Ingredients portion 12
Wheat flour 250 g
Melted butter 200 g
Honey 150g
Sugar 450 g
Water 250 ml
Cooking instructions 1 hour and 20 minutes
1 First make the alba. Melt the melted butter in a small bowl, gradually adding the flour in small batches. Start frying, stirring all the time. The mixture will initially be crumbly, but when cooked (for about 30 minutes) it will become soft and homogeneous. The alba is ready when there is an even layer of butter on the surface and the mixture has become liquid – then remove it from the fire.
2 Prepare a fragrant honey mixture. Mix honey with water (250 ml) and granulated sugar and bring to the boil. In the process, test for readiness by dipping the tip of a matchstick in the boiling mass, dripping it on the palm of your hand and rubbing it – if the mass pulls when pressed and the fibres break, remove it from the fire.
3 Pour the cooked honey into a cold buttered container. Start to knead the mixture quickly on all sides with a knife so that it does not harden. When the mass has thickened a little, transfer it to a board, take it in your hands and stretch it, fold it in two, connect the ends and stretch it again, the main thing is to do it very quickly, taking care not to tear the mass until it is white, shiny and stretchy.
4 Transfer the warm alba to a chopping board, place the honey mixture on top, make a ring and double-stretch, then quickly fold in half and join at both ends. By soaking the alba, the dough will begin to stretch better and separate into thin white fibres. Spread the fibres out on a board and fill the moulds (you can use small cone-shaped glasses) gently, picking them up with your fingers.
5 Leave the shaped talkysh kaleve for a while in the cold.
6 Turn the mould upside down, knock out the talkysh kaleve.
