Balah el Sham (Egyptian Choux Pastry)

Made with sugar, flour, lime, and vanilla and deep-fried, this crispy Egyptian dessert, called balah el sham, is a delightful finger food.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 26 mins
• Total Time: 56 mins
• Calories: 184 Calories

Ingredients

• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 eggs
• 2 ½ cups vegetable oil
• 2 cups white sugar, divided
• 1 lime, juiced
• 2 cups corn oil
• 3 cups water, divided
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Combine 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar in a saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil; stir until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium; add lime juice. Simmer until flavors combine, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir 1 teaspoon vanilla extract into the syrup; let cool.

Step 2

Stir 2 cups water, 1 cup sugar, vegetable oil, and salt together in a pot over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium. Add flour; stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until batter forms into a ball. Cook until batter is shiny, about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl; allow to cool, about 5 minutes.

Step 3

Flatten batter into the bottom of the bowl. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; mix until batter is creamy. Pour into a cloth piping bag fitted with a large star tip.

Step 4

Heat corn oil in a deep saucepan over medium heat until bubbly; reduce heat to medium-low. Squeeze 2 inches of batter onto an oiled spatula and lower into the hot oil; repeat until saucepan is full. Cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer pastries to a paper bag to drain, about 30 seconds.

Step 5

Soak hot pastries in syrup; transfer to a plate to cool, about 5 minutes.