Dulce de Leche Torte (Volador)

A delicate layered torte made with thin, crispy pastry sheets filled with creamy dulce de leche. This elegant South American dessert features four delicate layers of egg-rich pastry filled with a smooth dulce de leche filling and topped with confectioners sugar.

8 servings
1 hr 23 min

Ingredients

  • 12 whole large egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon whole milk
  • teaspoon salt
  • cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups dulce de leche
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 1 tablespoon confectioners sugar
  • 1 serving ice cream

Cooking Instructions

  1. 1.

    Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle. Generously brush a large baking sheet with vegetable oil.

    5 min

  2. 2.

    Stir together yolks, milk, and salt.

    2 min

  3. 3.

    Put flour in a large bowl and make a well in center. Add yolk mixture to well and gently stir with a fork, gradually pulling in flour closest to egg mixture to make a paste. Knead in all of remaining flour with your hands to form a dough (dough will be very firm).

    5 min

  4. 4.

    Transfer dough to a work surface and knead, lightly dusting with additional flour as necessary, until smooth and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes.

    10 min

  5. 5.

    Flatten dough into a disk, then quarter and form each quarter into a ball.

    3 min

  6. 6.

    Keeping remaining dough covered with a kitchen towel (not terry cloth), firmly roll out 1 piece on a clean surface into a 12-inch round, lifting and turning dough as necessary. (Dough will be slightly sticky but will lift up easily; round will be very thin with uneven edges.)

    5 min

  7. 7.

    Transfer to baking sheet and bake until edge is golden and curls up, about 5 minutes. Carefully turn over and bake until cooked through and both sides are golden in some spots (lift to check), 3 to 4 minutes more. Transfer to a rack to cool.

    9 min

  8. 8.

    Repeat with remaining dough. (Pastry will overlap on racks.)

    27 min

  9. 9.

    Stir together dulce de leche and water in a bowl. If mixture is not spreadable, warm in a small heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, whisking until smooth. Thin with additional water if necessary.

    5 min

  10. 10.

    Arrange 1 pastry layer on a serving plate and spread evenly with 2/3 cup filling. Repeat with 2 more pastry layers and remaining filling, stacking layers.

    8 min

  11. 11.

    Dust remaining pastry layer with confectioners sugar and arrange on top.

    2 min

  12. 12.

    To serve, cut or crack torte into portions using 2 large spoons.

    2 min