I’ve been on a Korean baking kick after watching Alchemy of Souls, and those golden flower-shaped cookies kept catching my eye in every feast scene. Turns out they’re called yakgwa (약과) – literally “medicine confection.”
Some cool things I learned while researching the recipe:
– It dates back to the Goryeo Dynasty (900+ years old)
– King Sejong actually banned it at one point because people were making too much and wasting grain
– The “medicine” in the name comes from honey being considered medicinal in traditional Korean medicine
– You fry at a really low temp (130°C/265°F) which felt wrong but that’s the key to getting the inside cooked without burning
The trickiest part was getting the frying temperature right. Too hot and the outside burns while the inside stays raw. The flower mold is optional – you can just cut diamonds and poke holes with a fork.
The honey soaking step is where the magic happens. I left mine overnight and the texture completely transformed – crispy outside, syrupy soft inside.
Anyone else made these before? Would love tips on getting more consistent results with the frying.
submitted by /u/Diligent-Boot-7579
[link] [comments]
