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Balkaimak
Balqaimaq: Kazakh cream boiled with honey, served with baursak
Balkaimak, 'honey cream', is the dessert Kazakh hosts put out for guests with a mountain of baursak dough puffs: thick cream simmered with honey and a little sugar until it turns into a glossy, caramel-flavoured sauce that sets as it cools. It belongs to celebrations like Nauryz and weddings across Kazakhstan, from Almaty to Shymkent. A common mistake is boiling it too hard, which makes the cream split and turn greasy. Chef's tip: thicken it with a teaspoon of flour or cornflour only if your cream is thin; good double cream thickens by itself.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the balkaimak
- 1 ¾ cups double cream
- 3 ½ oz runny honey
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp cornflouroptional, mixed with 1 tbsp water
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Heat 1 ¾ cups double cream in a heavy pan over a medium-low heat until it just simmers.
5 minStep 2: Stir in 3 ½ oz runny honey and 1 tbsp sugar and simmer gently for 12–15 minutes, stirring often, until it thickens slightly and turns pale caramel. Common mistake: a hard boil; it splits.
15 minStep 3: Stir in 1 tsp cornflour if it needs thickening and cook for 1 minute.
1 minStep 4: Pour into small bowls and cool. Serve with baursak or bread.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 24 g
- Fat
- 31 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does balkaimak take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of double cream?
- Whipping cream, same amount (less rich; whips softer).
- What can I use instead of runny honey?
- Maple syrup or golden syrup, same amount.
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