Mae Jak Gwa, Korean Twisted Cookies

매작과

Here is the cutest classic Korean dessert. Don't need any special ingredients or equipments and it's quite fun to make.
Try it for your upcoming party!

prep time:

60 min

inactive time:

30 min

cooking time:

60 min

total time:

120 min

Spicyness:

Spiciness:

non-spicy

Flag meal as:

kid friendly

vegetarian

vegan

Serve as:

dessert

Cooking Method:

fry

Serves:

240oz

Ingredients:

Ingredients:

Ingredients:

Ingredients:

Ingredients:

Ingredients:

Ingredients:

Ingredients:

Green Tea Powder (Macha Powder)

Ingredients:

Beet 비트

Ingredients Heading:

text

for syrup

text

for optional coloring

text

Ingredients Optional:

text

(amount varies depending on how many you make and how big your pot is)

text

(add same amount of water, can use food coloring instead)

(or food coloring)

Tools:
Rolling pin
Chopper or pizza cutter (or small knife)
Pot for frying
Thermometer
Long chopsticks / tongs or mesh skimmer (for frying)
Mesh basket or strainer (to drain fat)

instructions	photos	summary
Ingredient amounts in the recipe instructions are for the default serving size.	Click to enlarge photos.	Ingredient amounts in the recipe summary are for the default serving size.
1. Make simple syrup Boil ½ cup of sugar and ½ cup of water on medium heat until it reduces to half. Take off the heat and set it aside.		1 Boil ½ cup sugar ½ cup water Set it aside
2. Sift Sift flour, ginger powder and salt through a sieve.		2 Sift 1 cup flour 1 tsp ginger powder ¼ tsp salt
3. knead dough Add water to the powder mix and knead the dough by hand. (Optional: Add desired coloring at this point. 1 tsp Green tea powder for green. Add additional 1 tsp water for green tea powder. Beet juice for red. Add a little less water if using beet juice.)		3 Add 6 tbs water Add coloring (optional) Knead dough
4. Let it sit Cover the dough with plastic wrap or wet kitchen towel and keep it in the fridge for 30 minutes.		4 Cover dough Refrigerate 30 min
5. Crush pine nuts Crush pine nuts (or your favorite nuts).		5 Crush pine nuts
6. Roll out Roll out the dough to ⅛” thickness. Cut into ¾” by 2” pieces.		6 Roll dough ⅛” thickness Cut into ¾” by 2”
7. Cut Make 3 incisions.		7 Make 3 incisions in the middle
8. Shape 1 Grab one end of the cut piece.		8 Grab one end
9. Shape 2 Push through one of the middle opening to form twisted shape.		9 Insert through opening
10. Shape 3 Repeat for each piece.		10 Repeat
11. Preheat Preheat vegetable oil to 300 F.		11 Preheat oil 300F
12. Fry Fry the pieces until golden. Flip once in the middle of frying.		12 Fry until golden
13. Drain fat Drain the fat on paper towel or a strainer.		13 Drain fat
14. Dip in syrup Dip each piece in the syrup		14 Dip in syrup
15. Sprinkle Sprinkle crushed pine nuts (or your favorite nuts) on top.		15 Sprinkle crushed pine nuts
16. Serve Serve.		16 Serve