One substitute of the region’s cacao is the carob tree. With its fruit, a healthy and rich flour is prepared, base of these alfajores filled with burned figs.
for 8 persons
| 1 unit | APPLE (medium-sized) |
| 70 cc. | WATER |
| 1 teaspoon | SALT |
| 2 teaspoons | BAKING POWDER |
| 35 g. | CORNSTARCH (Maicena) |
| 70 g. | CAROB TREE FLOUR |
| 70 g. | BROWN SUGAR |
| 70 cc. | SUNFLOWER OIL |
| 120 g. | WHOLE MEAL FLOUR |
Figs in syrup
| 2 kg. | FIGS (ripe) |
| 2 lt. | WATER |
| 1 kg. | SUGAR |
| 1/2 unit | LEMON ZEST |
*Dough *
In a bowl, mix the whole meal flour, the carob tree flour the cornstarch, salt and baking powder. Make a crown and in the center place the margarine, the apple and sugar (with necessary amount of water). Make a bun and keep it in the refrigerator covered for about two hours. Stretch the thick dough and make 12 little buns (press them so the turn round). Bake at 180°C., during 15 to 20 minutes and let it cool down and fill with the burned figs.
Figs
Clean the figs very well, under the cold water jet. Place the figs in a big pot covered with water and boil it till it releases part of the sticky milk. In the water surface, foam is produced in a few minutes. At that point, remove and save. In a pot pour two liters of water, in a recipient of thick bottom, add sugar and lemon peel. Then put the figs previously pricked. Cook at low heat during 2 hours (they must turn transparent). Place in a frying pan a spoonful of butter, then brown it from both sides, with a spoonful of brown sugar and finally make the “alfajores”
Figs are cultivated in the North, even though they are typical from the Mediterranean. In that region they are known since ages and they are mentioned in the Bible. Greeks loved it, maybe because it was the favorite fruit of Plato, they called it the fruit of philosophers. In the region’s provinces, it is eaten fresh, dried, in sweets or in syrup preserves.
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