Hurmasice

Hurmasice (Hor-mas-si-che) are a traditional Bosnian biscuit soaked in sugar syrup. Brought over from Turkey, they are now an important part of Bosnian culinary tradition. Or at least, my Bosnian family’s culinary tradition. And they’re delicious. And ridiculously unhealthy. I warn you; diabetics, children, the weak-hearted among us...be weary. These little babies pack more sugar than a gallon of red cordial, and are about three times more addictive. They are also very, very easy to make. They are dangerous. You will lose your soul, (and potentially your teeth) to them.
But they are so, so very worth it.

Seriously, doesn’t that just look amazing?

Hurmasice
Ingredients:
Biscuit:
1 egg
150-200g unsalted butter
150 g caster (granulated) sugar
200g all-purpose flour
½ tsp baking soda

Syrup:
400mls water
1 vanilla bean
200g caster sugar

To make Biscuit:
1. Preheat oven to 180˚C.
2. Cream the sugar and butter, then add egg and mix well.
3. In another bowl, sift flour and baking soda.
4. Add to butter mixture and mix thoroughly.
5. Using a spoon to ensure even size, scoop out batter into your hand and roll into a ball.
6. Flatten slightly into an ellipse, and place on baking-paper lined tray.
7. Leave space between each biscuit, and continue until all the batter is gone.
8. Bake in oven for 45 minutes or until golden brown.
9. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Once cool, transfer to a baking tray with high sides, a Tupperware container, or any sealable container with high sides.

To make Syrup:
1. Mix sugar and water in saucepan. Add vanilla bean.
2. Bring to boil and then let simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Take off heat and cool to luke warm.
4. Pour over the biscuits and allow the syrup to soak completely.

Once everything has reached room temperature, cover and refrigerate as they’re best when they’re cold.

See? Easy. Dangerously so.

A tip though; make sure you leave quite a bit of room between them as they spread. I underestimated just how much room I’d need and mine spread into one another (also, I accidentally added extra butter and forgot to add extra everything else, so my mixture was a bit too soft and spread-likely anyway.

This is how far apart I had them, and they still spread into one another! But my problem was a little more extreme than yours will be, given that I failed to follow my own recipe. >.>

Ok, so I admit, they’re not quite as good as my mum’s, but hot dang, are these bad boys gooooooood.


Even S, my boyfriend liked them. Or, at least that’s what I gathered from his initial statement of; ‘I don’t like biscuits because they’re so dry.’ To which my only reply was to look at him in confusion. His response? ‘This is a biscuit, right?’

‘......yes?’

‘And it’s not dry! It’s really, really good!’ Ensue much dignified wolfing down of ‘soggy biscuit’. Not being able to say/remember Hurmasice, ‘soggy biscuit’ is what I’m now calling it. Doesn’t sound half as tempting though.



Whilst wolfing, S also started talking about Tulumba, another Bosnian dessert that he enjoys, and another one of my family’s culinary traditions (possibly the best one, let’s be honest), so it looks like that’s what’s next on my list. Or should be what’s next, but I rather fancy croissants, or maybe zucchini loaf. What do you think?



(P.s this was totally not me procrastibaking, as strangely enough, I am keeping up with Uni so far! This is, however, an example of me procrastiposting as right now I ought to be reading something rather dry about the Australian Constitution. But I don’t really like dry things. Hence my soggy biscuits. :) )

Until next time!