Christmas is not only a religious period, but it also revolves around a variety of great smells and tastes of good food and amazing sweets.

Here below you may find the recipes of two of the Xmas times’ traditional sweets in Cyprus.

·         150g fine semolina (half a cup)

·         550g flour (soft) (4 1/3 cups)

·         1/2 tbsp baking powder

·         100g orange juice (1/3 cups)

·         3 tbsps cognac

·         100g sugar (1/3 cups)

·         1 flat tbsp powdered cinnamon

·         1/3 tsp nutmeg (powder)

·         1/3 tsp clove (powder)

·         1 tsp vanilla extract

·         1/2 tbsp baking soda

·         90g water (1/3 cups)

·         125g olive oil (1/2 cups)

·         125g vegetable/sunflower oil (1/2 cups)

·         50g honey (3 tbsp)

·         zest of 2 oranges

·         300g water (10 ounces, 1 1/4 cups)

·         600g sugar (20 ounces, 2 3/4 cups)

·         2 cinnamon sticks

·         3 whole cloves

·         1 orange, cut in half

·         180g honey (7 ounces, 10 tbsp)

·         200g chopped walnuts (7 ounces, 1 2/3 cups)

·         powdered cinnamon (optional)

·         powdered clove (optional)

1. To prepare this melomakarona recipe, start by making the syrup first. In a pot, add all the ingredients for the syrup, besides the honey and bring to boil. 

Boil for 3-4 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved and remove from the stove. Stir in the honey and set aside to cool completely.

2. Prepare the dough for the melomakarona. In a bowl, add the semolina, flour and baking powder and mix with a whisk to combine.

3. In another large bowl, add the orange juice, the cognac, the sugar and spices (nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, vanilla) and mix. Add the baking soda and whisk immediately for 5-10 seconds until the ingredients combine and the baking soda dissolves and starts to foam. Pour in the bowl the water, the oil, the orange zest and honey and whisk to combine.

4. Now it’s time to combine the two mixtures. Add the mixed flour, semolina and baking powder (from step 2) in the bowl with the rest of the ingredients, from step 3 and start kneading the dough for the melomakarona. Knead the dough for the melomakarona using your hands, until the ingredients combine and the dough is smooth, soft and slightly sticky. Be careful not to overwork the dough, as they will become hard.

5. Preheat the oven at 180C. Layer the bottom of 4 large baking trays with parchment paper and start shaping the melomakarona. Pinch a portion of dough about the size of a walnut – 30g and shape with your palms into a smooth oblong shape, like a small egg. Place on the baking tray, push lightly the top with a fork and pierce three times on top about half way through the dough. Continue with the rest of the dough.

6. Depending on how large is the oven you have, when your first two trays are ready, you can start baking them. Place the baking trays with the melomakarona in the oven and bake for approx. 15-20 minutes, until the melomakarona are lightly and evenly browned and cooked through. If you’ve made them bigger, you’ll need to bump up the cooking time!!

7. When the melomakarona come out of the oven, dip them immediately in the cold syrup, flipping them with a slotted spoon to absorb the syrup for approx. 10-20 seconds, depending on how syrupy you like them. Remove the cookies using a slotted spoon, place on a platter and sprinkle with chopped walnuts.

8. While you are dipping your first couple of tray in the syrup add the next two in the oven to bake. Don’t forget to set your timer!!

9. Store the melomakarona at room temperature in an airtight container. They will keep for all your Christmas Holidays!

 

·         250g butter made from cows milk, cold (1.1 cups) (Lurpak butter unsalted)

·         150g almonds, roughly chopped or almond slivers, roasted (1 1/4 cups)

·         50g almonds (whole) or almond slivers, raw (1/4 cup)

·         75g icing sugar (1/2 cup)

·         1 tbsp rose water

·         1/2 tsp vanilla extract

·         1 tbsp baking powder

·         a pinch of salt

·         400g all-purpose (plain) flour (3 1/5 cups)

·         lots of icing sugar for powdering

1. Preheat the oven to 200C / 390F. To prepare this kourabiedes recipe, start by roasting the almonds. Place the roughly chopped almonds (150g) or almond silvers on a baking tray and sprinkle with some water. Bake them for 7-8 minutes, until roasted, being careful not to burn them. Set aside or put in the fridge to cool.

2. In a blender, add the raw almonds (50g) and blend, until powdered. Set aside.

3. In a food processor, add the cold butter and sugar; mix for about 10 seconds, until the butter ‘breaks’ and is completely dissolved. Add the powdered almonds, a pinch of salt, the rosewater and the vanilla extract; mix for 10-20 seconds, until combined. At the end, add the baking powder and flour and mix again for 10-15 seconds.

4. Place the mixture in a large bowl and add the roasted almonds; blend lightly with your hands. For the kourabiedes to remain fluffy, it is important that the butter doesn’t warm up and melt. So wait for a while for the roasted almonds to cool, before adding them to the butter mixture.

5. Preheat the oven to 170C / 340F. Layer the bottom of 2 baking trays with parchment paper and form the kourabiedes.

6. Roll 1 tbsp (about 30g) of the dough into a ball, place on the baking tray and push with your finger in the middle, to form a little dimple. Continue with the rest of the dough. Place in the fridge for 5 minutes until you prepare your next tray.

7. Place the baking trays with the kourabiedes in second and fourth rack of the oven. Bake for approx. 15-20 minutes, until they have a very faint golden tint and are cooked through. Be careful not to overbake them.

8. Leave the kourabiedes aside to cool down for a while. If you try to lift them, while still warm, they will break!

9. Spray the kourabiedes with rosewater and sift with icing sugar.

Take Care – Stay Safe – Be Positive and Enjoy the Cyprus’ Xmas cookies!