Alfajores

Cookies:
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 small bag finely shredded coconut (optional)

Filling:
1 can sweetened condensed milk (I just buy the Dulce de Leche - I like to eat it on French bread)

For filling, place an unopened can of sweetened condensed milk in a large pan and cover completely with water. Bring to a boil. Turn heat down to medium, cover pan, and continue boiling for four hours. Make sure that the water ALWAYS stays above the top of the can or the can may explode. You may add more water periodically if you need to. After four hours, remove the can from the pan of water and let cool. The milk in the can has now turned to dulce de leche.

For cookies, heat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter with sugar. Add flour and mix until the dough holds together. Roll dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut into small (1-1/2 inch) circles. Bake cookies for 10 minutes on ungreased cookie sheet. Cool cookies.

Open can of sweetened condensed milk and spread about one Tablespoon of dulce de leche on the bottom of one cookie. Put another cookie on top so that the bottoms of the cookies are facing each other. Optional: spread more dulce de leche around the edge of the assembled cookie, and roll edge in finely shredded coconut. Makes 2-3 dozen assembled cookies.