Best Yak Kwa Korean Ginger Cookies Recipes

ULTIMATE GINGER COOKIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and salt and then combine the mixture with your hands. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the brown sugar, oil, and molasses on medium speed for 5 minutes. Turn the mixer to low speed, add the egg, and beat for 1 minute. Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula and beat for 1 more minute. With the mixer still on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the crystallized ginger and mix until combined.
• Scoop the dough with 2 spoons or a small ice cream scoop. With your hands, roll each cookie into a 1 3/4-inch ball and then flatten them lightly with your fingers. Press both sides of each cookie in granulated sugar and place them on the sheet pans. Bake for exactly 13 minutes. The cookies will be crackled on the top and soft inside. Let the cookies cool on the sheets for 1 to 2 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

YAKGWA: KOREAN HONEY COOKIES

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Place the flour in a large bowl.
• Add sesame oil and mix by hand, rubbing the flour between your hands and fingers to combine.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the honey, sake, and water together.
• Add the liquid ingredients to the flour mixture and knead gently with your hands to form a dough.
• Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and set aside for 30 minutes.
• On a floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/2-inch thick.
• Cut the dough into 1-inch strips to make diamond or rectangle shapes. Or cut into a flower shape if you have at hand a yakgwa-pan exclusively made to shape these cookies.
• With the help of a fork or toothpick, pierce a small hole in the center of each cookie. Set aside.
• Gather the ingredients.
• Place the rice malt syrup, honey, and ginger in a saucepan over medium heat.
• Bring to a simmer and then remove immediately from heat.
• Carefully pour into a rectangular dish or glass baking pan large enough to hold the cookies in a single layer.
• Place a sturdy, flat-bottomed fryer or saucepan onto the stove. Add enough oil for frying, at least 2 to 3 inches.
• Heat over medium heat until the oil temperature is 212 F.
• In small batches, drop pastries in oil and fry, gently turning them until they puff and float, about 4 to 5 minutes.
• Raise the heat of the oil to about 300 F and continue frying until the yakgwa turns golden brown.
• With the help of a slotted spoon, remove the yakgwa from the oil and place them into the ginger syrup. Repeat the frying process with the remaining cookies, being careful to allow all cookies to go through the 2 oil temperature stages. When you're done frying one batch, you need to allow the oil to come back down to 212 F.
• When all of the yakgwa have been placed in the syrup, turn each one over once so they are coated.
• Soak in the syrup for 2 to 3 hours. Remove with a slotted spoon onto another dish lined with parchment paper.
• Sprinkle with pine nuts and sesame seeds. Enjoy!

YAK KWA (KOREAN GINGER COOKIES)

Steps:

• Combine sugar, honey, salt, and 1/2 cup water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and cool. Set aside.
• Blend ginger and 2 tbsp water in a blender and puree until smooth. Pour through a strainer and set aside.
• Combine flour, salt, and sesame oil in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add ginger juice, honey, rice wine, and 2 tbsp water and process until a smooth, pliable dough forms.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll it out into a 1/4 inch thick circle, about 12 inches wide. Using a small cookie cutter, cut dough into 20 cookies.
• Heat 2 inches of oil in a 6 qt saucepan until a deep-fry thermometer reads 300 degrees F. Working in batches, carefully slide cookies into oil and fry, flipping once, until puffed and golden (3-4 minutes).
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a baking sheet with a wire rack. Dip cookies into syrup and transfer to a serving plate. Dust with cinnamon and pine nuts, if using.

KOREAN HONEY COOKIES - YAKGWA

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.

KWAS

Steps:

• Rinse out an earthenware jar or any non-alluminium container with boiling water.
• (Note: the alluminium would react with the acidity of the kwas).
• Put the flour in the jar and mix to a liquid paste with a little of water.
• Leave the mixture to settle for a few minutes, and then pour on the remaining boiled water.
• Chop the garlic and add.
• Cover the top of the jar with muslin or pierced cling film and leave in a warm place for 4 to 5 days to ferment.
• Strain and use as required.
• If stored in an airtight container, it will keep for a few weeks.