Yakgwa (Korean Ginger and Honey Cookies)
Yield 20 cookies
3 cups flour
1/4 cup sesame oil
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup sake
1/4 cup water
3 cups vegetable oil (or as needed for frying)
1/4 cup pine nuts (chopped)
1 Tbsp sesame seeds (toasted)
1/2 cup rice malt syrup
1 cup honey
1 small piece of ginger (thinly sliced)
1/2 cup water
Method:
In a large bowl, combine the flour and sesame oil by rubbing the flour between your hands and fingers to combine.
In another bowl whisk honey, sake, and water together.
Add the liquids to the flour mixture and knead gently with your hands to form a dough.
Wrap dough in plastic wrap and set aside for 30 minutes.
On a floured surface, unwrap dough and roll out to half an inch thick.
Cut dough into one-inch strips to make diamond or rectangle shapes. Or cut into a flower shape using a flower shaped cookie cutter.
Put a small hole in the center of each cookie.
To make syrup, put rice malt syrup, honey, and ginger in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and then remove immediately from heat.
Pour the liquid into a rectangular dish or glass baking pan.
Heat fryer oil to a temperature of 212 F.
In small batches, drop pastries in oil and fry, gently turning them until they puff and float (about 4-5 minutes).
Now raise the heat of the oil to about 300 F and continue to fry until the yakgwa turns a golden brown.
Remove yakgwa from oil and place into the dish with the ginger syrup.
When all of them have been placed in the syrup, turn each one over once so they are coated.
Soak in the syrup for a few hours, and then remove with a slotted spoon onto another dish topped with parchment.
Sprinkle with pine nuts and sesame seeds.
3 cups flour
1/4 cup sesame oil
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup sake
1/4 cup water
3 cups vegetable oil (or as needed for frying)
1/4 cup pine nuts (chopped)
1 Tbsp sesame seeds (toasted)
1/2 cup rice malt syrup
1 cup honey
1 small piece of ginger (thinly sliced)
1/2 cup water
Method:
In a large bowl, combine the flour and sesame oil by rubbing the flour between your hands and fingers to combine.
In another bowl whisk honey, sake, and water together.
Add the liquids to the flour mixture and knead gently with your hands to form a dough.
Wrap dough in plastic wrap and set aside for 30 minutes.
On a floured surface, unwrap dough and roll out to half an inch thick.
Cut dough into one-inch strips to make diamond or rectangle shapes. Or cut into a flower shape using a flower shaped cookie cutter.
Put a small hole in the center of each cookie.
To make syrup, put rice malt syrup, honey, and ginger in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and then remove immediately from heat.
Pour the liquid into a rectangular dish or glass baking pan.
Heat fryer oil to a temperature of 212 F.
In small batches, drop pastries in oil and fry, gently turning them until they puff and float (about 4-5 minutes).
Now raise the heat of the oil to about 300 F and continue to fry until the yakgwa turns a golden brown.
Remove yakgwa from oil and place into the dish with the ginger syrup.
When all of them have been placed in the syrup, turn each one over once so they are coated.
Soak in the syrup for a few hours, and then remove with a slotted spoon onto another dish topped with parchment.
Sprinkle with pine nuts and sesame seeds.