Step 1

In a bowl of a stand mixer combine all the ingredients for the shells (230 grams butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, 3 egg yolks, 2 ½ cups flour, 1 tsp baking soda, ¼ tsp salt) and continue mixing until it clumps up and forms a chunky dough, about 4 minutes. Alternatively, combine all ingredients in a bowl and keep mixing with hands until it forms a chunky dough.

Step 2

Rip about 2 teaspoons of a dough and form a small ball. Place in the middle of the mold and press in the middle with a thumb. Then using your index finger or a thumb keep going around the mold pressing the dough until the mold is lined with a very thin layer, about 1/5 of an inch thickness. Now go around the edge of the mold and shave off any parts of the dough that are above the edge of the mold.

Step 3

If using the Nordic Ware Autumn Cakelet pan, place a ball of dough (1 tablespoon) in the middle, then go around the mold with your index finger or a thumb pressing the dough against the mold until it’s as thin as you can get it without any parts of the mold showing through. Using a knife shave off excess.

Step 4

Place the filled molds on a baking sheet and into a preheated to 350°F oven. Bake for around 10-15 minutes or until the cookies are a light golden color. If using the Nordic Ware Autumn Cakelet, bake for about 8-10 minutes as this mold take less time to bring the cookies to a light golden color.

Step 5

Once baked removed from the oven and while the cookies are still warm tap the edge of the mold lightly against the table to release the cookie from the mold.  Allow the cookies to cool completely.

Step 6

If using the Nordic Ware Autumn Cakelet, remove from the oven, place a cooling rack on top. With one swift motion turn the cooling rack together with the mold upside down so that the cooling rack is on the bottom. Now tap the mold against the cooling rack several times until the cookies are out. Allow the cookies to cool completely.

Step 7

Open the can of the sweetened condensed milk and pour the content of the can into a glass jar, then close with a fitting lid tightly. Line a large pot with 3 layers of paper towel or with a kitchen towel, place the jar into the pot, now fill the pot with water so that water level is above the level of the condensed milk in the jar. Cook over low-medium heat for about 1.5 – 2 hours until sweetened condensed milk is deep  golden color. Remove the jars from water and allow to completely cool to room temperature.

Step 8

In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment beat 115 grams of room temperature butter and 1/2 of the dulce de leche. Beat for about 3 minutes stopping to scrape down the bottom of the bowl. Now add the rest of the dulce de leche and beat for another 3-4 minutes until well combined and somewhat fluffy.

Step 9

To fill the cookies you can either fill a ziplock bag with the filling and fill half of the cookie shells by squeezing about 2 teaspoons into each half, or use a teaspoon and fill half of the shells.

Step 10

Place the matching half on top of the filled half and squeeze them together. If the filling squeezes out the sides, scrape it with a knife or a spoon. Let the filled cookies rest in a tightly closed box in the fridge overnight. This will make the cookie shell less crumbly as they are eaten.

Step 11

place in a bowl or a serving platter and lightly sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Step 12

In a tightly closed box in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.