Melomakarona
Submitted by: Vadi |
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon Whiskey
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup vegetable oil (sunflower, peanut, safflower, etc)
3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup semolina
1/8 teaspoon salt |
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon each: ground cloves and cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind.
Syrup (please see below)
Topping (please see below) |
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Sift the the flour, semolina,
salt, baking powder, baking soda, ground cloves and cinnamon
into a small bowl. Set aside. Beat the egg yolk, whiskey and
sugar in an electric mixer. Add the oil slowly as you continue
beating the mixture until it reaches the consistency of
mayonnaise. Slowly beat in the flour mixture and the grated
orange peel. Finish by kneading by hand until smooth. Place a
heaping tablespoon of dough in your hand and form into an oval
shape. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and press the top
slightly with the back of a fork to indent. Bake 20 minutes.
While the Melomakarona are baking prepare the Syrup by
bringing the honey and the water to a boil. Let it reach soft
candy stage. Remove from heat source. While the cookies are hot,
dip them into the warm syrup for a few seconds and place them on
a tray/dish with raised edges. Sprinkle with Topping.
Pour any left over syrup onto the tray. Let the cookies absorb
the honey. They will taste better after four hours when cooled.
The cookies can be removed from the excess syrup and stacked on
a plate and covered with clear wrap. They will keep for weeks
this way. Alternately the cookies can remain in the tray with
the excess syrup. They will be soggier but, in my opinion,
tastier and should be consumed within a week's time or they will
begin to fall apart.
Syrup:
2 cups honey
1 cup boiling water
Topping:
1/2 cup ground walnuts
Note: These cookies were brought to Greece by Venetian
bakers when Venice ruled parts of Greece from the 14th to 17th
centuries. |
Kourambiethes
Submitted by: Vadi |
1 lb (450 grams) sweet butter,
softened
2 egg yolks
4 tablespoons confectioners sugar
4 tablespoons orange juice
1 oz Brandy, Whiskey or Ouzo |
3 3/4 cups flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
6 tablespoons ground almonds
1 lb (450 grams) confectioners sugar for topping |
Preheat oven 350°F (180°C). Beat butter in electric mixture for
10 minutes or until white and creamy. Add the sugar, egg yolks,
orange juice and brandy, beating all the while until thick.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Sift the flour and
cornstarch into the bowl and continue mixing. Finish by kneading
for 5 minutes. Add nuts last. Pinch off small pieces of dough
and form into crescents. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake
for 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Sift 1 cup of
confectioner's sugar onto dishes or trays large enough to hold
Kourambiethes all in one layer. Transfer cookies to dish. Sift
remaining sugar on top an sides. Cool at least for four hours
before eating. Yield: 40 Kourambiethes.
Note: Stores well in a tightly closed container. |
Bird's Nest Cookies
Submitted by: Vadi |
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
2 sticks butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg |
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
2 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cup Easter-colored candy coated milk chocolate pieces |
|
Preheat oven to 300°F. Spread coconut on non-greased cookie
sheet. Toast in oven, stirring occasionally, until it turns
light golden, about 25 minutes. Remove coconut from cookie sheet
and set aside. Increase oven to 350°F. In large bowl, add butter
and sugar and whip until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and
Vanilla extract. In medium bowl, combine flour and salt. Blend
into creamed mixture. Form dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. Roll
heavily into toasted coconut. Place coconut cookies 2 inches
apart on lightly greased cookie sheets. Make indentation with
thumb in center of each cookie. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until
golden brown. Remove cookies and cool completely. Fill
indentations with candies. Makes 2 dozen cookies. |
To submit your favorite recipes to be included in the
Garden of Friendship Recipe Book, please email them to Barbiel
 
Background graphics made especially for the Recipes
Committee of the Garden of Friendship by Valatine
|