Koulourakia Yiayia Stopoulos Food

IRENE'S SWEET KOULOURAKIA

Steps:

• All the ingredients should be at room temperature. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cream the butter for 5 minutes in a large mixing bowl. Add sugar to the mixture and beat another 5 to 7 minutes. Add eggs and beat until blended. Add the orange juice and the vanilla extract.
• In a large bowl combine the baking powder and baking soda with about 1 cup of flour and stir in the egg mixture slowly. Add the remaining cups of flour gradually. The dough is ready when it leaves the sides of your mixing bowl completely. The dough is soft and pliable.
• Using a Swedish meatball scoop, begin cutting balls out of the dough. Roll out the dough balls in long rope like portions, fold over in half and twist. Place the cookies on a greased baking pan.
• Beat the 2 eggs in a small bowl to make the glaze. Brush the cookies on the pan with the glaze and bake in the oven for 25 minutes until golden brown.

KOULOURAKIA (GREEK EASTER COOKIES)

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Cream butter, sugar and vanilla. Add 2 eggs and blend well. Add milk and orange juice and beat on high for about 3 to 4 minutes.
• Sift together flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add flour to butter mixture and beat well until a soft dough is formed (add a bit more flour if needed, until dough is no longer sticky but soft).
• Pinch off 1″ balls of dough and shape into a 6″ long rope. Braid the two ends together and place one inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet.
• Beat the remaining egg with the 2 tablespoons of water. Brush each cookie with egg wash. You may sprinkle with sesame seeds at this point, if desired.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Cool on rack. These store and freeze well, just place in freezer bags or containers.
• 4 Dozen.

KOULOURAKIA (AUTHENTIC)

Steps:

• Beat together vanilla, oil and eggs.
• Add sugar, salt and baking powder and mix.
• Add about half of the flour and mix. Gradually add the remaining flour until mixture comes away from the bowl. Do not over-add flour.
• Pinch off pieces of dough and roll into pencil-thin strips about 6 inches long. Fold in half and twist into a rope. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
• Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with poppy seeds.
• Bake 350 about 15 minutes.

YIA YIA'S KOULOURAKIA

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and oil: gradually beat in sugar. Beat eggs together and add to butter. Beat thoroughly; add orange juice, Fiori di Sicilia, vanilla and orange zest. Combine flour, baking powder and baking soda. Gradually add flour and milk to mixture until dough does not stick and is pliable. Shape dough into cookies. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Place on greased cookie sheet. I use parchment. Bake at 375° for 15 minutes or until golden. Note: Good to refrigerate dough overnight before shaping and baking