into the melted chocolate. Use soup spoons to turn it gently until it is coated all over.
10. Set the coated cookie on the prepared baking sheet, then continue with the remaining cookies.
11. Move the cookies to the refrigerator and chill until the chocolate is firm, 15 to 30 minutes.