Greek Christmas Recipes: Kourambiedes & Melomakarona

Kourabiedes Greek Christmas Cookies
Recipe for Kourabiedes
INGREDIENTS:
2 kilos soft flour
1 kilo butter
300 grams powdered sugar
300 grams crushed roasted almonds
1 small glass cognac
1 teaspoon baking soda
Rosewater
Preheat oven to medium (175c).
Whiten the butter by beating by hand for ½ hour.
Add the sugar, cognac, almonds and finally the flour, mixed with
the baking soda. Continue to beat until all ingredients are well
mixed.
Mold into the familiar shapes of the kourambiethes and
place on a cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes until golden. Remove
from oven and immediately sprinkle with rosewater, then roll in the
powder sugar.
Melomakarona Greek Christmas Cookies
Recipe for Melomakarona
INGREDIENTS
2 cups oil
1 cup sugar
1 cup orange juice
1 cup fine semolina
1 kilo soft flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
Lemon and Orange zest
Simple syrup: (In a pot, mix together 1 cup each of water, honey
and sugar and
bring to boil while stirring constantly.)
Crushed walnuts
Preheat oven to 200c
- Beat oil well with mixer, then add the sugar, both zests, orange
juice, semolina, and then, a little at a time, the flour mixed
with the baking soda.
- Form the dough into small shapes, as the pastries will get quite
big while baking. Make sure the oven is hot before baking, otherwise
the pastries will flatten. Bake for about 30 minutes until pastries
are firm and golden brown.
- When completely cooled, arrange in rows in a pan and pour warm
syrup over them. Sprinkle with crushed walnuts.
|