Lotus Blossom Cookie Mold, Product of Thailand

Use this brass flower-shaped cookie mold to make delicious deep-fried, thin and crispy Lotus Blossom Cookies (ขนมดอกจอก, kanom dok jok in Thai), a favorite snack in Thailand. These delicate cookies were named the first-place winner in the desserts category at an international cooking contest in Baton Rouge, Louisiana (see recipe below) and received an honorable mention in Martha Stewart's Favorite Cookie Contest.

Lotus Cookies have been a favorite snack among the Thai people for a long time. Normally these molds are hard to find in the West, but now you can purchase the real thing here online. Note that these brass molds are hand-made in Thailand and therefore will show some variations in the color of the metal due to the welding process to construct them. 

The technique for making these cookies requires a lot of time and patience but the resulting cookie is unique and a pleasure to eat. Enjoy Lotus Cookie with Thai Tea or Thai Coffee at breakfast, as a snack or as a dessert.

Siam Lotus Cookies

• 1 cup rice flour
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup tapioca starch
• 1/2 cup strained lime juice
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 5 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla flavor
• 4 tablespoons black and white sesame seeds
• 7 1/2 cups vegetable oil for frying

1. Sieve rice flour, all purpose flour and put together with the tapioca starch. Transfer into a bowl for mixing.
2. Add lime juice and stir. Add egg yolk, vegetable oil, salt, sugar and sesame and mix thoroughly.
3. Heat the vegetable oil to 450F and immerse the cookie mold into the heated oil to make it very hot.
4. Raise the mold from the oil and place onto a paper towel to soak up excess oil on the bottom of the mold. Dip the mold half way into the batter and immerse it into the hot oil, ensuring the mold gets into the oil half way.
5. When the flour hardens, shake the mold slowly to separate the cookie from the mold. Let the cookie fry until it is golden-yellow color. Use a skimmer or ladle to remove the cookie from the oil and place on a paper towel to absorb excess oil.
6. Let the cookie cool. Store tightly covered.

Notes:: In case the mold is not hot enough and if it is put into the flour, the dough will not attach to the mold. When immersed in the dough, dip into the oil immediately to help separate when the cookie is slightly hardened.

Number of Servings: approx. 30
Recipe adapted from the Baton Rouge Center for World Affairs International Cooking Contest as prepared by Jintana Cochran.

Also see Its a Cookie World blog for another Lotus Blossom Cookie recipe.