First it was macarons that drove sane people wild, then cupcakes, freakshakes and, most recently, doughnuts. We’ve yet to discover which confection will flood our Instagram feeds next, but we’ve got high hopes for this Argentinian cookie, the alfajor.

Believed to have roots in the Middle East, the alfajor came to Argentina via Spain, where a version made with honey is still eaten at Christmas time. But the one we have in mind is made in Argentina by sandwiching dulce de leche between two cookies. What makes it so special, you ask?

The dulce de leche

Dulce de leche is a creamy Argentinian caramel. There are several legends about its invention, but a common thread suggests that the dish has its roots in an overcooked batch of la lechada, a drink of warm milk and sugar. Made the traditional way, it consists of milk and sugar, which are slowly boiled down over seven hours until the Maillard reaction takes place, when the sugars react with the amino acids to caramelise. If you don’t have seven hours to spare, it’s possible to make it by simmering a closed can of condensed milk for two or three hours in a pot of water. The result is a kind of caramel that coats the inside of the mouth to give unadulterated joy.

The cookies

The vehicles for this fantastical sauce are two uniquely tender and crumbly shortbread cookies. Traditionally they’re made with corn starch, which reduces the gluten content of the cookies, making them more powdery and soft – an important quality that helps to keep the caramel contained. It is therefore fairly easy to make gluten-free alfajores. (Coco Safar in Cape Town makes a range of flavoured gluten-free alfajores using buckwheat.)

Today there are hundreds of different versions, and in Argentina there are even cafés dedicated to their creation.

Alfajoreria Merengo, a café in Santa Fe, Argentina, claims to have invented that country’s version of the alfajor in 1851. You can still find classic alfajores there, along with options dipped in chocolate, filled with fruity jam and made with honey.

Could alfajores be a contender for the dessert of 2017? We present the evidence.

1. These chocolate-dipped beauties:

A post shared by Pam Chan (@pam_chan_est_petit_morsels) on Feb 16, 2017 at 1:49pm PST

2. These glistening glories:

A post shared by The Red One Cakes (@the_red.one_cakes) on Feb 15, 2017, at 3:28pm PST

3. These coconut-crusted cookies:

A post shared by Food. Travel. Life. (@chubbychinesegirleats) on Feb 15, 2017 at 6:23am PST

4. These sugar-dusted sweethearts:

A post shared by Melao Madrid (@melao.es) on Feb 15, 2017, at 12:34am PST

5. These chocolate-dipped pretties:

A post shared by Sophie François-Mülhens (@sophiecuisine) on Feb 14, 2017 at 11:37pm PST

6. These golden-oozing treats:

A post shared by Yubiri C O C I N E R A (@yubiricocinera) on Feb 14, 2017, at 11:24am PST

7. These lovely pink hearts:

A post shared by Soffice – Sabores De Infancia (@welovesoffice) on Feb 14, 2017 at 10:54am PST

8. These perfect coils of caramel:

A post shared by Cucinami, amore! (@cucinamiamore) on Feb 13, 2017, at 1:59pm PST

9. These chocolate-dipped, gluten-free beauties:

You may have thought that these are macaroons…Well, they are not! They are our joyful Safarjores, which is our original take on the traditional Alfajore – a popular and much loved baked confectionery from Argentina. We have reinvented them with buckwheat as a glorious gluten-free delight, glazed with a delightful array of interesting chocolate flavours. But beware: they are addictive! #safarjores #cocosafarsa #glutenfree

A post shared by CocoSafarSA (@cocosafarsa) on Nov 8, 2016 at 8:48am PST

10. And these glorious rings of happiness:

A post shared by Rachel Lipkin | Baker (@rachelsbakelab) on Feb 13, 2017 at 9:49am PST

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