Korean traditional dessert ‘yakgwa’ has gone viral in New York. Yakgwa which gained popularity abroad, is being shifted back to its homeland Korea.
Yakgwa is made by soaking a sweet pastry or cookie with syrup rich with ginger and honey. ‘Yak’ means medicine and ‘gwa’ means confection.
The New York Times cooking writer Eric Kim said “no Korean dish represents the value of honey more than the ancient dessert yakgwa”, commenting that “It can be more difficult to get your hands on these cookies than it is to reserve a table at Tatiana at Lincoln Center, and demand has necessitated an online ticketing system known as “yakketing,” where eager yakgwa consumers place orders with independent businesses”.
Opened last June in the heart of Manhattan, dessert cafe Lysée is a trendsetter for Korean-inspired desserts. Highlights include burdock ice cream, buckwheat caramel cookie and cake made with Korean brown rice mousse.
This is the signature of the chef Lee Eun-ji, who was born in Korea, studied in France, and started working in New York. She was originally the executive pastry chef at New York Korean restaurant Jungsik. When she opened Lysée, New Yorkers lined up from day one. The New York Times called it “fullfillment of a dream for the pastry chef”, saying that it “reflects Korea, France and New York”.
One of the most talked about is yuzu yakgwa, a K-dessert recently popular in the United States and Europe. Recently, K-pop, K-movie, and K-drama enthusiasts in the U.S. and Europe have been shifting their attention to K-food.
Dutch model Lauren de Graaf posted a picture of herself eating one on Instagram, and videos of international vloggers trying them have been popping up on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. In their own words, they taste like “all the good parts of a donut stuck together.” Recently, travelers to Korea have also been putting them on their “must buy in Korea” shopping lists.
Korea’s famous yakgwa shops
These yakgwas are being sold in Korean shops as well.
Seoul Gangnam-gu Yeoksam-dong's 'Cafe Muwon': A cafe directed by Ceramic brand 'Mujagi studio''s CEO Sim Bo-geun. Chestnut yanggaeng(sweet red bean jelly), yakgwa monaka(sweet made of bean jam), red bean latte are its best menu.
Phone number: +82 2 6985 7255
Seoul Yongsan-gu Hannam-dong 'Golden Piece': Yakgwa shop introduced in The New York Times. The Counter shaped like a golden yakgwa is impressive. Its signature dish is the glutinous rice yakgwa set which includes six flavors: sesame, black sesame, vanilla, wormwood, hazelnut chocolate, and earl grey.
Before it even opened, the shop gained viral fame for its “G-Dragon” snacks, which singer G-Dragon used at Nike events. Now, they have been selling products in collaboration with Disney, celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.
Phone number: +82 0507 1346 7250
This article was originally published on Dec. 5, 2023.
