An Easy and Delicious Turkish Cookie

Today, I want to share with you a very easy Turkish cookie recipe. This recipe is especially for my sweet friends Ahu and Ozge who loved my cookies when I made them for our gathering. You can make it in less than 30 minutes especially if you have unexpected guests and there is nothing to offer them with a cup of coffee or tea. You only need flour, butter and powdered sugar. They are absolutely delicious. Must try it!

Ingredients:
1 cup (two sticks) butter softened at the room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar, plus 1 tbsp to sprinkle on the top
Approximately 2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts or hazel nuts (optional)

Instructions:
I did not write an exact amount for  flour since I add a little at a time until the dough gets as soft as an ear lobe.

1. Preheat oven for 325 F. Cover a baking sheet with a same size non-stick baking paper not to grease the sheet and make dirty it.

Baking sheet

2. Put softened butter and powdered sugar in a large and deep bowl.

2. Cream the softened butter and powdered sugar together using a mixer. I use a hand mixer. 

3. After they combine well, add a little flour a little at a time to the mixture until it gets as soft as an ear lobe. Then, if you like, add chopped nuts to the dough and mix until they combine well.

4. Get a walnut size dough, round in your hands and press it until you make a half inch thick flat circle.

5. Then, put your circle cookies a little far from each other in the baking sheet lined with a baking paper. 

6. Shape their surface poking slightly with a fork and bake them in the oven until their bottom turns very light brown and top part a little hard not so much. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Note: Check them often and do not bake them very long since they will get very hard. Generally 10-15 minutes is enough. Keep an eye on their bottom to decide whether or not they are done. Also, I tried to make them once with coconut oil, but they became very hard even though I did not cook very long. So, I prefer butter to make this recipe.

Welcome to SJ's Kitchen

I would like to start my blog sending many thanks to my wonderful friends for their lovely comments on the food I have cooked and shared with them so far. They are my inspiration for creating my blog since I want to share with them all recipes I have learned and customized according to my own taste in my kitchen. As a native Turkish, I will add many tasty Turkish recipes along with Indian, Mexican etc. Thanks to my blog, you will be able to reach the recipes I use in my kitchen easily whenever you need. 

In addition, my followers will enjoy my light food and watch their weight at the same time. Please do not forget to check my blog often since I will try to add new recipes  as often as I can. Along with the recipes, I will share tips and some important information with you related to cooking and healthy living. I would like to begin with one of my favorite dessert recipes for your lady's tea time. I am sure many of you have heard this recipe, but I bet the ones who do not know anything about it will be addicted to it. I think the secret of my delicious cooking is to play with the original recipes and customize them in my kitchen.  Are you ready a cooking journey with me? 

This recipe is for my lovely friend Aylin.

Semolina Dessert with Chocolate (Cikolatali Irmik Tatlisi)
This is an easy, light and delicious recipe which you can enjoy along with a cup of coffee or tea with your friends any time of  the day.

I use this cup to measure milk.

Ingredients:
1 liter milk  (four cups)
8 full tbsp coarse semolina
8 full tbsp regular sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp butter or coconut oil
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Ground cinnamon to sprinkle on the top (optional)





Instructions:

a 9 inch bundt tin

I use a 9 inch bundt tin for this recipe, but you can use any size and shape baking pan as well. Before beginning to make the dessert, rinse the bundt with water and put it aside. Do not dry it to remove the dessert easily.

1. Add milk, semolina, sugar and vanilla extract into a large and deep cooking pan and put on the stove on a medium heat stirring constantly until the mixture gets thick.

2. After removing the thick mixture from the heat put the butter/coconut oil into it and stir until butter melts.

3. Pour half of the batter into bundt and set aside. Then, add the chocolate chips to the rest of the batter and mix until they melt in the batter. 

4. Pour the batter with chocolate on the top of the white batter and sprinkle chopped walnuts if you want.

5. Refrigerate it for 2-3 hours before serving.

6. After getting cold, flip it over and sprinkle with cinnamon if you like before cutting it. Enjoy the delicious dessert and write your comments about it please!

Notes: The reason why I use dark chocolate instead of semi-sweet is the health benefits of dark chocolate.  I can hear that some of you say "where can we find coarse Semolina?" You can find it at any international stores, Global Food and I believe at the Whole Foods and many other stores.