Turkish cuisine · Desserts & Sweets

Hanım Göbeği (Lady's Navel)

Fried choux pastry balls with semolina, soaked in cold lemon syrup and served with kaymak.

Ingredients · for 6 servings

• 150 g flour
• 50 g semolina
• 250 ml water
• 60 g butter
• 3 eggs
• 450 g sugar
• 500 ml water
• 1 tbsp juice of one lemon
• 500 ml oil
• 150 g kaymak (clotted cream)
• 2 tbsp pistachios

Instructions

1. Boil the sugar, 500 ml water and lemon juice for 12 min. into a clear syrup and chill completely – hot balls need cold syrup, otherwise they turn mushy.
2. Bring 250 ml water to a boil with the butter and a pinch of salt, stir in the flour and semolina all at once and stir for 2–3 min. until a smooth ball pulls away from the bottom of the pot.
3. Let the dough cool to lukewarm for 10 min. and beat in the eggs one at a time vigorously until the mixture is glossy and falls heavily from the spoon.
4. With wet hands, shape into about 18 balls, dent each in the center with your thumb and place on an oiled board.
5. Heat the oil to 150°C and fry the balls slowly at this gentle heat for 10–12 min., then raise the temperature to 180°C and fry golden brown in 2–3 min. – this is the only way they cook through inside.
6. Dip the hot balls immediately into the cold syrup for 2 min., let drain and serve with a spoonful of kaymak and chopped pistachios.