SAEDNEWS: Zoolbia is one of the inseparable sweets from the Ramadan iftar table. If you want to make this delicious sweet at home, you should follow certain tricks while preparing and cooking it.
According to Saednews, Zoolbia is one of the most popular and delicious sweets. Together with its constant companion, Bamieh, it decorates iftar tables during the holy month of Ramadan. Making zoolbia at home is very simple, but you must follow certain tips mentioned here to ensure your homemade zoolbia becomes as crispy and delicious as the store-bought kind.
To achieve crispy and tasty homemade zoolbia, pay attention to the following points:
After preparing the syrup, you must check its thickness. To test whether the syrup has reached the right consistency, place a few drops between your fingers. If it feels sticky and thick, it is ready.
If the syrup is too thin, the zoolbia will become soft. If it is too thick, it may crystallize (sugar up). After cooling, the syrup should be slightly more fluid than honey.
To make zoolbia shiny like bakery-made ones, add a spoon of glucose in the last minutes of cooking the syrup. Glucose not only increases shine but also prevents crystallization.
As you know, zoolbia is made with yogurt, starch, and flour. The yogurt should neither be too runny nor too thick. It is better to use slightly sour homemade yogurt or full-fat pasteurized yogurt.
For puffiness and crispiness, the starch must be fresh. Old starch will prevent zoolbia from puffing properly in oil. Also, coarse starch (known as “gol starch”) works better than powdered starch.
To give zoolbia a better color, add one teaspoon of saffron to the mixture. Saffron gives it a beautiful golden color similar to bakery versions.
Bakery versions often use baking soda for crispiness, but since it can be harmful, baking powder is a safer alternative. After adding baking powder, do not overmix the batter to preserve its effect.
The batter should be thick enough to hold its shape when piped into hot oil, similar to thick yogurt.
If it is too thick, add a little water or yogurt. If it is too runny, add a small amount of flour.
Over-frying makes zoolbia dry, while under-frying makes it soft. Fry it just until it reaches the right golden texture.
If using a piping bag, do not cut the tip too thin, as this will make the zoolbia dry and hard. For uniform shapes, you can use a special ring mold, pour the batter in circular motion, and fry it in the oil.
After frying, do not stack zoolbia while they are still hot, as this will soften the ones underneath.
Once the zoolbia pieces are fried and golden, remove them from the oil and place them on a wire rack to drain excess oil. After 2–3 minutes, place them in cold syrup so they are fully coated.
