Christmas Holidays Sweets

In Greece every house is filled with the traditional Christmas Holidays Sweets, “melomakarona” (also called phoenikia) which are honey and walnut cookies and “kourambiedes”, almond and icing sugar cookies. In some areas of Greece especially in Peloponese “diples” (or aftakia, meaning small ears ) a kind of fried pastry covered with syrup and walnuts.

Recipes

MELOMAKARONA

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, 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 serving plate and pour warm syrup over them. Sprinkle with crushed walnuts.

KOURAMBIEDES

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 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 crescent or round shapes 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.

DIPLES

6 cups flour

1 cup sugar

10 eggs

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

Oil for frying

1 1/2 cups honey

1 1/2 cups water

1 cup chopped walnuts

A dash of cinnamon

Place flour in a bowl. Add the sugar, vanilla, eggs and baking powder. Knead until dough is smooth and firm.

Let rest for 30 minutes

Cut dough in small pieces and roll out to sheets. With a knife cut sheets into 2 inch wide strips

Heat oil

Fry “diples” both sides. When done place them on paper to absorb excess oil and then in a serving plate. Sprinkle with nuts.

Syrup: In a saucepan bring to boil the water, the honey and the cinnamon while stirring constantly.

Pour the syrup over the "diples".

Bon appétit !!