Fried Pastries With Brown Sugar Syrup Food

HOTTEOK (KOREAN SWEET PANCAKES)

Steps:

• Skip this step if using instant yeast. Warm a bowl or cup by rinsing it with warm water. Add 1/4 cup of warm water to the bowl (100 to 110°F ). Stir in the sugar and yeast. Let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes until the yeast has foamed and grown.
• Sift the flour, sweet rice powder (if using), sugar and salt together. Add the yeast water (or instant yeast), oil, and warm milk (or water) to the flour mix.
• Knead until everything is well incorporated and a dough is formed. The dough should be a bit sticky, but still comes off the hand.
• Cover the dough with plastic wrap. Place it in a warm place and let it rise until it doubles in size, about an hour.
• Prepare the filling by chopping the nuts and mixing all the filling ingredients well.
• Bring the dough down by reshaping it into a round. Let it sit for another 20 to 30 minutes until it doubles in size again.
• Heat a pan with a couple of tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Lightly oil your hands. Tear a big enough piece of the dough to make an about 2-1/2-inch ball. Flatten the ball into a thick disk, creating a shallow well in the middle. Add one and a half tablespoons of the filling and lightly press it down with the spoon.
• Carefully gather the edges together, pinching to seal. (This might take some practice.)
• Put the sealed side down on the pan, flattening a little by pressing it down with your oiled hand or spatula. Cook for a minute, and then flip over. Press down for a few seconds to flatten. Cook until both sides are golden brown. Repeat the process with the remaining dough.

FRIED PASTRIES WITH WINE SYRUP

Steps:

• Make the syrup: Bring the wine, sugar, cinnamon stick, cloves, orange zest and bay leaf to a simmer in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring; cook until reduced to 3/4 cup, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely. Discard the bay leaf.
• Make the pastries: Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Add 1/2 cup water, the egg, orange zest and juice and whisk until just combined. Transfer the batter to a plastic squeeze bottle.
• Heat 1 1/2 inches vegetable oil in a shallow pot over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 380 degrees F. Squeeze the batter into the oil into 2-inch rounds; fry, turning once, until puffed and golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Dust with confectioners' sugar and top with pomegranate seeds and the wine syrup.

FRIED PASTRIES WITH BROWN SUGAR SYRUP

Steps:

• Combine all syrup ingredients in a 1-quart heavy saucepan and bring to a boil, covered, stirring occasionally until sugar is dissolved. Remove lid and boil until slightly thickened and reduced to about 1 cup, about 15 minutes. Cool syrup, then discard cinnamon sticks and zest.
• Whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder in a bowl. Add hot water, stirring until a soft dough forms. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth, 3 to 5 minutes, adding more flour as needed to keep dough from sticking. Form dough into a ball and let stand, covered with plastic wrap, 30 minutes.
• Cut dough into 12 equal pieces and roll each into a small ball. Roll out each small ball into a roughly 6 1/2- to 7-inch round (about 1/16 inch thick) with a floured rolling pin, lightly dusting dough and pin with flour as necessary to prevent sticking. Arrange rounds in 1 layer on 2 long sheets of wax paper very lightly dusted with flour.
• Heat 1 1/2 inches oil in a wide 4-quart heavy pot over moderate heat until it registers 390 to 400°F on thermometer. Brush excess flour from 1 dough round and fry, turning over once, until golden brown, crisp, and puffed in places, about 2 minutes total. Transfer with tongs to paper towels to drain. Fry remaining rounds, 1 at a time, in same manner, returning oil to 390 to 400°F before adding each.
• Serve fried pastries drizzled with syrup.

BROWN SUGAR PEARS

Steps:

• Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add brown sugar; stir 1 minute. Add pear slices and lemon juice; cook until pears begin to release juice and syrup forms in skillet, turning pear slices frequently, about 3 minutes. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Rewarm before using.)