Mshabbak (Lace Sweet Pastry)

Ingredients

• 1½ cups cornstarch
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp yeast
• Warm water, as needed
• Syrup (qater) — you can add red food coloring to color the syrup if you like
• How to make the syrup (qater):
• Dissolve 2 cups sugar in 1 cup water, add a squeeze of lemon and 1 tbsp orange blossom water. You can add red food coloring if you want colored syrup.
• Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
• To make awama (another fried-syrup sweet) from Israa: How to Make Awama

Method

1. Mix all the ingredients together, add the water and whisk in a circular motion so the flour and starch do not clump; you should get a very loose batter with the consistency of thick stirred yogurt.
2. Let the batter rest to rise slightly.
3. When it has risen, pour an amount equal to a tablespoon (soup spoon) into the very hot oil and form the lace (mshabbak) shape while pouring — see photo.
4. Repeat the process until all the batter is used.
5. When you lift the mshabbak sweets from the oil, dip them immediately into cold syrup.
6. Drain the mshabbak sweets and serve.
7. After boiling for 5 minutes, remove the syrup from the heat.
   Timers: 5 min
8. Let the syrup cool.