Injeolmi Cookies
Nutty buttery cookies with crisp edges and a chewy milky tteok interior.
Injeolmi Cookies
Makes 8 large cookies
After making the Rooibos Makgeolli cookies (recipe here), I wanted to create a filled cookie with the same qualities. These injeolmi cookies take the traditional Korean dessert of soft tteok tossed in kongkaru, toasted soybean flour and maintain the tteok but wrap it in a soft kongkaru cookie. The end result is a large cookie that tastes like injeolmi and makes a great addition to a cookie platter.
“Recipe Tips:
*1. I know this is an annoying measurement however, the cookies are very large and I didn’t think the average person would want to bake 16 oversized cookies. That being said, to avoid waste I make a double batch of the cookie dough only. After dividing for the injeolmi cookie, I scoop the rest of the cookie dough (you should get 12-14 cookies) and freeze them for future injeolmi cookies (defrosting the dough in the fridge overnight before filling) or to bake as is at 180 C / 350 F for 13 – 15 mins from frozen.”
Ingredients
Tteok
40g (0.25 c) glutinous rice flour
23g (2 T + 1.5 t) cornstarch
15g (1 T) granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
70ml (0.25 c + 4 t) milk
10g (2 t) makgeolli or milk
Cookie Dough Dry
130g (1 c) all purpose flour
60g (0.50 c) kongkaru
2g (0.50 t) kosher salt
1g (0.25 t) baking soda
0.25 t ground ginger
Cookie Dough Wet
150g (0.50 c + 2 T) granulated sugar
112g (8 T) butter, softened
*32g (1/2) large egg, beaten
15ml (1 T) makgeolli or 4g (1 t) vanilla extract
15ml (1 T) milk
Method
Day 1 - Tteok
1. In a medium microwave safe bowl combine the rice flour, cornstarch sugar and salt mixing well.
Add the milk and makgeolli mixing well with a heatproof spatula until smooth.
Cover with a lid slightly larger than the bowl.
Microwave 1 minute on high.
Remove from the microwave. Carefully uncover and stir well with the heatproof spatula.
ü There will be quite a bit of steam that forms so uncover the bowl carefully.
Additionally depending on the type of bowl you use, it will heat up considerably. Be careful when removing it from the microwave.
Cover and microwave on high 1 minute longer.
Remove from the microwave and stir well with the heatproof spatula.
The tteok will have stiffened quite a bit so stirring will be more like folding the mixture over on itself rather than a typical stirring motion.
Cover and microwave on high 30 seconds longer.
Remove from the microwave and cover with plastic wrap in contact with the surface.
Cool completely.
Continue to Step 2 while the tteok cools.
Day 1 - Cookie Dough
2. In a medium mixing bowl combine the cookie dough dry ingredients mixing well. Set aside.
3. In a separate medium mixing bowl combine the butter and sugar.
Cream well 7 – 8 minutes by hand or until light and fluffy.
Add the egg and beat well.
Add the makgeolli and milk and beat well.
Add the dry ingredients and mix until no dry flour remains.
Beat at least 90 seconds by hand.
This creates just a little gluten in the dough to help contain the filling but doesn’t make the cookie tough.
Divide the dough into 12 - 60g balls using a 1 oz scoop.
Refrigerate until the tteok is cool.
4. Place a sheet of parchment on a rimmed baking sheet.
5. Put on a pair of rubber gloves and lightly butter a plate. Set aside.
Still wearing the gloves, lightly butter your hands with the gloves on by rubbing a little butter (3g or 0.25 t) between your palms.
Remove the tteok from the bowl and knead in your hands for 60 seconds or until smooth.
Divide into 8 equal balls and place on the plate.
With the gloves on, remove the cookie dough from the fridge.
Divide 4 of the portions in half (30g portions).
These will be the bottoms of the cookie.
Taking a 60g ball, use your thumbs to make a well in the dough with a thick bottom and thinner sides.
Add a ball of tteok pushing it into the bottom and pressing the dough to adhere and remove air.
Enclose the tteok with one of the bottom pieces.
Press to fully seal and round the ball to make a smooth surface.
Place the ball onto the prepared baking sheet.
Repeat with the remaining dough and filling placing the balls of dough at least 5cm (2 in) apart.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Day 2
6. Preheat oven to 180 C / 350 F.
Bake the cookies for 15 – 18 minutes or until the edges are golden and the tops of the cookie are matte.
Remove from the oven and cool 15 minutes on the pan.
Remove the cookies to a cooling rack and cool completely.
These particular cookies have to be fully cooled before eating for the best texture and flavor.
7. Serve.
