Rose and walnut biscuits |Gülablı qovut

Rosewater, cinnamon, saffron and coriander seeds give these biscuits a distinctive Azerbaijani flavour.

Preparation time: 50 min
Cooking time: 15 mins
Serves: 5-6

Ingredients

• 200 g/8 oz wheat grains
• 100 g/4 oz shelled walnuts
• 100 g/4 oz sugar
• 100 ml/3.5 imperial fl.oz water
• a few threads of saffron
• 1 tspn cinnamon
• 1 tspn coriander seeds
• 40 ml/1.5 imperial fl.oz rosewater

Preparation

• Put a few threads of saffron in a cup and add boiling water. Cover and leave to infuse.
• To roast the wheat, put the wheat grains into an ungreased frying pan. Cook for 5 to 8 minutes over a medium heat, stirring or shaking the pan continuously. Remove the pan from the heat before the wheat goes too dark and starts to burn.
• Remove the skin from the walnuts by heating them in a frying pan, then placing inside a clean teacloth and rubbing, but not too hard. This method of removing the skin enhances the flavour of the nuts, as roasting does for the wheat.
• Heat the water in a pan and add the sugar. Stir well until the sugar dissolves, then leave the syrup to cool.
• Grind the roast wheat, walnuts and coriander seeds in a nut or coffee grinder.
• Add the saffron infusion, rosewater, ground wheat, walnuts and spices to the syrup and mix thoroughly.
• Shape the mixture into rounds and leave to firm up.