Turkish Butter Cookies

Bülbülyuvasi in Turkish and Nightingale's Nest Dessert in English. This homemade Turkish butter cookie is very moist and delicious, it can originally be made with phyllo dough. This butter cookie is specially made on Nowruz which is Persian New Year on March 20th. Nowruz is the first day of spring in persian calendar. It is a secular holiday for most celebrants that is enjoyed by people of several different faiths, but remains a holy day for Zoroastrians.

INGREDIENTS: 

For the pastry dough:

1: 250g (2 sticks) unsalted butter

2: ½ cup vegetable oil

3: 2 tbs yogurt

4: 3 tbs powdered sugar

5: 1 tbs baking powder

6: 1 egg

7: 5 cup flour

For the syrup:

1: 4 cups granulated sugar

2: 3 ½ cups water

3:3 tbs lemon juice

For toppings:

1: 1 egg

2: Walnuts, pistachio and hazelnuts

METHOD:

1: Transfer melted unsalted butter into a large bowl, add vegetable oil, yogurt and an egg.

2: Add powdered sugar, sifted flour and baking powder to the butter mixture.

3: Mix the mixture with hand until the dough become soft and unsticky.

4: Divide in equal pieces and start rolling.

5: Cut out circles of about 2.5 inches in diameter.

6: Place half on the baking tray for the rest, use a smaller circle to cut out the middle.

7: Place a circle on each piece,brush egg white on top.

8: Decorate with desired nuts.

9: Bake for around 25 minutes or until golden brown on 180 C (360 F).

For the syrup:

1: Transfer water into a large pot over medium heat .
2: Add sugar when starts boiling, add lemon juice and turn the heat off.
3: When both the pastry and syrup is warmed down, pour the syrup on the pastry before you serve, wait at least an hour for pastry to soak up the syrup! 



HAPPY NOWRUZ ;)