Yakgwa Recipes

Steps:

• For the cookies: Whisk together the flour, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the sesame oil and toss with a rubber spatula until some, if not most, of the flour granules are hydrated in the oil and become pea-size pieces.
• Transfer the flour mixture to a fine-mesh sieve set over a large bowl. Use a metal spoon to scrape the mixture in the sieve to help it pass through. The resulting dough will resemble a coarse ground cornmeal.
• Add the soju and ginger-infused simple syrup and toss together with the rubber spatula until just combined. Put your hands in the bowl and gently knead and press the dough into a ball until there are no specks of dry flour. Do not overwork the dough. Keep in mind that the dough is supposed to be very dry and crumbly. It's OK if some dough breaks apart. You'll know the dough is ready when it's pressed and pinched together, but holds its shape.
• Gather the dough, adding 1 teaspoon of soju at a time if needed. Gently pat down the dough into a square and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate and let rest for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, make the coating syrup.
• For the coating syrup: Bring the jochung, honey, sugar, cinnamon, ginger and 1/2 cup water to a boil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a large bowl to cool.
• Roll the rested dough into a 1/2-inch-thick large square (about 7-inches-by-7-inches), lightly brushing the work surface or rolling pin with sesame oil as needed. Cut the dough in half vertically. Flip over one half and place it directly on top of the remaining half. Press down on the dough and roll it out into a 1/2-inch-thick square again. Repeat the process of cutting, flipping, layering and rolling out the dough two more times.
• Cut the final dough square into 16 pieces (each about 1 3/4 inches). Make a small hole in the center of each cookie with a toothpick and set aside.
• Heat at least 1 inch of oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 300 to 320 degrees F. Line a sheet tray with paper towels.
• Add all the cookies into the oil (it is OK to overcrowd in this case) and fry, carefully stirring constantly with long chopsticks or a long-handled wooden spoon, until the cookies are deep golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to the prepared sheet tray and let cool.
• Toss the cooled cookies in the coating syrup in a large bowl and let sit for 4 to 8 hours. Tranfer the cookies to another sheet tray fitted with a cooling rack and garnish the center of each cookie with 3 pine nuts. Let sit for 1 hour and serve.
• For the ginger-infused simple syrup: Bring the sugar, ginger and 1 cup water to a boil in a small pot over medium-high heat. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and whisk in the honey. Let cool and discard the ginger slices.
• The syrup can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Use it to sweeten hot coffee or tea, or in a cocktail.

Steps:

• Add flour and sesame oil to a medium-size mixing bowl, and mix together with your hands. Rub the flour between your hands and fingers until well combined.
• In another bowl, whisk together the honey, rice wine (or sake) and water together. Add the flour mixture to the honey mixture, and knead gently with your hands until a dough forms. It should be the consistency and texture of a pie crust. Wrap dough in plastic wrap, and set aside for 30 minutes.
• After 30 minutes, roll dough on a lightly floured a flat surface into a square about 1/2-inch thick. Cut dough into 1-inch strips. Then with a knife, cut strips to make 1-inch rectangles with diagonal edges (sort of diamond-shaped). Or if preferred, use 1-inch cookie cutters with scalloped edges to cut flower-shaped circles. Using the tip of a fork, pierce holes into center of the tops of each cookie.
• MAKE GINGERED-HONEY SYRUP: Place rice syrup, honey and ginger in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, and them immediately remove from heat. Transfer syrup to a baking dish large enough to hold all the cookies at once, and set aside.
• Heat oil in a saucepan to 300°F.
• Working in small batches, place cookies in oil, and let deep-fry about 4 to 5 minutes or until puffy and all cookies are floating on the top, gently turning occasionally for even frying.
• Remove cookies from oil, and place in Gingered-Honey Syrup for a few minutes (to allow syrup to be absorbed), turning at least once to allow even coating.
• Using a slotted spoon, remove cookies from syrup and place on strip of parchment paper. Sprinkle a pinch of sesame seeds and pine nuts on top of each cookie.