Cooking Chilean: Alfrajores

Manjar:
Take 1 can of sweetened condensed milk and pierce lid with a bottle opener or can opener. Simmer pierced can in a water bath, with water just below top of can, for approximately two hours, adding water to the bath as necessary. Allow to cool completely. Note: depending on the consistency you desire, the cooking times may vary; use a toothpick to sample the manjar as it cooks.

Shortbread Cookies:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar 
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 

Directions:

In a separate bowl whisk the flour with the salt. Set aside. 

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter until smooth and creamy (about 1 minute). Add the sugar and beat until smooth (about 2 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract. Gently stir in the flour mixture just until incorporated. Flatten the dough into a disk shape, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill the dough for at least an hour or until firm.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) with the rack in the middle of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough into a 1/4 inch (.6 cm) thick circle. Cut into rounds or other shapes using a lightly floured cookie cutter. Place on the prepared baking sheets and place in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes. (This will firm up the dough so the cookies will maintain their shape when baked.) Bake for 8 - 10 minutes, or until cookies are very lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.

Create sandwich cookies with the manjar and shortbread cookies. Double the cookie recipe if you desire to use all the manjar.