4cupsall-purposeplain flour, spoon flour from bag and then level with knife
2/3cup150 gm butter, melted and cooled
1large egglightly beaten
1/2cup125 ml water
1teaspoon5 ml sugar
1pinchsalt
1teaspoon5 gm baking powder
1teaspoonvanilla powder or vanilla extract
1teaspoonof white vinegar
1tablespoonorange blossom water
Saffron or yellow food coloringoptional
For the syrup
2cupssugar
1cup250 ml water
few drops of lemonimportant
1tablespoonorange blossom water or other
Instructions
Making the Dough
In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients: the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder
Make a well & pour the melted & cooled butter, vinegar, orange blossom water & beaten egg
Beat all by hand and gradually incorporate the flour by rubbing with the palms
Dissolve saffron or food coloring in 1/2 cup (125 ml) of water
Gradually add the flavored water and continue kneading till you get a smooth and soft dough
Divide dough into several balls, wrap in cling film and leave to rest for at least 1 hour
Braid shaping
Take a ball of dough and flatten slightly by hand. Sprinkle your board with cornstarch. With a rolling pin, flatten the dough to 2 to 3 mm (about 1/10 inch) thickness. If you prefer a crispy result, flatten it as thinly as you can. If not, leave it a bit thicker.
With a pastry wheel (cutter), cut dough into rectangles of 10 to 12 cm (4 to 4¾ inch) long and 7 to 8 cm (2¾ to 3 inch) wide
Inside each rectangle, make 5to7 cuts lengthwise without cutting the dough through . This will result in 6to8 strips of 1 to 1.5 cm (4/10 to 6/10 inch) wide of attached dough.
Take one rectangle in the left hand. Pass two fingers of the right hand between the odd strips (1 front strap, 1 strap behind etc...)
Then pass thumb through and pinch the upper left corner of the rectangle and pull it gently between strips to slide down off the other side. This will result in a braided shape. Place the braids on a tray. Repeat the process with the remaining dough.
Once all the pastries are shaped, deep fry them in batches (SEE NOTE below), flipping them over half way, over medium heat until light golden. Remember to adjust temperature between batches. Remove from oil using a slotted spoon and drain on a tray covered with paper towel.
For the syrup
Mix 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup water and place in a saucepan over medium heat.
In the meantime, put the other cup of sugar in another saucepan, moisten it with 2 tablespoons of water, put on high heat at first then decrease and caramelize the sugar.
Pour the caramel gently over the sugar-water mixture. It will bubble at the beginning. Stir and add a few drops of lemon juice to prevent crystallization of the sugar and the orange blossom water. Leave over medium heat for ten minutes then turn off.
Plunge the pastries in warm syrup. Allow the pastries to soak for few minutes till you get an amber-like color. Drain then sprinkle both sides with toasted sesame seeds
Griwech can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. You can store it in the same sealed container in the freezer for three months.
Notes
Frying instructions
It is important to keep the oil at the correct temperature and fry the pastries in batches to give them room to puff and brown evenly. Oil that is too hot burns the outside of the pastry and leaves the inside underdone. If it is not hot enough, the pastries cook too slowly and retains more grease. Before frying, heat the oil to 365°F or 375°F (190 to 194°C). Use a frying thermometer to check and monitor the oil temperature.