Apparently, this dish was invented as a promotion by the manufacturers of Chocolinas, a new range of chocolate biscuits, as recently as 1980. However, it's so embedded in the Argentine culinary repertoire it feels like it's been around forever, and I was surprised not to find it in Grandma's cookbook. Quite simply, it involves dipping chocolate biscuits in liquid and layering with a mix of dulce de leche and cream cheese. I mean, a 9 year old could do it... (he's actually a very good cook!)
The biscuit dipping liquid was originally milk or chocolate milk, but a common variation I like uses coffee; you could also add a shot of kahlua to spice things up a bit. If you're not in Argentina, Chocolinas are available in Spanish supermarkets like Garcia's in Notting Hill, or you can use Oreos instead (you didn't hear that from me). And if you can't find dulce de leche, boil a can of condensed milk to make a rich caramel sauce.
Ingredients
280g cream cheese
280g dulce de leche
2 packets of chocolinas
1 cup fresh, cooled black coffee (I made espresso but instant would be fine)
1 shot of kahlua (optional. I added it)
Method
1. Thoroughly whip together the cream cheese and dulce de leche.
2. Mix the kahlua (if using) into the coffee, then soak the chocolinas one by one for 10-20 seconds so they're softened but not falling apart (note for Brits: if you're a tea dunker, you'll nail this bit). Line up along the bottom of a rectangular dish.
3. When you have a complete layer of biscuits, add a third of the cream cheese mix and spread over the biscuits.
4. Repeat the layers twice more, finishing with a layer of cream cheese mix
5. Dust the top with some grated chocolate or crumbled biscuits and chill for a couple of hours to firm up.
Best served with a sweet tooth and a hot beverage - maybe some mate for a true Argentinian experience.
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