Matamis na bao is a Filipino coconut jam that you’d typically spread on your toast on a slow Sunday morning. It’s velvety and rich and tastes delicious on anything really. That’s what got me to wondering how it would pair with the crumbly shortbread of alfajores. It’s a delicious sandwich cookie with variations from all over South America. One of my favorite bloggers, A Cozy Kitchen, posted this recipe of Peruvian-style alfajores and it’s a perfect vehicle for matamis na bao.
While I do love a good dulce de leche or manjar blanco, there’s something so decadent about not only having a coconut jam as a filling but rolling the cookies in desiccated coconut as well. While the desiccated coconut offers an extra layer of flavor, it’s also a third textural component that goes well with the creaminess of the matamis na bao.
If you want to forgo the step of making your own matamis na bao, that’s totally fine! You can find this Lily’s brand of coconut jam at your local Filipino grocery store. It tastes delicious and you can skip the step of toiling over the stove and watching your coconut cream and sugar mixture like a hawk. Admittedly, that is probably the hardest part of the process. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve burned a batch because I took my eye off of the pot.
I love the way that alfajores melt in your mouth when you bite into them. It’s heavenly! You really can’t stop yourself from eating just one.
Matamis na Bao Alfajores
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 large egg yolk
For the Matamis na Bao (Makes 2 cups):
- 4 cups coconut cream
- 8 pandan leaves, tied into knots
- 2 cups coconut sugar
For Assembly:
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/3 cup dessicated coconut
Instructions
For the Cookies:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, sifted cornstarch, powdered sugar and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth. Next, add the egg yolk and mix just until incorporated.
- Add all of the flour mixture and mix it on low speed, until combined, about 1 minute.
- Scoop the dough out of the bowl and form it into a ball. Place it in the center of a sheet of plastic wrap and press it into about a 2-inch round. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and transfer to the fridge to chill for about 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- When it’s done resting, in the fridge, transfer the dough to the center of a sheet of parchment. Roll it out slowly until it’s about 1/4-inch thick.
- Using a 2.5-inch cookie cutter, stamp out the cookies, having them as close to each other as possible. With a spatula, transfer them to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat until you work your way through all of the dough.
- Score the tops of the cookies with a fork. Transfer to the oven to bake for about 11 to 13 minutes, until the cookies are a bit firm to the touch but have zero color on the edges. These cookies are baked just until set. Allow to cool on the baking sheets until room temperature.
For the Matamis na Bao:
- In a non-stick saucepan over medium heat, combine coconut cream, pandan knots and coconut sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently until sugar is dissolved and mixture is well-blended.
- When mixture has come to a boil, promptly reduce heat to low and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until mixture darkens and thickens (about 8-12 minutes). To check for doneness, drop a teaspoonful into a bowl of cold water. If the mixture forms a soft ball in the cold water but flattens when removed, it is ready.
- Remove pandan knots. Transfer jam into clean jars and seal completely.
- Allow to cool to room temperature and then store in the fridge until ready to use. Jam will continue to thicken in the fridge.
For Assembly:
- When the cookies have cooled, flip half of the cookies on their opposite side. Transfer the manjar blanco to a piping bag with a round piping tip attached. Pipe a round of matamis na bao on all of the cookies facing their opposite sides.
- Top each of the cookies with another cookie and lightly press it down. Roll the sides in the desiccated coconut.
- Store in an air-tight container or bag for up to 3 to 5 days.
