Melomakarona - Greek Honey Cookies!!!! One of the most irresistible Greek Christmas treats! These golden-brown cookies, syrupy and enriched with walnuts or almonds and aromatic spices, are a typical example of traditional Greek sweetness. One bite is enough to transport us to the warmth of grandmother's kitchen, where generations have perfected this favorite festive temptation...
DIFFICULTY LEVEL
Medium
Medium
BAKING TIME
20 - 25 min
20 - 25 min
QUANTITY
75 pcs
75 pcs
Ingredients
- 700 g all - purpose flour
- 400 g fine semolina
- 220 g sugar
- 260 g orange juice
- 250 g seed oil
- 100 g olive oil
- 50 g melted margarine
- Zest of 2 oranges
- 80 g brandy/ cognac
- 2 vials or 2 sachets of vanillin
- 2 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1/2 tsp clove powder
- 1 tsp soda
- 15 g baking powder
For the syrup:
- 500 g water
- 750 g sugar
- 250 g honey
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- Peels of 1 orange or 1 whole orange cut in half
For the sprinkling:
- Chopped walnuts or roasted and chopped almonds
- Cinnamon powder
- Honey (optional)
How to
Syrup:
- In a pot, add the water, sugar, cinnamon sticks and orange peel or cut orange and boil for about 10 - 12 min.
- Remove from the heat, add the honey and stir until it dissolves.
- Allow the syrup to cool completely and remove the orange peels or orange and cinnamon sticks.
- Sift the flour and the baking powder.
- In a bowl, add the seed oil, olive oil and sugar and mix with a hand whisk until the sugar is dissolved.
- Add the melted margarine, orange zest, brandy, vanillin, cinnamon and cloves and continue mixing.
- Dissolve the soda in the orange juice (be careful, it will foam) and add to the mixture.
- Continue with the semolina, flour and baking powder.
- Knead only until all the ingredients are combined, no more!
- Shape either round or oval melomakarona (25 g) and transfer to a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Optionally, you can press one side of melomakarona on a sieve or a dense rack to create a simple design. You can also make some designs with a fork.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 340oF - 170oC (set to fan) for 20 - 25 min.
- Put the hot melomakarona in the cold syrup, carefully turn them over a few times (for about 15 seconds), strain with a slotted spoon and sprinkle with walnuts or almonds and cinnamon. If you prefer, add some honey and your delicious greek melomakarona are ready!
