Chocolate Dulce de Leche Empanadas from Gemma

Ingredients

• 2^1/3 Cup (315g/10oz) plain flour
• 3 Tbsp icing sugar
• ^1/3 cup (2oz/60g) cocoa powder
• ^1/2 tsp cinnamon
• ^3/4 cup (200g/6 ½ oz) cold butter, cubed
• 2 egg yolk
• 4 Tbsp water, milk of coffee
• generous pinch of salt
• Dulce de leche filling
• 1 can of condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
• egg wash

Procedure

1. Start out by making the Dulce de leche (caramel):Peel the paper wrapper off a can of condensed milk. Line a small pot with a small tea towel (this is a cushion for the can and stops the can bouncing around)
2. Place in a few cans and cover with water, up to 2 inches over the cans. I like to cook 3-4 cans so I have it for the future.
3. Simmer for 2 hours. You can leave them undisturbed for this time.
4. When the time is up, pour off the water and leave the cans to good cold.
5. Inside your can you have lovely caramel. This will keep fresh in the can for months at room temperature. This caramel will last for months in the time at room temperature
6. To make the pastry: Put the flour, icing sugar and salt in a large bowl (or in a food processor).
7. Rub in the cold cubed butter until it resembles bread crumbs.
8. Mix together the egg yolks and water and add to the dry ingredients.
9. Mix in until a dough forms. It doesn’t take long.
10. Wrap the pastry in cling wrap and refrigerate for 30 minute to allow the gluten to relax. (you can freeze the pastry at this point)
11. Roll out your dough on a floured surface until ¼ inch thick.
12. brush egg wash around the rim of the pastry
13. Spoon a teaspoon of your caramel on one half of your pastry disc. I like to sprinkle a tiny bit of salt on the caramel at this point.
14. Fold the empanada discs and seal the edges gently with your fingers, then use the tip of a fork to further seal the edges. I like to curl up the edge at this point but it is optional
15. Lightly brush the top of the empanadas with the egg wash; this will give them a nice golden glow when baked.
16. Chill the empanadas for at least 30 minutes or until ready to bake, this will help them seal better.
17. Bake the empanadas in a pre-heated oven at 375 F (190oC) for 15-20 minutes. The exact time will vary based on your oven and size of the empanadas.
18. Serve the dulce de leche empanadas warm. You can sprinkle them with a little bit of cocoa powder and I highly recommend serving them with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream or simply on their own.