Alternative names | Ballakume, Kulaç me finj |
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Type | Cookie |
Place of origin | Albania |
Region or state | Elbasan |
Main ingredients | Corn flour, butter, sugar, eggs |
Variations | Milk, ashes |
Ballokume is an Albanian cookie originating in the city of Elbasan, [1] [2] which is popular throughout Albania and Albanian communities. [3] [4] It is traditionally eaten on Dita e Verës, an Albanian pagan holiday celebrated on 14 March. [1] [2] [4] [5] It is sometimes called kulaç me finj, as it may optionally contain finj, a mixture of ashes from a wood stove boiled in water. [4] [6]
It consists of butter, sugar, eggs, and cornflour. It is traditionally kneaded in a copper bowl, which is supposed to improve the texture of the dough. [1] [2] [6] The dough must be kneaded vigorously, which is why the men of the house are often involved in the ballokume preparation. [1] [2] [7]
Tradition holds that the name comes from a 16-century Ottoman ruler of Elbasan who, after having tasted a small cake made from corn flour cooked in a wood fire, exclaimed: “Është ba si llokume!” (“It’s as good as a lokum!“), the word ballokume resulting by contracting this sentence. [2] [4] [7]