Shekerbura (Şəkərbura) — Azerbaijani Crescent Pastry with Almond Filling

• 520 gall-purpose flour (plus 20 g for dusting)
• 200 gunsalted butter (melted and cooled to warm)
• 180 mlwhole milk (warm, 35–40°C)
• 120 gsour cream (full-fat)
• 1egg yolk
• 20 ggranulated sugar
• 5 ginstant yeast
• 3 gfine sea salt
• 5 mlvanilla extract
• 1egg white (from the separated egg)
• 300 gblanched almonds (finely ground)
• 1.5 tspcardamom (ground)
• 10 mlrose water (optional but traditional)

Instructions

1. 1

   Warm the milk to 35–40°C, then whisk in the sugar and instant yeast until fully dissolved. Let it stand for 8 minutes; it should look slightly foamy and smell yeasty, which confirms the yeast is active.

2. 2

   In a large bowl, whisk the flour with the salt to distribute it evenly. Make a well in the center and add the melted butter, sour cream, egg yolk, vanilla, and the yeast-milk mixture, then stir with a spoon until a shaggy dough forms.

3. 3

   Knead the dough for 8 minutes until it becomes smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky; add up to 20 g extra flour only as needed for handling. Shape it into a ball, cover the bowl, and rest for 45 minutes at room temperature so the dough relaxes and becomes easy to roll.

4. 4

   Make the filling by combining the ground almonds, sugar, and ground cardamom in a bowl and mixing thoroughly. Add the egg white and rose water and stir until the mixture clumps when pressed; it should be moist enough to hold shape but not wet.

5. 5

   Divide the filling into 18 equal portions of about 28 g each and roll them into compact ovals. Cover the portions so they do not dry out, which helps the pastries seal cleanly.

6. 6

   Preheat the oven to 170°C and line two baking trays with parchment paper. Divide the rested dough into 18 equal pieces of about 55 g each, then keep the pieces covered to prevent a crust from forming.

7. 7

   Roll one dough piece into a 10–12 cm circle, keeping the center slightly thicker than the edges for strength. Place one portion of filling slightly off-center, fold the dough over into a crescent, and press the edges firmly to seal without stretching the dough.

8. 8

   Crimp the sealed edge with small, even pinches to reinforce the seam and create the traditional border. Use a shekerbura tong or the back of a small knife to press delicate leaf-like patterns on the top, taking care not to pierce through to the filling.

9. 9

   Arrange the pastries on the trays with 3 cm spacing, then whisk the glaze egg yolk with 15 ml milk until smooth. Lightly brush only the tops with a thin coat; avoid the seams so they stay well sealed during baking.

10. 10

    Bake at 170°C for 22–25 minutes until the bottoms are set and lightly golden while the tops remain pale and matte. Cool on the tray for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack and cool completely so the filling sets and the patterns stay crisp.