Empanadas Dulces (Alfajores Style)

I love alfajores (who wouldn't?).  The delicious combination of dulce de leche, toasted coconut, and cornmeal-style shortbread is almost too much to handle.  So why not turn this delectable cookie into a larger dessert empanada?  My thoughts, exactly.

These empanadas couldn't get much easier.  Make your empanada dough, roll it out, fill it with dulce de leche, and top with a toasted coconut sugar.

It has nothing to do with South America or empanadas, but one of my superfluous summer goals for 2014 was to listen to more early Black Sabbath.  I found their self-titled debut album on vinyl yesterday in Richmond at Steady Sounds, so here's "N.I.B.", live from Paris in 1970.

Ingredients:

For the dough:
--3/4 c. all-purpose flour
--1/2 c. yellow corn flour (not to be confused with cornstarch!)
--2 tbsp. granulated sugar
--1/2 c. butter, chopped and chilled
--1/4 c. ice water
--1 egg yolk

For the rest:
--1/4 c. turbinado sugar
--1/4 c. sweetened coconut
--1 egg, beaten
--1 jar dulce de leche

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a food processor (or in a bowl using a pastry blender), combine the dough ingredients.  Immediately roll out onto a floured surface until the dough is about 1/8" thick.  Cut the dough into circles with a diameter of approximately 6-8" (you can use a small plate or saucer to do this).  Place the circles between parchment and chill in the fridge until you're ready to use them.

Now for the topping.  In your food processor, combine 1/4 c. turbinado sugar and 1/4 c. sweetened coconut.  Pulse the sugar and coconut mixture until it's very finely ground.  Set aside.

Remove your empanada dough circles from the fridge and fill each with about 2 tbsp. dulce de leche on one side of the circle.  Fold the dough over the dulce de leche filling, creating half moons.  Now you need to seal the empanadas.  To make a braided seal, or repulge, take a look at this short video.  (*Note: if you're having trouble making the braided seal, you can pinch the edges firmly.)

Brush your egg wash over the tops of the empanadas and generously sprinkle your sugar and coconut mixture.  On a parchment-lined baking sheet, place 6 empanadas at a time.  Bake for approximately 25 minutes.  If the crusts are turning golden, they're overdone.  You only want the coconut to begin to toast before you take them out of the oven.  When they're done, remove from oven and allow to cool before serving (the filling will be *extremely* hot!).  Store in an airtight container.