Semolina Cookies in Syrup

Semolina Cookies in Syrup (Şekerpare)

This traditional Turkish dessert is made nearly every Turkish household and sold in every Turkish bakery and patisserie.

You can also see this delicious dessert in every restaurant menu.

It's one of the most popular Turkish dessert as well as "baklava" and is called "şekerpare" in Turkish.

Turks treat them to delicious dessert when their friends, relatives, guests visit them at religious festivals. And also at any time it is served at tea time or after a nice meal.

Ingredients:

250 gr. butter (at room temperature)
1 cup powdered sugar
2 eggs (one of them is seperated for brushing the tops)
5 tablespoons semolina
1 packet vanilla
1 packet baking powder
3+1/2 cups flour

For the syrup:
4 cups granulated sugar
4 cups water
1 slice of lemon or 4-5 drops of lemon juice

Instructions:

1- Start with making the syrup first because it must be cold before pouring it on şekerpare cookies.
Pour water and sugar in a pot. Heat them until it boils.
Add lemon slice and let it boil about 2-3 minutes.

2- Take it from the heat. Put it aside to get cold.

3- Combine butter, sugar, semolina, 1 egg and 1 egg white.
Add flour, vanilla, baking powder and knead well.

4- Pick walnut sized pieces from dough and roll them.
Give oval shape to each one and press tops a little slowly.

5- Put them in an oiled baking tray leaving enough space between each as they will rise when cooked.

6- Brush the tops with yolk and make lines on tops using a fork.

7- Bake them in preheated oven at 150 C  for 20-30 minutes until they start to turn light brown.

8- Remove the cookies from the oven. Pour the cooled syrup over the hot sekerpare cookies. Wait until the sekerpare cookies absorb the syrup.

9-When all the syrup absorbed , şekerpare will get soft and tender.
Sprinkle crushed walnut or ground pistachio over the şekerpare cookies.

10- Serve cold with tea or coffee.


Bon   Appettite......