It’s this time of the year when the classic battle begins for all Greeks! Are you a melomakarona fan or kourabiedes lover? All the bakeries, pastry shops, zacharoplasteia start the production of the two most favorite festive Greek sweets.
Now you can turn your kitchen into a Greek patisserie.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Syrup (Step 1, leave to cool while cookies bake)
- 2 1/8 cups water
- 2 1/4 cups plus 1 Tablespoon white sugar (those who like their cookies super sweet may add more!)
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 3 cloves
- 1 orange cut in half
- 7 Tablespoons honey
Make the syrup first since it needs to cool while the cookies bake.
Add all of the ingredients above, boil for 5 minutes or until the sugar disolves. Remove from flame, mix in honey and it’s ready.
Cookie mix – Part 1
- 1 3/4 cup orange juice
- 1 3/4 cup sunflower oil
- 3/4 cup olive oil1 3/4 cup orange juice
- 1 3/4 cup sunflower oil
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- Orange zest from 2 oranges
- 2 – 3 teaspoonse ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground clove
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
In a large bowl, combine the orange juice, sunflower oil and olive oil. Stir. Add 1/2 cup (50 grams) powdered sugar, orange zest, cinnamon, ground clove, nutmeg, and baking soda.
Whisk together until well blended.
Cookie mix – Part 2
- 8 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup plus 1 Tablespoon semolina
Add semonlina to the flour and mix until well blended.
Putting it together
Now add the wet mix to the dry mix. Fold together gently – do not overmix.
Time to make the cookies!
Create oval balls about the size of a small egg. Shape the cookies and place on a lined cookie sheet or greased bake pan. Bake in the 375 degree oven for 20 – 25 minutes until golden brown.
1 cup ground walnuts – chopped for sprinkling on the cookies
Greek honey (drizzled at the end)
Remove from oven and submerge them in the now cooled syrup for 10 – 15 seconds. Arrange on a platter and drizzle honey on each cookie. Next, sprinkle with chopped walnuts.
