This is a classic version of the South Korean Yakwa dessert, baked rather than fried. It’s healthier, lighter & easier to prepare.
Ingredients
2 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
1/4 cup of sesame oil
1/4 cup of soju alcoholic beverage
1/4 cup of pure honey
1/8 tsp. of kosher salt
1/4 tsp. of baking soda
1 tsp. of baking powder
2 tbsp. of unsalted butter
For topping:
2 tbsp. of pine nuts, chopped
For the honey & ginger syrup:
1 cup of pure honey
1 cup of rice syrup – you can use another cup of honey if you can’t find rice syrup
2 cups of filtered water
1 tbsp. of grated ginger, fresh
Directions
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add sesame oil. Combine till the oil has been distributed evenly.
Mix soju & honey in a separate bowl.
Add the soju & honey to the flour mixture. Gather the pastry in a ball. It should look and feel like the dough used for pie crusts.
Divide dough into halves. Roll out the first half into a 1/4″ thick rectangle, 1” x 1” or so. Cut the dough into 1” wide strips. Cut strips diagonally, making diamond shapes. Repeat with another half of the dough.
Pierce some holes in the middle of yakwa with a fork—lay squares into a baking pan. Brush tops with butter generously.
Bake in 250 degrees F oven for 14-15 minutes.
TMixwater, rice syrup, and honey in a saucepan. to prepare syrup Stir occasionally while heating over med. heat. Once it is boiling, turn off the heat.
Add ginger, then mix well and set the pan aside.
Raise oven temperature to 300 degrees F.
Cook for 10 more minutes.
You can serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. You can also garnish it with a sprinkle of sesame seeds or a drizzle of honey
Variations and substitutions
Baked Yakwa can easily be adapted to fit different dietary needs. For a gluten-free version, simply substitute the wheat flour with a gluten-free flour blend. For a vegan option, use plant-based milk and substitute the honey with maple syrup or agave nectar.
You can also experiment with different spices and flavours, such as adding cinnamon or cardamom for a warm, cosy taste.
Related
Baked Yakwa
Ingredients
- 2¼ cups of all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup of sesame oil
- ¼ cup of soju alcoholic beverage
- ¼ cup cup of pure honey
- ⅛ tsp of kosher salt
- ¼ tsp of baking soda
- 1 tsp of baking powder
- 2 tbsp of unsalted butter
For topping:
- 2 tbsp of pine nuts, chopped
For the honey & ginger syrup:
- 1 cup of pure honey
- 2 cups of filtered water
- 1 tbsp of grated ginger, fresh
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
- Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add sesame oil. Combine till the oil has been distributed evenly.
- Mix soju & honey in a separate bowl.
- Add the soju & honey to the flour mixture. Gather the pastry in a ball. It should look and feel like the dough used for pie crusts.
- Divide dough into halves. Roll out the first half into a 1/4″ thick rectangle, 1” x 1” or so. Cut the dough into 1” wide strips. Cut strips diagonally, making diamond shapes. Repeat with another half of the dough.
- Pierce some holes in the middle of yakwa with a fork—lay squares into a baking pan. Brush tops with butter generously.
- Bake in 250 degrees F oven for 14-15 minutes.
- Then Mix water, rice syrup, and honey in a saucepan. to prepare syrup Stir occasionally while heating over med. heat. Once it is boiling, turn off the heat.
- Add ginger, then mix well and set the pan aside.
- Raise oven temperature to 300 degrees F.
- Cook for 10 more minutes.
- You can serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. You can also garnish it with a sprinkle of sesame seeds or a drizzle of honey