Christmas Biscuits

I apologise to all my avid readers for my tardiness in updating. I promise you that you will be inundated with new recipes, because holidays for me are a time to cook and entertain incessantly.

The following two biscuit recipes originate from Greece. The kourambiethes (almond shortbread) literally melt in your mouth due to their buttery nature, but there is a complexity to them which is provided by the beautiful roasted almonds. I got this recipe from George Calombaris’ cookbook “Greek Cookery from the Hellenic Heart, pg:277.” George is a renowned chef in Australia, specialising in Greek and Middle Eastern cuisine and is currently absorbed in a new project which is to open the best Greek restaurant in the world. If you ever have a chance to come to Melbourne, you must visit one of his restaurants (refer to this link to view his website). I along with my mum adore his food, however my dad agrees with George’s mum on the statement that he bastardises the traditional cuisine, however I prefer the term modernises.

The melomakarona (honey cakes) are personally my favourite biscuits; soaking them in the honey syrup creates their softness and the aroma of all the different spices within them immediately calls out Christmas to me. I often envy the Northern hemisphere, who experience a snowy, white, wintry Christmas, because to me, the appreciation for biscuits such as these, deteriorates in the hot Australian summer- no one wants spices to warm up their kitchen (except for me) nor is there an overwhelming appetite to each such splendid food as the heat acts as a natural appetite suppressant. But nonetheless, it wouldn’t be Christmas in my family without baking these goodies. We wrap them up and give them to everyone we can think of who has helped us through the year.

This recipe derives from Tessa Kiros’ cookbook “Food from many Greek Kitchens, pg: 42.” If you haven’t heard about Tessa Kiros, let me take a few moments to awaken your knowledge (she is a personal inspiration to me). Tessa has literally immersed herself in the world of culture. She was born in London to a Finnish mother and a Greek-Cypriot father and later moved to South Africa. When she was 18 she set off to learn all she could about the world’s cultures and tradition and new ways of living and eating. Whilst on a trip to Italy to study the language and food, she met her husband Giovanni and they now live with their two children in Tuscany- talk about being an intrepid traveller. I love opening up her cookbooks because you are taken to recipes form all over the world. A personal favourite of mine is Falling Cloudberries,” which has recipes from Finland, Greece, Cyprus, Italy and South Africa- all of which are to die for.

Kourambiethes

Almond Shortbread

Makes approximately 30 biscuits

340g unsalted butter (room temperature)

110g icing sugar, plus extra for dusting

340g plain flour (you may need more depending on how soft the butter is)

1 cup toasted silvered almonds

1 vanilla bean, halved and scraped

1 teaspoon salt

1.     Beat butter and icing sugar until light and fluffy.

2.     Add plain flour, salt, almonds and vanilla scrapings and stir with spoon until just combined.

3.     Knead dough on a floured bench until a soft dough forms, without being sticky.

4.     Roll dough using a rolling pin on a floured surface, and pat down until a bit less than 1cm in thickness.

5.     Using different style cookie cutters cut dough and place on a lined baking tray.

6.     Bake in a preheated oven at 165°C until they are golden (around 15-20 mins).

7.     Remove form the oven and place on a wire rack.

8.     Once cool, dust with icing sugar.

9.     Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

Melomakarona

Honey Cakes

makes approximately 25

70g sugar

185ml (3/4 cup) extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons brandy (or cognac)

juice of ½ orange

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg

300g (2 cups) plain (all purpose) flour

50g crushed walnuts, to serve

SYRUP

½ cup honey

140g sugar

1 strip orange zest

1 small cinnamon stick

1.     Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a baking tray with baking paper.

2.     Stir the sugar and oil in a wide bowl until dissolved.

3.     Add the brandy, orange juice and zest.

4.     Mix the baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground cloves and nutmeg through the flour. Add to the bowl and mix to a loose dough with a wooden spoon.

5.     Using your hands, knead to a soft and smooth dough.

6.     Break off small clumps of dough (about 30g). Roll them into a bowl between your palms then form small circles.

7.     Set them onto the baking tray and bake until firm and the bases are gold, about 20 minutes.

8.     While they are baking, make the syrup. Put all the ingredients along with 185ml (3/4 cup) of water in a small pot and stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Simmer for 5 minutes, then keep warm.

9.     Put the cakes in a dish with sides where they will fit in one layer.

10. Pour the syrup over them, covering each well. Leaver for 5 minutes.

11. Spoon some syrup (it will be a little thicker now) from the bottom of the dish over the tops of the cakes and sprinkle with walnuts.

12. Remove to a serving plate and drizzle the walnuts with the remaining syrup.

13. Cover with a cake net and cool completely.

14. The melomakarona will keep for many days stored in a covered container.