Korean YakGwa, Fried Honey Cookie (??)

YakGwa (??) is a traditional Korean dessert literally translated to medicinal confectionary due to the use of honey and sesame oil. Made predominantly of wheat flour and sesame oil, this cookie or biscuit is then deep fried. Then it receives a luxurious honey and cinnamon bath, soaking for 5-6 hours.



I'm going to be completely honest here. These are just, ok. I was expecting the same taste and texture of the store bought yakgwa's. You know when you're expecting something to taste a certain way and it doesn't, you get a bit disappointed. They're worth trying though. Who knows you may love it.



Printable Recipe

Ingredients

Adapted from koreataste.org

Sesame Oil Flour

1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour

1 tsp Baking Powder

2 tbsp Sesame Oil



Honey Cookie Seasoning

2 tbsp Honey

2 tbsp Rice Wine, refined

1/4 tsp Salt

1/2 tbsp Ginger Juice, shred a large knob of ginger and then squeeze the juice out into a bowl or 2 tsp Ground Ginger

Dash of White Pepper, Optional

1/4 tsp Cinnamon Powder

4 Cups Peanut Oil

Pine Nuts



Honey Syrup

1 Cup Honey

1/2 Cup Water

1/4-1/2 tsp Cinnamon Powder







Directions

1. Sieve the wheat flour & baking powder combo over a bowl two times.



2. Combine the honey, sesame oil, rice wine, salt, ginger juice, white pepper and cinnamon and mix well.



3. Pour the honey mixture over the sesame oil flour mixing and kneading lightly to form into a ball.



4. Roll out dough using a cookie cutter, I used my linzer cookie cutter to cut my cookies. Heat your oil to 85º-90ºC then place all of the cookies in the oil and fry for 15 minutes. When the dough floats raise your temperature to high, flip the cookies over and fry for an additional 5 minutes until brownish in color.



5. Allow the oil to drain for 8 minutes on a strainer and soak in the honey/cinnamon mixture for 5-6 hours. Allow the honey to drip in a strainer for about 2 hours. Garnish with pine nuts.



These treats are served on certain holidays or celebrations and can be found at your local Korean grocers. Enjoy!