Grandma's Design

HURMA DESSERT

GRANDMA

Aysel

COUNTRY

Turkey

ORIGIN

Sivas

INGREDIENTS

For the dough

200 ml milk
400 g melted butter
10 g baking powder
660 g flour
15 g icing sugar

For the filling

150 g walnuts
1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon

For the syrup

700 g granulated sugar
600 g water
1 teaspoon lemon juice

HISTORY

Hurma dessert literally means date dessert because in the past it was prepared in the size of a date. It is also called “kalburabastı”, which means “pressed against a sieve”. Originally, to prepare this dessert a sieve had to be used. Date-shaped hurma cookies were rolled on a sieve so that many little circles were formed on their surface. According to the Ottoman cookbooks published in the 19th century, hurma dessert was also cooked in a different style. Instead of baking them, the pieces of shaped dough were fried in butter. This dessert, which has been known in Anatolia since the Ottoman era, was also prepared in Istanbul as well as in the Ottoman palace. Hurma or kalburabastı today constitutes one of the classical desserts in Turkish cuisine. The city of Sivas, located in the eastern part of Central Anatolia, is renowned for it. Some of families prepare this dessert by frying and others bake it. Nowadays, instead of using a sieve, a grater is used to shape the surface of hurma cookies.

More Minus

HOW TO

Mix the milk, melted butter and icing sugar in a large bowl.Sift the flour and baking powder over the mixture and make dough. Knead for about 10 minutes until the dough becomes very smooth and soft. Mix the walnuts and cinnamon in small bowl.To make hurma cookies, form an oval from 1 tablespoon of dough. Make a lengthwise groove and fill it with the walnut mixture. Pinch the dough together around the nuts.Prepare 50-60 hurma cookies in this manner and place them on a tray.Bake them for about 30 minutes, or until light brown.To make the syrup, boil the sugar and water for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and add lemon juice.Remove the cookies from the oven and pour warm syrup over them. When the syrup is absorbed, serve them.